On Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, a hiker missing for three says was located and safely evacuated near Cottonwood Lakes during a multi-agency search and rescue operation using a California Army National Guard CH-47 helicopter. (Kern County SO)
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A hiker missing since Aug. 16 was located and evacuated Tuesday, Aug. 19, during a multi-agency search-and-rescue operation near Cottonwood Lakes, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Members of the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group assisted in the high-altitude effort alongside Inyo and Mono County Search and Rescue teams, the National Park Service, and the California Army National Guard.
The hiker was cared for on site and flown out by a CH-47 helicopter along with all rescue personnel.
CLMRG, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization affiliated with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, focuses on saving lives in California’s backcountry.
The group’s work is supported by the Combined Federal Campaign and private donations.
Cottonwood Lakes Trail starts in the Golden Trout Wilderness and extends to the John Muir Wilderness at elevations between 10,000 and 11,400 feet.
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