SAN MATEO COUNTY — A hiker who went missing after leaving her group survived a night of frigid temperatures and was eventually located by searchers, authorities said Tuesday.
The woman had been missing for about 12 hours when rescuers found her about 3:30 a.m. Sunday near Pescadero Creek, according to a statement from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Searchers heard the woman respond to their calls, authorities said.
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“I applaud our dedicated volunteers for finding the missing hiker under extremely challenging conditions,” San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said in a statement. “This is one of several missing hikers who have been rescued by our sheriff’s deputies and volunteers over the last few months. It’s so important to remember the dangers of hiking, especially at night and in unfamiliar areas.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the woman went out for a hike by herself about 4 p.m. Saturday along Old Haul Road in the census-designated area of Loma Mar. The group began searching for her when she did not return by nightfall, then called the sheriff’s office after an initial search proved fruitless.
Sheriff’s deputies started their search by using a drone and a California Highway Patrol helicopter, then called in searchers from the agency’s Emergency Services Bureau, sworn officers and others who had volunteered for specialized training to find missing persons.
Those searchers called out to the woman, who responded from about 500 yards down what the sheriff’s office called a “very steep hill” alongside Pescadero Creek. She was exhausted and very cold but otherwise uninjured, officials said.
Search teams needed nearly an hour to extract the woman from her position. Paramedics examined her after taking her to the command post and medically cleared her to return to her group.
Overnight lows in San Mateo County dipped into the 30s early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
The sheriff’s office also received help during the search from the CHP, the California Office of Emergency Services, the Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit, California State Parks, the San Mateo County Parks, the San Mateo County Search and Rescue unit and its coastside patrol and emergency services bureaus. The Loma Mar Fire Department and California Rescue Dog Association also contributed help.
