Lost hiker rescued in white-out snowstorm atop Hawaii peak, officials say

A 64-year-old man who became lost in freezing cold and white-out conditions on Mauna Kea in Hawaii has been rescued, officials told news outlets.

The hiker set out to climb the 13,803-foot dormant volcano on Tuesday, Dec. 21, but became stranded in sleet and snow, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

Rangers tried to contact him after dark but he had listed an incorrect phone number when he checked in before his hike, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.

The hiker called 911 several times, enabling rescuers to pinpoint his location, Hawaii News Now reported. They found him in a small cave at 13,000 feet above sea level.

The Pohakuloa Training Area Fire Department and Mauna Kea Rangers helped the man hike back down the mountain to safety, a Facebook post by the U.S. Army Pohakuloa Training Area said.

“The public is asked to remember that the summit of Maunakea can be one of the most dangerous places in Hawai’i because of the extreme altitude and weather conditions, and emergency services may be two hours away because of its remote location,” rangers said, according to Hawaii News Now.

This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Lost hiker rescued in white-out snowstorm atop Hawaii peak, officials say."