Three hikers required rescue from a mountaintop after realizing they couldn’t descend safely. The video of their rescue went viral, and it has launched a much bigger conversation. The women set out to hike a 16-mile circuit in the San Gabriel Mountains of California, but conditions weren’t favorable, so the trio headed toward a bailout point only to find it impassible. That’s when they made the judgement call to radio for help.
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“Being helivaced off of a mountaintop in the middle of a 16 mile circuit hike yesterday was NOT on my bucket list, but life comes at you fast,” wrote a woman named Tajreen in an Instagram post sharing footage of her and two friends before their hike and then them being helivaced out. The video has been viewed over 20 million times.
“We’re all safe and sound, and being trapped on a mountaintop cut off from any safe descent was a terrifying situation to find ourselves in,” Tajreen explained. “A massive thank you to @san_dimas_mrt for being absolute HEROES and so incredibly kind to us in the process.”
Things Turned Mean Fast in the Comments Section
Unfortunately, the video’s comments section took on a life of its own. Many people flooded the video with nasty comments targeting the women’s fitness and, in particular, their weight. What these people don’t seem to realize is that the hikers were well prepared for their 16-mile hike. According to Tajreen, they had put in the work to plan and prepare (both mentally and physically), but Mother Nature does not always cooperate.
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In a separate post, Tajreen shared some screenshots further explaining the exact situation, including how they ended up having to make the decision to call for help. While many people decided to say mean things, many others supported the women and their decision not to put their lives at risk. San Dimas Mountain Rescue even chimed in to say the hikers made the right call.
“Thank you for calling when you did. We never judge or second guess—we only respond and help,” the rescue organization wrote.
See the viral video of the hikers’ unexpected journey here:
See Tajreen’s follow-up video calling out internet trolls for their mean comments:
Header stock image by SzymonBartosz/Getty Images
