Couple rescued after getting lost in the Mitteldorf Preserve
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) — The Monterey County Sheriff's Office says a husband and wife are alive and well after getting lost in the Santa Lucia Mountains Friday night.
Search and rescue crews were sent out to the area after a 911 call was made Friday evening. The Sheriff's Office says the couple was able to relay information about where their hike started, the last trail sign they saw and that they were stuck in a deep canyon before losing signal.
The Sheriff's Office says the couple had made their way up to Williams Canyon into the Mitteldorf Preserve on the Echo Ridge Trail, but as it started getting dark, they decided to try a shortcut into the ravine. As daylight was fading fast — panic began to set in, with the couple suffering from fatigue, dehydration and realizing they could no longer process down from up.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Team responded, with only help from a nearby cell phone tower to tell them the couple's probable location. Teams searched on foot, with headlamps to light the way deep into the ravine where the hikers were found.
The Sheriff's Office says the couple was lifted to safety using ropes to pull the couple out from the steep ravine. The hikers finally made it to the trailhead parking lot as the sun was rising.
The Sheriff's Office says this is a reminder to never venture off-trail in unfamiliar areas — and always bring proper clothing, water, food and flashlights.
