Culver City Man Among 4 Stranded Mountain Bikers Rescued in Angeles National Forest

The following press release was provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

On August 3, 2013, at approximately 11 p.m. members of the Montrose Search and Rescue Team responded to the area of Switzer Campground in the Angeles National Forest, Mile Marker 27.6 of Angeles Crest Highway, to search for four lost mountain bikers.  

After receiving an urgent text message from her missing son, the mother of the one of the bikers telephoned Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station to report the bikers missing.

At approximately 1 a.m., Sunday, the team located the bikers near the Paul Little Debris Basin (4 miles above JPL), in the Arroyo Canyon. This is a closed portion of the Angeles Nation Forest.  

The team assisted the bikers down the face of a dam, by lowering them and their bikes to the canyon floor of the Arroyo Canyon.  The team hiked them out to Gould Mesa, then to Angeles Crest highway.  

At approximately 4 a.m. the bikers were then transported back to their vehicle at Red Box.  The four bikers were all men in the early 20's, at least one of whom was from Culver City.

There were no reported injuries.

Prior to the 2009 "Station Fire," this ride used to be a pleasant 3-hour bike ride.  However, due to the Station Fire and subsequent floods and debris flow, this trail is now closed by the US Forest Service.  For riders who don't heed the warning, it is now an 8-hour "suffer fest" of "hike and bike" because you have to carry your bike as much as you ride it for eight hours, and many riders often get stuck or caught by darkness.