Rescue in Las Flores Canyon

[Sean]

Yesterday afternoon SAR rescued a badly injured hiker in Las Flores Canyon. A sixteen year old boy attempted to take the deteriorated use trail that goes down to the Las Flores Canyon water mine. This unsigned path is dangerous in good weather, and very, very dangerous in bad, stormy weather. Apparently the recent and ongoing rains had loosened the already narrow slope and caused the hiker to slip and fall thirty vertical feet to the streambed.

Please be careful out there right now. This heavy rain has saturated many trails and use paths, creating some unstable slopes which might give way unexpectedly under your feet.

Also, listen for falling rocks and tree branches. I witnessed a dead oak fall onto the trail in Rubio Canyon last week--before the big storm hit. And a friend noticed that recently a huge boulder had tumbled across a switchback section on another trail in Altadena. Now might not be the best time to wear those ear buds blasting music into your ears. Wait until things dry out a bit.

(Photos of SAR rescue courtesy of George Roupas.)