6 stranded hikers rescued, airlifted off Mount Baldy

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. -- Six hikers were rescued Wednesday after they got stranded in the snow near the top of Mount Baldy in Southern California, authorities said.

Video posted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Special Enforcement Bureau showed the dramatic rescue in which deputies carefully led the hikers to safety.

Investigators said they were stranded in the snow at 9,000 feet near the top of Mount Baldy on Bear Canyon Trail. After several hours, the hikers had to call 911 for help. Crews ultimately hoisted the hikers out of the mountain, airlifting them to safety.

Earlier this week, a 46-year-old hiker from North Hills had to be rescued after he wandered off trail while hiking up the Baldy Bowl, directly toward the summit.

"[He] called 911 saying he was just exhausted, and that he couldn't hike up or down the mountain," said Cpl. Ryan Peppler, a helicopter pilot with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department who was involved in that rescue.

READ MORE | North Hills man rescued by helicopter 200 feet below Mt. Baldy summit

The day after a 22-year-old missing hiker was found dead on Mount Baldy, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's aviation team was summoned to the mountain yet again to rescue another hiker in distress.

Those two incidents are reminders of the dangers hikers face when traversing Mount Baldy this time of year.

Lifei "Ada" Huang, a woman from El Monte, went missing while hiking in the Mount Baldy area amid the recent winter storm. She was found dead last week, according to authorities.

According to forecasters, more rain and snow is expected this weekend.