Rescue 02-14-2010

The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team and the Sheriff's Air-5 crew rescued a man and a woman who got stuck on a steep off-trail area between Echo Mountain and the fire trail above Cobb Estate. The Altadena Mountain Rescue team was called out around 2 p.m. Sunday to assist the man and woman, said Lt. Angela Shepherd of the Altadena Sheriff's Station.

The male aged 46, and female, 38, were not lost and they were not injured when the AMRT volunteers located them, but they were on steep ground, Shepherd said.

The two persons, described as "inexperienced hikers," could not climb back to the trail on their own because of the steep terrain, Shepherd said. Air-5, a Navy surplus Sikorsky H-3, was called out, and they lifted the two to safety around 3:30 p.m., Shepherd said.

Patrol Report 02-07-2010

Almost all of the roads leading into the mountains from Altadena have been impacted by the rains. The stream crossing in Eaton Canyon on the road from the Nature Center is not passable with vehicles however you can drive to the crossing from the bridge. The Toll Road has some slides across it from the old large slide. It is not blocked to hiking but the trucks would have a hard time getting across. The slides that we saw should not take much to clear but there will certainly be more slides there. The Mount Lowe road is blocked by a slide at the Cabin Trailhead. The road to Brown Mountain at the stream crossing next to Lonnie's trailer is washed out and not passable. The fire road to Brown Mountain from the top of Rising Hill is completely washed out about a mile up from the forest gate. The road up the Arroyo from the Ventura gate is washed out about 1/2 mile from the gate.
The area was busy with hikers today. We turned around many of them in the Arroyo and on Chaney Trail.

Patrol Report 01-31-2010

Heavy traffic at the Nature Center and Windsor. There are signs clearly stating that there are to be no hikers up past the first gate on Chaney trail, however, there are still people making their way past the signs. Forestry is doing their part by handing out citations and warnings. A call came in for a 415 on Chaney. Lani encountered an individual and his family who was uncooperative about not being allowed in the area.. We made no contact. Drove up Brown fire road from Millard. The road is passable from the campground up to about a 1/2 mile past the turn for Rising Hill fire road. We should stick to using the Colorado for this trek. The F350 may make it as well, however, it might be too heavy for the road. Definitely not the 450. Here's where the road is too sketchy to pass if anyone is interested in plotting on the map:
0393800
3786977
I suggest going out with a chainsaw while out on and for any ops. There's one in the 450. The other is in my possession. I'll be taking it in to be repaired since it's non op at this time. And get that back ASAP. On another note, there's been more than one occasion of vehicle breakin's at the turnstile. Something to keep in mind. It's been happening in broad daylight. Maybe make a few passes while out as well.