Two hikers rescued after getting lost in Hood Mountain Regional Park

An afternoon hike from Sugarloaf Ridge State Park turned into a late-night Tuesday rescue on Hood Mountain when a pair of hikers became lost, tired and thirsty.

The two were rescued at about 11 p.m.after emergency responders hiked in and found them on an overgrown dozer trail and walked them out, said Daren Bellach, Kenwood assistant fire chief.

A call for help came in at about 9:40 p.m. from the father of one of the hikers, saying he’d gotten a call from the pair, who said they were lost and stuck on Hood Mountain, sheriff’s Sgt. Cecile Focha said Wednesday.

The couple, who were boyfriend and girlfriend, also spoke to dispatchers, saying their phones were losing power, they hadn’t had water in hours and had no flashlights, according to emergency dispatch reports.

The 18-year-olds had begun their hike at 3 p.m. from Sugarloaf with a goal of reaching Gunsight Rock, a popular overlook on Hood Mountain with sweeping views of the Sonoma Valley and beyond. On their way back they became lost, Bellach said.

They were able to give phone GPS coordinates and followed instructions to stay where they were.

Emergency responders included Kenwood and Santa Rosa firefighters, a Sonoma ambulance, a state parks ranger, two deputies and a CHP helicopter.

The searchers spread out in the area and, using the possible coordinates, followed a grid pattern, using their vehicle sirens to see if the pair could hear them and help guide in their rescuers, Bellach said.

The search took about one hour.

The helicopter arrived about the time the two were found but because they weren’t far from vehicle access, they didn’t need to be flown out.

In daylight, it’s difficult to get lost on the mountain but once the light dims, “you can get turned around very easily,” Bellach said.

Reach Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.