MALIBU— An injured hiker was rescued from a hiking trail near Escondido Falls in Malibu on June 28.

Between 1:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., Malibu Search and Rescue (MSAR) received 3 calls for rescue. The Los Angeles County Fire Department was joined by Air Operations, Sheriff’s Department, California State Park, Mountain Recreation and Conservation authorities and all hiked 20 minutes to reach the scene of the injured hiker.

Once able to locate the person in distress, they tended to the female hiker who had broken her leg at the falls. After stabilizing her injury, the group carried her to an open area where she was airlifted to safety. MSAR Operations Leader David Katz said that they often receive calls for injured hikers from the trail.

A popular hiking trail in Malibu, the Escondido Canyon Trail is a 4-mile round trip that leads to two waterfalls: the lower and upper Escondido Falls. Taken from Spanish, the word Escondido means ‘hidden’. The canyon, going by its name, is hidden behind posh estates in Malibu. While the trail’s first half is flat, the second half is rugged and steep where hikers often get injured.