Hiker rescued from trail unable to complete cross country trek

A proposed hike from one national border to another along the Pacific Crest Trail ended prematurely for a 70-year-old man, who was rescued in the San Bernardino National Forest, authorities said today.

Robert Davis, 70, of Winchester, Tennessee, began his trek along the trail from the Mexican to Canadian borders on April 1, but by Tuesday, April 29, he was starting to feel fatigued, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. John Reinbolz said.

After hiking another eight miles on Wednesday, Davis found himself at 6,000 feet of elevation, and low on water. He then decided to make a cell phone call for assistance, but could not get a clear signal, Reinbolz said.

Unable to safely hike out, Davis opted to activate his GPS Personal Locator Beacon, which was picked up by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Centre around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Reinbolz said.

Searchers found Davis just over five hours later in a clearing about 100 yards off the Pacific Crest Trail. He was in good health but unable to hike out on his own, Reinbolz said.

Instead, he was airlifted out, completing a search effort that involved crews from the California Department of Forestry, Sheriff’s Department and its Aviation Unit, State Park Rangers, Mountain Rescue and Desert Search and Rescue.

Davis was released from a hospital in good health, Reinbolz said.