LEHIGH GORGE STATE PARK -- Four children and two women were rescued from a rock cliff in Lehigh Gorge State Park Friday afternoon after becoming lost.
Crews got a 911 call from one of the women after the group became disoriented and lost the way in the area of Glen Onoko Falls.
"We had a rough location with a GPS tag off a cell phone to find them today. Took the 10,000 acres that we have to work with, cut it down to about 1,000 acres and just by yelling out to them. We closed the distance to about 100 yards,” said Robert Valusek of the Jim Thorpe Fire Department.
"And once they did get to them, it took them almost 45 minutes to figure out how to get them down safely,” said Fire Chief Tim Rossman of Lehigh and Lausanne Fire.
Crews say the group was from California and didn't know the trails well.
In the past week alone, rescuers have been called to the park to find missing hikers four times.
“Unfortunately, most of the times when we come here, it's tragic. So for us to have a happy ending, it's all a good thing,” said Rossman.
Just last month, a hiker fell to his death near Glen Onoko Falls.
"The last three that were up here were fatalities. It's not a trail to be taken lightly,” said Valusek.
Those who know the area say they're glad to hear there was a happy ending in this case.
"Some spots on the trail up there, if you step to the left a little bit, you're gone. You're done. You're falling 20, 30 feet down to rocks, to nothing. So it is pretty dangerous but at the same aspect, it's a great place,” said Phill Mcardle of Jim Thorpe.
Park and rescue officials say if you're going to take a hike, stay on the trail. If there's a map for that trail, get it and take it with you, have proper footwear, take water and a cell phone.
