At a Glance
- A 69-year-old man slid 1,000 feet down an icy mountainside after leaving a marked trail
- Rescue crews battled 17-degree temperatures overnight in the Mount Pinos area
- The hiker was airlifted to safety on January 9 after spending the night stranded
- Why it matters: The dramatic rescue shows how quickly winter conditions turn dangerous, even for experienced hikers
A 69-year-old California man is recovering after volunteers pulled him from a freezing ridge where he spent the night, exposed to single-digit wind chills and hidden beneath snow-covered cliffs.
The ordeal began Thursday, January 8, when the hiker left a known trail in the Mount Pinos section of Los Padres National Forest, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were alerted just before noon after the man failed to return to his vehicle.
Search teams faced blinding snow and sheets of ice as they scoured the mountain. Crews later learned the man had slipped approximately 1,000 feet down a steep, rock-strewn slope. Temperatures plummeted to 17 degrees overnight, leaving him stranded for more than 24 hours.
Multiple rescue units responded, including:
- Southern Kern Mountain Search and Rescue
- Bakersfield Search and Rescue
- China Lake Mountain Search and Rescue
- Los Angeles County Fire Department
A helicopter assisted from above while ground teams used specialized traction gear to traverse the icy terrain. Bakersfield Search & Rescue, a Kern County non-profit, documented the mission in photos showing responders in heavy winter gear navigating waist-deep snow.
The man was located Friday, January 9, and airlifted to the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base, where the Mt. Pinos Nordic Ski Patrol provided first-aid. He was treated for unspecified injuries and released.
Images shared by the non-profit show the hiker bundled in a sweatshirt, sweatpants, puffer coat, and knit hat, smiling and waving at the camera moments after rescue. Additional photos capture volunteers digging through snow and guiding the helicopter basket to safety.
“It truly was a miracle, the outcome we all pray for,” Bakersfield Search & Rescue wrote on Facebook, praising volunteers who drove more than three hours to reach the mountain. “To every volunteer who showed up … you’re heroes.”
The sheriff’s office urged hikers to check forecasts, carry adequate supplies, stay on marked trails, and notify others of their plans before heading into mountainous terrain.
