2 missing hikers found safe in Mt. Baldy

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. Raul Gutierrez, 12, and his cousin Oscar Monrreal, 21, said they got stuck in rough terrain when they tried to take a shortcut down the mountain.

The cousins set out for a hike on Friday morning with their dogs, but when they hadn't returned home by nightfall, a family member called authorities.

They said they used a flashlight to signal for help when they saw the search helicopter around 9 p.m. Friday. Crews were able to spot their location, but were not able to reach them until the next day.

Overnight temperatures dropped below freezing, so the cousins huddled under a bulldozer to keep warm through the

night. "I felt scared because I didn't think I was going to come out," Raul said. "I was really cold. My legs were really numb, and my fingers."

Officials said they were lucky because temps had been even colder on days just before Friday.

Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.