First responders rescue hikers stranded on forest trail east of Idyllwild

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) - Two hikers stranded today on a trail in the San Bernardino National Forest east of Idyllwild after one of them suffered an injury were rescued during a joint operation mounted by Riverside County fire and sheriff's personnel.

The "hiker down'' call was received just after 1 p.m. Tuesday near the junction of Marion Mountain and Desert Springs trails, south of Mt. San Jacinto, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said several engine crews, along with firefighters from the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, were sent to the location, initiating a search that culminated in the two hikers being found an hour later.   

Their identities weren't disclosed.   

One of the individuals had suffered an unspecified injury, according to reports from the scene.  

A sheriff's helicopter crew was requested to perform a hoist rescue, and the parties were retrieved without incident by the chopper at 2:20 p.m. They were taken to a makeshift landing zone, where an ambulance was waiting to transport the injured hiker to a regional trauma center for treatment.

The rescue operation concluded by 2:35 p.m.