TUCSON, Ariz. – A pair of local hikers lost near Parker Canyon Lake were found by U.S. Border Patrol agents Saturday afternoon, after concerned loved ones reported the pair missing.
Tucson Sector agents assigned to the Sonoita Station received a call from a person who stated two friends hiking in the Canelo Foothills had not been heard from since much earlier in the day, raising concerns.
The caller suspected both female hikers were ill prepared for a long hike and provided agents the general area where they were presumed to be. While Border Patrol agents drove to the search area, the hikers were able to relay their location coordinates via cell phone, facilitating efforts.
After a brief search on foot, agents found the pair around 5:30 p.m. They gave the hikers water and guided them back to their vehicle, where family members awaited them. Neither hiker required medical attention.
Anyone in immediate distress in Arizona’s vast outdoor recreational and wilderness areas is urged to call 911 or to seek out a rescue beacon. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection works closely with other federal, tribal, state and local partners to resolve search and rescue operations across southern Arizona.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP’s mission includes keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. Follow us on Twitter @CBPArizona.