While Snow Training on Mt. Baldy, the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team Answers Call for Help

The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team was called into action to locate a missing hiker while training on Mt. Baldy over the Feb. 11-12 weekend. 

Team members were practicing snow and ice skills when they received a call regarding a missing hiker who had attempted to summit the mountain the previous evening and had not returned.

The informant had called 911, and West Valley Search & Rescue, which is responsible for rescue and wilderness education assigned by San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, notified the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team. 

After searching for about 90 minutes in upper Good Canyon, team members were informed that the missing individual had made his way out via the canyon bottom and contacted the authorities from the Ice House parking area. The hiker was a little worse for wear but did not require medical attention.

The terrain that the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team searched was steep and icy, and the danger of one misstep could be fatal. 

The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team had been practicing various skills such as self-arrest, setting snow anchors, and building snow shelters at the time they joined the search for the missing hiker.

With the heavy snowfall in Southern California this year, the team took advantage of the opportunity to train on Mt. Baldy. Many team members spent the nights on the mountain Saturday, with additional training on Sunday before heading down.

On social media, the AMRT reported that January had been one of the busiest months in recent years, with multiple call-outs for search and rescue operations, not only in their area but also mutual aid requests for missing persons in other areas.

With more rain and snow in the forecast for the next week, the team advises people to be extra cautious if they decide to go for a hike. The dangers of deep snow, ice, and unstable terrain are prevalent in the local mountains. If planning to hike in a remote or lightly traveled location, it is recommended to consider utilizing a personal locator beacon, which can be used to signal emergency services from almost anywhere in the world.

For more about the volunteer AMRT, see https://www.amrt.org/.