Donald Buchanan of Temple City was last seen Saturday after leaving for a hike near the Vincent Gap area.
The Palmdale Sheriff's Station's search-and-rescue team had been looking for Buchanan since Saturday night. On Sunday morning, they started combing the grounds near Wrightwood by air.
Around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, rescue crews heard a faint whistle from across a ravine, while searching along a trail. That's when the team hiked closer and was soon able to make verbal contact with Buchanan.
A sheriff's rescue helicopter searched the cliff ridge and spotted him. Buchanan, who appeared to be uninjured, was hoisted and flown to Huntington Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. He appeared to be uninjured, suffering only from mild hypothermia.
Buchanan's son is a Los Angeles County Sheriff assigned to Palmdale Sheriff's Court Services Division. When his father didn't return home Saturday, he drove to the area and found his blue Ford Mustang parked at the trailhead.
A command post was set up at the Vincent Gap area parking lot located on the Angeles Crest Highway.
Anyone with information on Buchanan's whereabouts was urged to contact the Palmdale Sheriff's Station at (661) 272-2400.
