Two California teenage hikers, both 17, survive a snowstorm by snuggling together for warmth

Two teenagers in southern California were stranded when a massive snowstorm hit during their hike.

Riley Ramirez and Cole White, both 17, were dropped off for a 10-day hike near the Pacific Crest Trail late last month.

The two are experienced hikers and had prepared for the long trek with food, a tent and snowshoes when the unexpectedly heavy storm hit.

“They knew there was weather. But I don’t think they counted on the amount,” said John Scalise, a sergeant with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

The parents of the two boys last had contact with their sons on February 28, five days before they were rescued.

Residents of San Bernardino Mountain brave long lines for groceries at the Goodwin & Son’s Market in Crestline, Calif., Friday, March 3, 2023, amid a shortage caused by heavy snowfall

Southern California residents wait for their phones to be charged at a closed restaurant after losing power after a heavy snowfall

Cesar Ramirez, Riley’s father, had been following the boys through an app. When track of them went missing on the app, he contacted the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, who traced the hikers to their last known location.

Police found the boys, who both have military ambitions, on March 3. They had been on the Pacific Crest Trail, near San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in Southern California.

The rescue team found the boys slightly hypothermic and huddled for warmth, according to the Associated Press.

They had spent three nights stranded on the mountain with a damaged tent. Ramirez had also lost his jacket in the wind.

They were flown by helicopter to the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station, where they were given food, water and medical treatment.

“During the five days they hiked, they encountered four to five feet of snow drifts, which reduced visibility and made it difficult to keep on the trail,” the sheriff’s press release said.

“Riley and Cole expressed how severe the weather conditions were and believed they would not have survived without the help of the Sheriff’s Department,” the statement said.

Cesar Ramirez said his son was “convinced” he would die in the snowstorm.

Some areas of SoCal have as much as 10 feet of snow and residents may have to wait up to a week for digging

A Crestline, California resident shovels snow after multiple storms dumped several feet of snow in front of his home

Snowfall surrounds the streets and businesses of the town of Crestline, California

A Caterpillar plow clears streets in Southern California

The roof of a tire ship collapsed due to heavy snowfall

A crew of firefighters return to their vehicle after shoveling and clearing snow March 3, 2023 following a series of winter storms in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California

On March 1, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for 13 California counties after a massive February 25 snowstorm hit southern California.

The massive snowfall blocked roads and trapped people in their homes. California rescue workers have struggled to dig out residents from up to 10 feet of snow after back-to-back storms.

About 85,000 homes and businesses across Los Angeles lost power on Saturday.

Authorities have been working to clear streets and distribute food, water and blankets to snow-covered residents. Some residents could be detained for another week, authorities said, because the eviction process takes a lot of time and effort.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk