Lost hikers were rescued by Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue (SBCSAR) teams near Gaviota Peak on Sunday.
At 11:48 a.m., SBCSAR teams were in the middle of a team training when they were dispatched to help hikers who had become lost and were running low on water.
The hikers were instructed to stay where they were, find shade, and wait for the rescue crew to arrive.
A rescue team driving a UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) were able to quickly locate the hikers and determined they were in good condition.
The hikers were transported to a rescue vehicle positioned farther down a dirt access road and then returned to their car at the trailhead.
“We are grateful for the smooth and successful outcome,” SBCSAR stated.
Thanks, SBCSAR!
The “trail”, is literally a road, which is pictured above, amazed that someone became “lost”!…. Thank you SBSAR team.
Some folks don’t know how to hike without getting lost. Straight in, straight out, same way.
It’s much more than just the road on the North side that you are referring to. The prettiest hike is by taking the Tunnel View and Trespass trail on the South side. They may have taken the road to the top and the Trespass trail down. It is possible to get lost there if you don’t know the way. Maybe they turned left to Underpass trail at the junction on the West side, instead of the Tunnel View trail to the parking lot. Another possibility, on the meadow at the South side halfway up there is crossing where you can go East, South or West with no signs. The trail is pretty clear but it’s not impossible to get lost there. It’s great that SBCSAR was there and didn’t have to make a special trip to point them in the right direction.