80-Year-Old Hiker Rescued In Cleveland National Forest

A man who reportedly got separated from his hiking group in the Cleveland National Forest required rescue, a sergeant from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station is reporting.

At around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, a group of hikers became separated while hiking the Sitton Peak Trail located in the Cleveland National Forest west of Lake Elsinore, Sgt. Marc Cloutier reported.

The oldest hiker in the group, an 80-year-old man, became lost but was found in a ravine by his party. However, the group was unable to get the senior hiker out, so the Riverside County Sheriff's Department was called to assist and the Sheriff's Emergency Response Team was activated, Cloutier reported.

Due to inclement weather and the weakened condition of the hiker, the Riverside County Mountain Rescue Unit was also called in, the sergeant explained.

“Members from RMRU located the hiker in the early morning hours and waited with the hiker until daylight,” Cloutier reported.

The man was eventually transported by RMRU to the trailhead where he was then transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, the sergeant said.