Crews Find A Lost Hiker In Palm Springs Foothills

A 23-year-old man who wandered off a hiking trail in Palm Springs was rescued unharmed today following a three-hour search, a Palm Springs Police officer said.

The man took off on the South Lykken Trail west of the city, but got lost in the foothills when he left the path.

He used his cellphone to call police and ask for help around 12:30 p.m.

“He is safe,” Palm Springs Police Officer Rhonda Long. “He is lucky he had cellphone reception.”

Thanks to a GPS locator from cell phone call, a helicopter spotted him off the trail. The area was not accessible by ground, so the copter picked him up at 3:25 p.m., Long said.

Long said the man was uninjured and was hiking with enough to drink so he was not dehydrated.

“He got off the trail and is confused about where he was,” Palm Springs Police Officer Mitch Spike said. “He did the smart thing and called us up.”