Missing Hiker Found Alive After Spending the Night in Frigid Temperatures

After a woman embarked on a solo evening hike, she remained in the Santa Cruz Mountains for around 12 hours until rescuers found her at 3:30 a.m. the next morning

A hiker rescued after she went missing on Saturday, Nov. 9, for 12 hours in "frigid temperatures" in the Santa Cruz Mountains in San Mateo County, Calif., the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) announced in a Facebook press release on Tuesday, Nov. 12. 

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, and a group of hikers were at Loma Mar, located about 50 miles south of San Francisco, on Nov. 9. Around 4 p.m., she went on a solo hike on Old Haul Rd. in Loma Mar, but by sunset, she had not returned to the group. This prompted the group to look for her, but after no real success, they called the SMCSO.

Twenty-five volunteers, SMCSO deputies and a California Highway Patrol helicopter began the search. Then, the SMCSO Emergency Services Bureau’s search and rescue volunteers were sent out. 

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On Sunday, Nov. 10, around 3:30 a.m., the crews heard the hiker responding to the volunteers' shouts. She was discovered 500 yards down a very steep hill alongside Pescadero Creek. Once she was found, she was administered basic first aid and deemed uninjured but suffering from exhaustion and being “very cold,” according to SMCSO.

Removing her from the hill took an additional hour. American Medical Response paramedics then transported her and conducted an evaluation. She was cleared and returned to her group.

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“I applaud our dedicated volunteers for finding the missing hiker under extremely challenges conditions. Their efforts saved this woman’s life,” SMCSO Sheriff Christina Corpus said in the press release. 

“This is one of several missing hikers who have been rescued by our Sheriff’s deputies and volunteers over the last few months,” Corpus added. “It is so important to remember the dangers of hiking, especially at night and in unfamiliar areas.”