15 Church Group Hikers Rescued In California Mountains

Fifteen hikers from a church group were found safely Monday morning after they disappeared during a weekend hike in the mountains of Southern California.

The fifteen hikers, ranging in ages from 14 to 36, reportedly got lost while hiking in southern California's Eaton Canyon Natural Area, near Pasadena, some time on Sunday. The group departed from the hiking area on Sunday morning, but relatives became anxious when they began receiving text messages Sunday night that indicated the group had gotten lost.

The lost hikers are members of the Seventh Day Adventist church in Huntington Park. They were spotted by a search rescue helicopter on Monday morning and have been reported as being healthy and free of any injuries, despite spending the night lost in the wilderness.

Wendolyn Ortiz, a member of the church, told KABC-TV that although several of the hikers were experienced, she believes they most likely got tired and stopped for a break, and were then lost after the sun set. "We're assuming that they got tired and they stopped," Ortiz said.

According to Newser, one member of the group was also able to call the local sheriff's office to say the group was lost.

One helicopter had been dispatched to the area on Sunday night to search for the missing people, but dense fog limited its search. A second helicopter, along with improved visibility, reportedly allowed the search team to successfully spot the 15 hikers on Monday morning.

Media outlets report that although the Eaton Canyon trails are hiked often, rescues in the densely-forested area are not uncommon.