Rescuers aid three exhausted hikers

Daily Sound 30 March 2009

Staff

Search and rescue crews aided three dehydrated and worn-out hikers who found themselves in peril in the Los Padres National Forest during the weekend, authorities said.

On Saturday, members of the Sheriff’s Aviation Bureau and Search and Rescue team completed a joint operation to rescue the three hikers from McPherson Peak.

“The subjects had started earlier in the day from Alisos Canyon near Cuyama in the northern part of Santa Barbara County with the intention of spending the weekend hiking and camping,” according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department. “After hiking all day in high temperatures, the subjects ran out of water and became too exhausted to return to their car.”

The three hikers managed to find a signal for their cell phone sometime after 5 p.m., something authorities noted is not always possible in the rugged backcountry.

After search and rescue personnel reached the hikers, they were airlifted out with a sheriff’s helicopter, which transported them safely back to their car by 8:30 p.m.

“Search and rescue [medics] gave the three hikers water with a mixture of electrolytes to replenish their fluids,” sheriff’s officials said. “This helped them to recover from their dehydration and they were released with no further medical care needed.”