Hiker rescued at Mt. Tallac after becoming disoriented and cold

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Sheriff's Search and Rescue (EDSAR) team was dispatched to Mt. Tallac late Wednesday night after receiving a call about a lost hiker near the top of the mountain.

The hiker was reportedly not prepared for the cold temperatures and couldn’t find his way back down the snowy trail. A hasty team of two rescuers left the Lily Lake trailhead at 1 a.m. Thursday morning and made their way toward the coordinates provided by emergency services from the hiker's phone. They encountered several inches of snow and very slippery conditions at the steepest parts of the Mid-Tallac Trail, according to EDSAR. Before reaching the coordinates the rescuers found tracks heading down the hill and followed those, correctly assuming the lost hiker was the only other person on the mountain.

They made contact with the lost hiker after hiking down a few hundred yards around 4 a.m. using whistles and lights. After providing the man with additional warm clothes and meeting up with another two rescuers, the group of five made their way down the less treacherous, but longer, Glen Alpine Trail to arrive at the Lily Lake trailhead around 7:30 a.m.

EDSAR reminds everyone enjoying the backcountry to prepare with proper navigation tools and gear for the conditions when going out for a hike. It only takes a few inches of snow to cover all signs of a trail.

EDSAR Tahoe is an all-volunteer professional rescue team supported by a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, operating in cooperation with and under the authority of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Search and rescue services are free in El Dorado County and made possible thanks to donations that directly support our volunteer rescuers.

Donation links:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=WNTCGESUUZ78G
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