Stranded Hikers Rescued in Mission Canyon
Volunteer Rescuers Maneuver Hikers to Safety with Rope and Anchor System
Two Lompoc residents who lost their path Wednesday night while hiking down from Cathedral Peak above the City of Santa Barbara were rescued by the Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue Team (SBCSAR) less than two hours after calling 911.
The hikers had set out from Tunnel Road around 4 p.m. that day without flashlights, believing they could return before nightfall. At approximately 9:30 p.m., they reported to emergency operators that they were unable to move from a cliff for fear of falling and injuring themselves. Ten SBCSAR volunteers located the hikers in the Mission Canyon area at approximately 11 p.m. by using cellular location triangulating, night vision equipment, and cell phones. However, because of the hikers’ remote location, volunteers installed a rope and anchor system that allowed four rescuers to rappel 200 feet down the cliff to reach the subjects. The hikers were placed in harnesses and lowered down the cliff face, then hiked back to their vehicle on Tunnel Road by rescuers.
SBCSAR reminds hikers to always carry lighting in case of delays when adventuring into the backcountry.
