Hikers Survive Freezing Night on San Gorgonio
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:27 pm
This is a sad story with a poor outcome, but at least they survived.
P.S. It's cold in the high places now.
P.S. It's cold in the high places now.
San Gabriel Mountains & Beyond
https://eispiraten.com/
FOREST FALLS, Calif – On Sunday, December 13, at approximately 10:20 a.m., the victims, Tiffany Finne (age 21 of Costa Mesa, CA) and Kenny Pasten (age 29 of Garden Grove, CA) attempted to hike along the Vivian Creek Trail, from Forrest Falls to the summit of Mount San Gorgonio. They were unable to make it to the summit and although they did not have the proper clothing or shelter, they decided to stay the night on the mountain. In the early evening a weather system moved in, temperatures dropped below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and the area received several inches of snow.
On Monday, December 14, at approximately 8:06 a.m., Kenny Pasten called 911 on his cell phone requesting help, but the call was dropped and the latitude/longitude captured by 911 was incorrect. There was also intermittent cloud cover near the summit, which initially prevented San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Aviation personnel from searching for the victims.
At approximately 10:10 a.m., an air rescue helicopter, with a crew of pilot, crew chief, firefighter, and paramedic responded to search for the victims. Having limited information of the victims' location, it took approximately 45 minutes for the crew to find them. The crew located Pasten on a ridgeline, at the 11,100 foot level, approximately one half mile west of San Gorgonio Summit.
Due to the wind conditions, the high altitude and the clouds continually forming in the area, the pilot had to make two attempts to land on the ridgeline. Once on the ground, rescuers went to Mr. Pasten, who was suffering from moderate hypothermia and non-life threatening injuries, and helped him to the helicopter. Mr. Pasten said Ms. Finne was downhill from the aircraft so, rescuers began to search for her.
After approximately 15 minutes of searching, they located Finne approximately 300 yards downhill from the aircraft. She was crawling on her hands and knees and was suffering from severe life-threatening hypothermia. Finne also had a German Shepherd with her. Rescuers helped Finne up the steep terrain to the helicopter. After helping Finne and her dog into the helicopter, the crew transported Finne and Pasten to Loma Linda University Medical Center for treatment.