Hikers Stranded For 36 Hours On California Mountain Rescued From Deep Gulch

Two hikers who planned a day-long trip on a California mountain became stranded after spending 36 hours on the mountain. The 19-year-old man and 20-year-old woman were rescued after getting trapped between two cliffs in a gulch, according to PEOPLE.

According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office, the hikers, who were visiting from Salt Lake City, called for help at around 10:20 pm on October 12. They reported that they were cold and unable to complete their descent from Mount Shasta, which stands 14,163 feet high.

At the time, the pair was at an elevation of 11,000 feet in the Avalanche Gulch area. Since they had planned only a day hike, they were not prepared for temperatures as low as 14 degrees that night. They also lacked enough food and water.

Officials advised the hikers to continue moving down the mountain to help maintain their body heat. By 2 am, the pair reported reaching Helen Lake, which is about 10,400 feet above sea level. Their phone battery died soon after, cutting off communication.

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On the morning of October 13, search and rescue teams began looking for them with helicopter support. At around 9 am, a helicopter crew spotted two hikers who waved at them. However, they were not in danger and were not the missing pair.

Rescue teams continued searching on the ground and from the air throughout Tuesday. At around 4 pm, they heard the missing hikers shouting from the bottom of Cascade Gulch. The pair was trapped between two cliffs measuring between 30 and 50 feet high.

The sheriff's office said this was the third rescue on the Avalanche Gulch route in a month. Officials warned that the route was not recommended at that time of year because of worsening conditions, falling rocks and the arrival of winter weather.

The department also advised people planning outdoor trips to prepare for unexpected overnight stays, bad weather and possible injuries.

Authorities stressed that as winter conditions return, hikers should research their routes in advance and choose trips that are safe for the season. They warned that a simple mistake in the high mountain areas of Siskiyou County could prove deadly.