Pacific Crest Hiker From Texas Located by 40 King Crew Near Mission Creek

A 75-year-old Pacific Crest Trail hiker from Texas, reported missing after he failed to arrive at a pre-arranged checkpoint, was found safe Sunday evening by a San Bernardino County sheriff's helicopter crew in the Big Bear area, an agency spokeswoman said Monday morning.

The helicopter crew in an airship called 40 King was near Coon Creek and Mission Creek, about to return to a helipad at Heart Bar Campground near Barton Flats, when they spotted John Hurgner of Fredericksburg, Texas, about 7:15 p.m. Sunday, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller said.

"He was found to be in good health, did not require medical attention, ate dinner with the search and rescue teams and was taken to his motel," Miller said.

Before he was located, Hurgner was believed to be hiking the in the San Bernardino Mountains near Mission Springs, headed north from Interstate 10, Sgt. R. Duckett of the sheriff's Cabazon Station said Sunday.

The Mission Springs PCT Trail Camp is about 3,000 feet elevation south of Highway 38 on the northeast edge of the San Gorgonio Wilderness.

When Hurgner failed to reach a pre-arranged checkpoint at a Motel 6 in San Bernardino, someone notified law enforcement. Hurgner was "reported missing since March 22," Duckett said.

At 7 a.m. Sunday, members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team responded to the area of the in Whitewater Canyon to assist San Bernardino County sheriff's personnel with the search for Hurgner, Duckett said.

Volunteers with the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, Desert Sheriff Search and Rescue, and a Riverside County Search Dog team searched a portion of Whitewater Canyon in Riverside County for signs of Hurgner, Duckett said.