Rescuer stays overnight with two hikers lost on steep Hawaii trail, officials say
A rescuer stayed overnight with two lost hikers as “darkness and steep terrain” meant a helicopter couldn’t take them off the trail, officials in Hawaii said.
The next morning, the hikers “were safely transported” by helicopter, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a Feb. 22 news release.
The two women were hiking on Mount Kaala Trail on the island of Oahu when they became lost, officials said. The nearly 7-mile out-and-back trail leads to the highest point on Oahu, and it’s a challenging undertaking, according to an overview on All Trails.
The fire department got word at about 8:30 p.m. Feb. 21 that the two hikers were lost, according to officials. Five units with 14 personnel responded.
Within an hour, rescuers were inserted onto the trail by helicopter and found the hikers, determining they weren’t hurt, officials said.
But, “due to darkness and steep terrain,” the decision was made to stop air operations for the night and pick them back up once the sun rose, according to officials.
The two hikers and the rescuer who stayed with them walked the next morning “to an area to safely utilize” the rescue helicopter, officials said.
No injuries were reported, according to officials.
This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Rescuer stays overnight with two hikers lost on steep Hawaii trail, officials say."
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