Three motorcycle riders stranded in the remote hills of the Angeles National Forest were airlifted to safety Friday night after their bikes broke down.
The riders, described by fire officials as “young men” under the age 20, were not injured.
The ordeal began late Friday afternoon when at least one of the motorcycles broke down, said Michael Pittman, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
When the riders called for help, rescuers began searching the rugged hilly area that winds along a remote fire road called the City Highline Motorway Fire Road, which runs along the crest of peaks to the south of San Francisquito Canyon Road.
“This call was for stranded motorcycle riders,” Pittman said, noting fire officials received the call about 5:30 p.m.
“The problem was something to do with their bikes,” he said.
A rescue team with Rescue Helicopter No. 16 and firefighters from both the county and the U.S. Forest Service were dispatched to a spot near Bee Canyon, about 6 miles west of the Bouquet Reservoir.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the riders were spotted and rescuers “scooped them up,” Pittman said.
The three were flown to Francisquito Conservation Camp No. 14 on San Francisquito Canyon Road about 4 miles southwest of where they were found.
Within 30 minutes the young men had left the camp, according to a fire official at Camp No. 14.
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