Two Missing Hikers Found Safe Over the Weekend

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team was called out twice this weekend to search for lost hikers.

On Saturday, the team launched a full-scale search and rescue operation to find San Jose resident Laura Ringer, 24. At 4:30 p.m., Ringer used her cellphone to report that she was lost somewhere in Castle Rock State Park. Rescuers were able to determine her location by using her cellphone and found her at about midnight. Ringer, who was wearing only a tank top and jeans, suffered from hypothermia from the 39-degree weather.

Also on Saturday, Uwe Szczepankiewicz, 43, from Ostrey, Germany, was hiking in Big Basin Redwoods State Park and became separated from his partner. The partner was able to locate the ranger’s headquarters, where she waited for Szczepankiewicz. Nine hours later, the partner contacted the sheriff’s office to report Uwe missing.

The Search and Rescue Team assembled at 12:30 a.m. and found Uwe at 3 a.m. about a half mile from the ranger’s headquarters. Uwe did not require medical attention.