This interesting retrospective story was posted today about a woman who nearly died in the San Gabriel Mountains 25 years ago, and became a lifetime SAR volunteer as a result.

The story of her ordeal is very detailed, and is at the link below.

Two highlights:

• She and a boy spent two nights in snow near Mount Baldy, before their rescue by the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team, and both lost digits to frostbite.
• "Early on Saturday, a helicopter made several passes over the spot where the two hikers stayed put. They flashed a signal with the mirror ... Hours passed, nothing came but despair."

Here's the story link: Rescued after nearly dying in the San Ga... helping others
Backup link: (Archived link if the primary goes offline)

An even more detailed account of Cindy's ordeal and subsequent SAR career was the topic of this LA Times story in 2000: Life and Death on Mount Baldy (5pp) ( Archive link for link at left )

Here's a 1991 account of her rescue: Volunteers in Rescue Effort Rejoice After Locating Duo ( Archive link for link at left )

A 2015 story about Cindy's work with Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Team is here, including a formal portrait. LASD Search & Rescue Climb Highest Oregon Mountain (page refused to be archived)