San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Praises Courage and Determination of Two Teenage Hikers Found Safe After Five Days Lost in the Mountains

Two teenage hikers, Riley Ramirez and Cole White, have been found safe and unharmed after being lost in the mountains of Southern California for five days. The 17-year-olds had been hiking the Pacific Coast Trail near San Gorgonio Mountain when they were caught in a severe snowstorm and lost contact with their parents.

On Friday, a sheriff’s helicopter crew spotted the pair in a remote area of the trail and landed in heavy snow to rescue them. The crew flew the teens to the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station, where they received medical attention, food, water, and a warm place to stay.

Riley Ramirez’s father, Jose Ramirez, had called the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department when he lost contact with his son and the other hiker. The teens had been well-prepared for their hike, with ample food in their backpacks, a tent, and snowshoes, plus extensive training and aspirations to join the military.

Residents of California mountain communities have been snowed in for more than a week, and the rescue of the two hikers is a welcome reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has praised the teens for their courage and determination, and for their preparedness for the hike.