The rescue of three U.S. citizens stranded near one of the tallest peaks in Baja California has proven to be more difficult than many may have thought.
Morgan Fox, 61, and his daughters, Maura, 20, and Claire, 25, of San Diego were found Tuesday in very steep, rocky terrain near the summit of Picacho del Diablo, also known as “The Devil’s Peak.”
The trio left San Diego on Tuesday, June 20. They were expected to hike to the summit on Friday and return home Sunday evening. When they didn’t, Fox’s wife contacted the authorities in Mexico.
A search was organized Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning, Mexican authorities had 10 people searching along the remote trail.
A helicopter spotted the trio in a steep canyon and dropped six liters of water to them.
Fox and his daughters spent the night on the mountain.
In the most recent update, the Protección Civil Baja California agency said the daughters are doing well while Fox appears to be weak. A family friend told NBC 7 Fox lives with diabetes and needs insulin to control the condition.
Search and rescue crews plan to deliver food, water, a glucose meter and radio communications from the air since it’s not safe to land. Teams are waiting at the bottom of the canyon to render aid.
It’s estimated that the hikers will need to travel eight hours on foot to make it out of the area.
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The trio has hiked before in the San Pedro Mártir Park. Pichaco del Diablo is the highest peak in Baja, at over 10,000 feet. The Devil’s Peak is a challenging trail located more than a day’s drive south of Tijuana and the U.S.-Mexico border.
Family friend David Larson hiked the area with Morgan 13 years ago. He said the route goes through a steep canyon that can be treacherous.
“You have semi-truck sized boulders stacked up in this canyon so it's very dangerous,” Larson said. “There's not an actual trail. You're looking for the cairn, which are piles of rocks, to mark where you're supposed to go.”
He said there was some cell phone coverage in the area but it was spotty. Without a satellite phone, communication could be limited.
