Sheriff's Department and local search and rescue volunteers rescued 15 lost hikers in five separate incidents in the Angeles National Forest over the weekend.
The unusually high level of activity happened over a 28-hour period starting Saturday afternoon, according to a department media release.
Here are details of the five incidents:
1) On Saturday afternoon, a seriously injured man flagged down a car on the Angeles Crest Highway and told the driver two other hikers nearby were badly injured. Two of the men were hospitalized, while one was found dead. They had fallen several hundred feet into a ravine while hiking. More details can be
2) On Saturday night, three teen hikers got lost in Eaton Canyon after dark and had to be walked out by the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team. For more details .
3) Also, on Saturday night, a group of boy scouts and adult leaders got lost in separated from the rest of their troop in the Mt. Wilson area. They were assisted by Montrose Search and Rescue. .
4) On Sunday, four boys were airlifted off an Azusa Canyon cliff after they climbed into a place they could not get down from.
5) Also on Sunday, three teens climbed into a closed-off cliff area near Millard Canyon and got stuck. One was airlifted out and two were taken out by an Altadena Mountain Rescue Team rope team. More details from our and .
When completed, the visitor would be supplied a photo ID card with a unique ID#, stating which locations they are authorized to travel to, so in an emergency the authorities would have access to who exactly is up on the mountain. If an empty vehicle is left unattended after hours (at a picnic ground, for instance), now the Ranger has a starting place to gather info. If the hiker also left his itinerary online, hooked up to his ID Card, now the Ranger knows not only who they are looking for, but where exactly to start looking. Ultimately, this will save cities, the county & taxpayers a lot of money, preventing search and rescue teams/helicopters, in sending parties out.
Perhaps a combination Ms. Maria's and John's comments would be best. If you want the government to protect you, you need to go through the training. If you do not want the hassle, you will be charged up the wazoo if we have to come and get you.
But that's what freedom is about, one is free to be stupid when one hikes into our mountains. I would like to see a minimum fee charged to anyone who requires rescue services. Not so much to be overly punitive but enough (eg., $500) to make people think twice about going off trail unprepared. Sometimes there are unforeseen accidents that can happen to anyone.