Unprepared hikers were ‘cold, wet’ — and lost in steep Utah terrain during storm

A pair of hikers lost the trail they were hiking in southern Utah — and got stuck in steep terrain in the middle of a storm, rescuers said.

The hikers realized they were not prepared for the unpredictable weather on Valentine Peak on Tuesday, March 12, and called for help around 4 p.m., Iron County Search and Rescue said in a March 13 post on Facebook.

An Iron County sheriff’s deputy trekked to the hikers’ last known GPS location and found them — trapped 400 feet off the trail in steep terrain, officials said.

“They were cold, wet, and not prepared for the changing weather conditions,” rescuers said.

Photos show the steep trail and stormy weather on the mountain, which is about a 230-mile drive south from Salt Lake City.

The 6.3-mile out-and-back trail is considered challenging, according to All Trails. One person described it as a “rollercoaster” of varying steep terrain.

“There are some false peaks and some areas where it’s easy to follow wash outs that appear to be trails,” someone wrote on the site.

The deputy gave one of the hikers an emergency blanket, gave the other a coat and found a more level off-trail route where the rescue team would be able to reach them faster, officials said.

The rescuers arrived around 5:30 p.m. with dry clothes, gloves, and hand and feet warmers for the freezing hikers, officials said.

“The female hiker’s socks were drenched, and her feet were painfully cold,” officials said. The team removed her soaking-wet sneakers and socks and warmed her feet, then gave her dry socks and wrapped them in plastic to keep them dry inside her sneakers.

They hiked down the route together and made it to the parking lot around 6:15 p.m., officials said.

“We want to remind everyone of the importance to have proper gear if you plan to recreate, especially during this time of year,” officials said. “The valley temps may be mild but when you get into the higher elevations, the weather can drastically change. We’re thankful the hikers called us sooner rather than later, so we could get them warmed and down before it got dark and much colder.”

What to do if you get lost while hiking

If you think you’re getting lost, experts say it’s best to stop where you are and not panic. You should go over how you got to that point and if you’re able to see any landmarks around.

“Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step,” officials with the U.S. Forest Service said.

You should come up with a plan but stay put unless you are “very, very confident in the route.”

There are steps hikers can take to avoid getting lost and be better prepared for the unexpected:

• Have more than enough food and water with you.

• Take a compass that you know how to use, or have a GPS device on hand.

• Don’t rely solely on your cellphone. It probably won’t work because of a lack of signal or a depleted battery.

• Study the terrain and your route, and you should know how you’ll return.

• Have the right clothing. Sturdy hiking boots and layers can help you be prepared for rapidly changing weather.

• Pack a blanket, flashlight and matches.

• Check with a local ranger for special warnings. They can tell you about “fires in the area, bear sightings, flooding, trail or road closures.”

Climbers trapped on steep rock wall in Colorado for 11 hours in the dark, rescuers say

Hypothermic hiker loses sneaker in off-trail fall on Mount Washington, rescuers say

Stranded hiker calls 911 with dying phone on mountain trail after dark, officials say