Snow-trapped camper rescued near Mount Pinos

A camper, trapped by snow in a campground near the Ventura and Kern county line, was reached safely Monday by search and rescue teams, officials said.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the 24-year-old Orange County woman arrived at the Chula Vista Campground, near the summit of Mount Pinos, Sunday with plans to camp for multiple days.

However, officials said the camper was not prepared for the amount of snowfall that had arrived by Monday afternoon which resulted in the closure of roads in the area.

The camper returned to her vehicle and contacted the Ventura County Sheriff's Office's Lockwood Station around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Deputies who attempted to reach the woman were unable to pass through roadways due to the high accumulation of snow, according to Ventura County sheriff's Deputy Robert Steele, who participated in the search.

The deputies got about three-fourths of the way before the road became impassible, Steele said.

At the point, search and rescue teams from Fillmore and Kern County, which are comprised of volunteer personnel, were asked to respond to the situation.

Using snow vehicles which resemble tractors, called Snowcats, the search and rescue teams and deputies from Kern and Ventura counties resumed the rescue operation, reaching the camper by 10 p.m.

"She was fairly calm," Steele said of the 24-year-old. "She was worried about us trying to get to her."

The uninjured camper was transported to Lebec where she was reunited with her family, officials said.

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