The search for a 64-year-old hiker who went missing in the Angeles National Forest over the weekend ended Monday when rescuers found out the man had hitchhiked to Los Angeles, a sheriff’s official said.
The man and his son were hiking from the trailhead around the Angeles Crest Highway and Mount Wilson Road on Sunday, said sheriff’s Lt. Mark Lopez.
“The son wanted to hike higher, and Dad said he’d meet him back at the car at the bottom,” Lopez said.
The son contacted the Sheriff’s Department about 6 p.m. Sunday to say his father was not at the car when he returned, the lieutenant said.
The Montrose Search and Rescue Team searched for the father until 2 a.m. Monday, and said search teams from Montrose, Altadena, Sierra Madre and San Dimas continued looking for the hiker from 7 until 9:30 a.m.
Turns out that the father couldn’t find his way to the parking lot and hunkered down in a campground, Lt. Gary Harman said. The man hitched a ride Monday morning to Los Angeles and called his wife in Northern California.
Monday morning, the authorities learned he was safe.
Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News