3 Hikers Rescued by Helicopter in Griffith Park

| Photo: al.herrmann/Flickr/Creative Commons License

A helicopter hoisted two lost teens and an adult from a Griffith Park trail this evening. The trio began hiking from the Merry-Go-Round area, and when they did not return on time, family members waiting in the parking lot called 911, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The call prompted a search and rescue operation by ground and air. They were found within an hour on a foot trail off Vista Del Valle Drive, a fire road, where they were hoisted and flown to the Crystal Springs parking lot. Save for poison oak exposure, no injuries were immediately apparent.

The lost hikers were a 14-year-old female, 17-year-old male, and a 34-year-old male.

During the summer, the L.A. Fire Department is dispatched to several hiker incidents every single day, according to spokesperson Katherine Main. "That's why it's important to take charged cell phone, be aware of your surroundings, and know where you're going," she said.

Like SoCal Wanderer on Facebook and follow @SoCal_Wanderer on Twitter.