Hikers Rescued
updated: Jun 28, 2012, 3:34 PM

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

Rescue personnel from the Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue team (SBCSAR) and the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Aviation Support Unit combined to locate and rescue two female hikers Wednesday night that were lost in the Seven Falls area of Mission Canyon off of Tunnel Trail.

The two hikers in their 20's left around noon on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, from the top of Tunnel Road with the intent of hiking to Montecito Peak and back in preparation for a hike along the John Muir Trial later this summer.

After being out all afternoon the hikers became disorientated at dark and were unable to navigate their way back to their vehicle parked at Tunnel Road. At approximately 9:00pm, the hikers used a cell phone to call 9-1-1 to request assistance as they did not know where their location and were unprepared to be out after dark.

Dispatchers of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Emergency Dispatch Center paged out SBCSAR and a Sheriff's helicopter to initiate a search. The helicopter crew, using night vision equipment, was able to locate the hiker's glowing cell phone and coordinated with SBCSAR ground teams to the hiker's location. The hikers were given water, lights and warm clothing before SBCSAR personnel assisted the pair down the mountain and back to their vehicle where they were checked by SAR EMTs and released.

A total of eleven SBCSAR personnel and two Sheriff's Aviation personnel participated in this operation.

SBCSAR, an all volunteer unit of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, reminds anyone venturing out into the wilderness, even for day hikes, to bring essential equipment to deal with such emergencies as becoming lost or injured. For more information and suggestions go to Santa Barbara Search & Rescue - Hiking Tips.

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