A woman who became disoriented while hiking on a trail leading out of Kaupo Gap was located Monday night and taken down the trail by firefighters, a fire official said.
Kula firefighters and a Kahului rescue crew responded to the 7:35 p.m. call reporting the lost hiker, said Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro.
He said the woman, who is in her 20s and from Germany, apparently started hiking at about 9:30 a.m. Monday at Haleakala Crater and was on a trail that leads out of the crater through Kaupo Gap. As darkness began to fall, she became disoriented and called 911, Yatsushiro said.
He said firefighters gathered information relayed by cellphone, signaling from the hiker’s flashlight and GPS coordinates from Central Dispatch to locate the hiker, who was a substantial distance above Piilani Highway.
Fire crews used a four-wheel drive utility vehicle and all-terrain vehicle to reach the hiker and bring her down the mountain, Yatsushiro said. He said a Kaupo Ranch manager assisted by leading crews up the rough trails in the dark to reach the hiker.
She was taken to the highway, where a friend was waiting for her, at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Yatsushiro said.
He said the woman didn’t need medical treatment.
The Fire Department recommends that hikers take precautions, including wearing bright-colored clothing so rescue crews can more easily spot them, taking an adequate amount of water and snacks, and starting hikes early and leaving enough time to get back before dark.
It’s also recommended that people stay on trails and never hike alone and let someone else know when they’re hiking and when they should return.
Hikers should make sure cellphones are fully charged and take an extra battery and be aware that remote areas will not have cellphone coverage.
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