The search for a missing snowboarder, Malachi Luis Garcia, 35, concluded with a streak of hope as he was discovered alive after being lost for nearly two days in the Wrightwood area's snowy expanse. According to ABC7, Garcia, a Los Angeles County resident, had gone missing at Mountain High Resort on Sunday and was finally located by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's Air Rescue 5 helicopter on Tuesday, following an aerial search that led to the identification of fresh tracks in the snow.
Despite the challenging conditions brought on by Southern California's winter storm, which had blanketed the area with over a foot of snow, Garcia managed to survive. The incident occurred during the first major winter storm of the season, where the Wrightwood area had been prone to such icy conditions that it hampered rescue efforts the day before Garcia was found. Only wearing a sweatshirt and snowboard pants, he was seen approximately four miles away from the resort from where he set off, as reported by CBS News Los Angeles. Deputies utilized drones to aid their search on Monday after their helicopter could not fly farther into the area due to the aforementioned icy conditions.
As the search unfolded, Garcia's friends and family were rightly concerned. He had left his phone behind and was unable to communicate his whereabouts. "He was pretty emotional," Deputy Casey Cheshier stated in a statement obtained by CBS News Los Angeles. "He had been out there for a long time. He was pretty tired, very cold and just happy to be found." Footage released by the sheriff's department showed the precise moment Garcia was hoisted to safety onto the helicopter, navigating through the vulnerability of the situation with the assurance of those who had come to save him.
Adding to the urgency of the search, KTLA reported that Garcia considered an "at-risk person" due to the severe weather conditions, was last sighted at the resort around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The National Weather Service had updated that Wrightwood received 3 inches of snow over the weekend, further contributing to the difficulties of locating him. Late Tuesday, Garcia's discovery offered a reprieve to those who feared the worst. The exact location where he was found, was not immediately disclosed by the authorities.
