The Kern County Sheriff's Office wants people to be aware of their surroundings while hiking after nine people were rescued this week after getting lost in Tehachapi Mountain park.
On Monday, officials said a mother and her six children went for a hike on the Nuooah Trail. After hiking for some time, they became disoriented and ended up leaving the trail without knowing, officials said. The mother and children, aged 3 to 16-years-old, were able to call 911 and were found uninjured.
In a separate incident on Thursday afternoon, officials said a husband and wife went hiking on the same trail. After reaching the summit, they became disoriented on the way down and ended up off of the trail, becoming lost in the same area as the mother and children the day prior. They were found uninjured after using the GPS on their phones.
In both instances, hikers were able to be found with the GPS on their cellphones. KCSO wants to remind people that cell service is intermittent in these areas and to not rely on them while hiking. They advise people plan appropriately while hiking and doing everything possible to stay on marked trails, pay attention to landmarks, take extra supplies and always let someone know where you are going and what time you should return.
