Two hikers were injured while trekking in the San Bernardino National Forest north of Anza Monday, requiring Riverside County firefighters and U.S. Forest Service rangers to stage a rescue operation.
The "hikers down" call was received at 12:15 p.m. along Little Thomas Mountain Road, near the Thomas Mountain Campground, roughly a mile west of Highway 74, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine crews, along with USFS personnel, went to search for the hikers, who were located within a couple hundred yards of one another.
Officials said one victim suffered a head injury that caused temporary loss of consciousness, while the other had unspecified minor injuries. Neither was identified.
As of 12:40 p.m., a sheriff's helicopter crew was preparing to perform a hoist rescue and transport the man with the head injury to a makeshift landing zone near Lake Hemet, where a Mercy Air ambulance was slated to arrive around 1 p.m.
Rangers and firefighters were taking the other victim out via a ground vehicle, according to reports from the scene.
There was no immediate word how the hikers became injured.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok