The 69-year-old man started off hiking a known trail on Thursday, Jan. 8, but later went off-trail, a KCSO spokesperson said in a news release shared with PEOPLE. After abandoning the trail, he “began hiking off-trail for hours in an unknown direction,”<\/p>\n
KCSO deputies were alerted to the hiker\u2019s situation just before 12 p.m. on Jan. 8, after which they were able to locate his vehicle.<\/p>\n
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Bakersfield Search & Rescue<\/p>\n
A photo of the Jan. 9 rescue in the Mount Pinos area, shared by Bakersfield Search & Rescue<\/p>\n
As hours ticked by, deputies struggled to find the man “due to the amount of snow and ice” in the area. He slid approximately 1,000 feet down a steep mountainside fraught with snow-covered cliffs and “icy slopes,” according to the KCSO.<\/p>\n
Southern Kern, Bakersfield and China Lake Mountain Search and Rescue teams responded to the area “with specialized equipment to traverse the snow and icy conditions,” according to the KCSO. First responders with the Los Angeles County Fire Department also reported to the snowy scene.<\/p>\n
Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n The search and rescue efforts also included a helicopter, according to images shared by Bakersfield Search & Rescue, a Kern County non-profit organization.<\/p>\n As the teams worked to find the hiker, who \u201cwas stranded overnight,\u201d temperatures dropped to 17 degrees, according to the volunteer-based non-profit.<\/p>\n Bakersfield Search & Rescue<\/p>\n Volunteers at the Jan. 9 rescue in the Mount Pinos area<\/p>\n Eventually, the hiker was located and airlifted away from the cliff, according to law enforcement officials. He was subsequently taken to Mt. Pinos Nordic Base \u2014 where \u201cthe Mt. Pinos Nordic Ski Patrol provides winter ski safety and first-aid,\u201d according to the official Instagram account<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was treated for injuries at the base and released, the KCSO said. It is unclear what the extent of his injuries was.<\/p>\n Bakersfield Search & Rescue<\/p>\n Volunteers at the Jan. 9 rescue in the Mount Pinos area<\/p>\n Images shared by Bakersfield Search & Rescue appear to show the hiker \u2014 who was bundled up in a sweatshirt, sweatpants, puffer coat and hat \u2014 smiling and waving as someone photographed him after the rescue. Other pictures showed various officials and first responders working to locate him.<\/p>\n The successful rescue mission \u201creminds us what\u2019s possible when dedicated volunteers work together,\u201d Bakersfield Search & Rescue wrote on Facebook. \u201cIt truly was a miracle, the outcome we all pray for.\u201d<\/p>\n The organization concluded its post by expressing gratitude to those who made the rescue possible, writing, \u201cTo every volunteer who showed up and to those who drove over 3hrs to the mission and didn\u2019t stop until the job was done, you\u2019re heroes. \ud83e\udde1.”<\/p>\n “When hiking in mountainous areas, always check weather conditions, carry adequate supplies, stay on marked trails, and let someone know your plans to help ensure your safety,” the KCSO warned in a statement following the incident.<\/p>\n Read the original article on People<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Bakersfield](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/d726c05b8cb11451cac52896f5e05a5c.jpeg\"\/)
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