INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – Agencies providing air rescues may want to consider charging taxi fees for a growing number of hikers becoming lost or stranded in the local mountains.

It was another weekend of bringing uninjured people to safety.

Two Riverside men became stuck on Yucaipa Ridge surrounded by snow and ice at the 8,500 foot level as darkness closed in Saturday. When several search and rescue teams couldn’t reach the pair, a sheriff’s helicopter performed a hoist rescue the next day.

Earlier near Angelus Oaks, a hiker became disoriented, cold, wet and scared and used his cell phone to call for a sheriff’s rescue helicopter.

Near Crestline, a 17-year-old Victorville girl fell 75 feet into a steep ravine while hiking near Camp Seely. She was hoisted into a rescue helicopter and flown to a hospital with serious injuries.

There have been similar rescues in past weekends in mountainous areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Story Date: April 26, 2017