Stranded Teen Hikers Thought They Were ‘Going to Die’ Before Being Rescued in Extreme California Snow

Two teenagers who found themselves stranded in a California snowstorm for days said they “were already convinced” they weren’t going to make it out.

According to a press release from the Morongo Basin Station of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were notified on Friday of two teenagers who had been determined to be lost on the Pacific Crest Trail near the San Gorgonio Mountain area.

The teens, later identified as Riley Ramirez (17) and Cole White (17), had initially been dropped of in Whitewater ahead of a planned hike of part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Weather, including extensive snow, caused reduced visibility in the region and made it more difficult for the young hikers to follow the trail. Per law enforcement, parents had last had “established contact” with Ramirez and White on Feb. 28.

One parent, identified in an Associated Press piece as Cesar Ramirez, told reporters that both teens had accepted the likelihood of a worst-case-scenario situation before being rescued.

“They’ve told us, ‘We were already convinced we were going to die,’” Ramirez said.

Ultimately, the two teens were spotted from a helicopter near a remote part of the trail. After being flown to a sheriff’s facility, both hikers received medical attention. In discussions with law enforcement, the pair detailed the extreme weather they faced on the trail.

Recent weather in the region has resulted in a number of similar rescue operations. At the top of March, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in affected areas including San Bernardino, Amador, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and more.