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Father, daughter rescued after getting lost in desert

The Bakersfield Californian | Friday, Jun 8 2007 10:30 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Jun 8 2007 10:32 PM

A 65-year-old man and his daughter were rescued Friday after their vehicle became stuck in a sand wash when they got lost in the desert.

The man and his daughter, whose names were not released, were visiting the Burro Schmidt Tunnel area and exploring trails in the El Paso Mountain Range on Thursday morning, according to a Kern County Sheriff's Department news release. They wandered into "Last Chance Canyon" and couldn't find their way back to the highway.

The two-wheel drive vehicle they were driving became stuck in a sand wash and they couldn't call for help because they had no cellular service, the news release said. When they didn't return home at their scheduled time of 3 p.m., family members became concerned and called the Sheriff's Department.

Deputies from the Ridgecrest substation responded and a sheriff's helicopter located the vehicle at 1:30 a.m., the news release said. They were stuck in a remote location and deputies were unable to get to them.

Deputies from the Off Highway Vehicle Team were then guided by helicopter to the missing persons by using two all-terrain vehicles.

The father and daughter were rescued at 5:30 a.m. and were in good health and had no injuries, the news release said.

Following are some safety tips for visiting the desert:

* Tell a friend or family member your destination and approximate time of return.

* Bring water, nonperishable food, a map of the area, protective clothing and sunscreen.

* Stay on marked trails.

* Trail maps for east Kern County and adjacent high desert areas are available at the Bureau of Land Management's Jawbone Station on Highway 14.