Missing hiker found safe in mountains near Los Angeles
The hiker sent a photo to a friend before becoming lost and search-and-rescue teams hoped avid hikers could identify the location. Author: Associated Press Updated: 4:36 PM PDT April 14, 2021
LOS ANGELES Authorities say a hiker missing near Southern California’s Mount Waterman was found safe.
Rene Compean was airlifted to safety after being located Tuesday near the Chilao campgrounds. Compean, of Palmdale, did not need to be hospitalized. Sheriff’s officials had asked hikers with experience in the San Gabriel Mountains to help locate the 45-year-old man, who was reported missing Monday.
GPS obsessive saves life of stranded mountain hiker using this picture of his dangling legs: Geek pinpoints cliff location by matching satellite imagery to grainy phone shot
Renee Compean, 46, sent a photo of his legs dangling from a cliff to a friend as his phone was about to die saying he was lost and asking for help
Los Angeles County sheriff s posted the photo to Twitter asking for help in locating the missing man
Online Good Samaritan Ben Kuo pinpointed Compean s position by comparing vegetation and terrain from the shot to satellite imagery
Using the satellite-obsessive s GPS coordinates, search and rescue teams flew in to the site by chopper and found Compean that evening
Missing hiker found after mystery photo reveals location Share Updated: 1:49 PM EDT Apr 15, 2021 By Katie Dowd/SF Gate
Missing hiker found after mystery photo reveals location Share Updated: 1:49 PM EDT Apr 15, 2021
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Show Transcript A HIKER LOST IN THE NATIONAL FOREST WAS FOUND SAFELY. THE MAN TEXTED THE PHOTO, SAYING HE’S LOST AND HIS CELL PHONE IS ALMOST DEAD. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOUND THE CAR BUT IT LEADS TO FIVE DIFFERENT TRAIL HEADS. SO, THEY POSTED THE PHOTO ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, ASKING FOR HELP. THAT’S ALL IT TOOK FOR ONE MAN TO SEARCH THE AREA ONLINE, FIND THE COORDINATES, AND HELP THE RESCUE TEAM PINPOINT THE HIKER’S LOCATION. I FOUND THE LOCATION RIGHT HERE AND I FOUND HIM ABOUT THERE. YOU DON’T THINK SITTING BEHIND A COMPUTER AND LOOKING AT A PICTURE IN GOING, OK THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT MIGHT BE WHERE HE IS, WOULD RESULT IN SOMEONE GETTING RESCUED. THE HIKER WAS HUNGRY AND COLD, BUT IN GOOD ENOUGH