A family of four, including a baby, was rescued on Monday, August 15, after they were stranded in the dense forestland of a steep canyon in Tahoe National Forest, according to SFGate. According to authorities, they spent three days in the Northern California forest, which is located 225 miles northeast of San Francisco and 100 miles northwest of Lake Tahoe.
The mom and dad, their 10-year-old child, and their 9-month-old infant were hiking in an area of Fiddle Creek near Indian Valley. The Sierra County Sheriff's Office called this area some of the steepest terrains in the western part of the county, which stretches into the Sierra Nevada Range.
The sheriff's office said in a news release posted on August 17 that the mother could not hike out of the remote area after suffering from heat exhaustion. She was severely dehydrated during the hike, and they got stuck as a result in steep and rough terrain.
Dad asked for help from the sheriff's office to rescue his family
According to the report, the dad left the kids behind with their mom to request assistance on the third day of being stranded. The sheriff's office responded by asking California Highway Patrol to fly a helicopter over the area to find the missing family.
The tree canopy was too thick for the helicopter to locate the mom and her two children. Fortunately, the dad was able to lead a search and rescue team to them on foot. They hiked some 2,500 feet down the canyon to locate the trio.
The sheriff's office added that some search and rescue team members escorted the dad and the kids back to their vehicle as night fell. Other members stayed with the mom until morning, when there was enough daylight for the helicopter to get her out of the canyon and bring her to an awaiting medevac helicopter, according to KTVU.
Apart from the Sierra County Sheriff's Office, also assisting with the dramatic rescue were Nevada County Sheriff's Search and Rescue, the Downieville Fire Department, and the U.S. Forest Service. Officials did not say why the family ended up in the dangerous terrain.
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Tahoe National Forest, a popular destination
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Tahoe National Forest offers visitors a wide variety of e-bike riding opportunities. The forest includes over 2,000 miles of roads, 190 miles of single-track motorcycle trails, 195 miles of OHV (off-highway vehicle) trails, and 35 miles of newly designated single-track available to Class-1, pedal-assisted E-Bikes. All trails and roads open to motor vehicle use are available for all classes of e-bikes.
Among the popular recreation activities visitors can do at Tahoe National Forest are hiking, camping, winter sports, OHV riding, fishing, and hunting.
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