Hiker rescued after falling ill on Palm Desert trail

A woman fell ill today while hiking a trail just west of Palm Desert, leading Riverside County firefighters to mount a rescue.

The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, was reported down about 12:20 p.m. on the Bump and Grind Trail, roughly two miles west of the intersection of Fred Waring Drive and Painters Path, on the eastern edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

An agency spokeswoman said firefighters were attempting to locate the woman and determine if she could make it back to the trailhead under her own power, or would require a hoist lift by a Cal Fire helicopter crew.

The exact cause of the woman’s illness was not immediately known.