A 20-year-old woman was rescued on Sunday morning after falling 50 feet at Escondido Falls, a popular Malibu hiking spot. Rescuers initially estimated the fall at 20 feet.
Crews received the call at 11 a.m. and a helicopter was over the area for about an hour, according to witnesses. The female victim suffered “bilateral leg fractures” and was eventually airlifted and transported to the UCLA Medical trauma center shortly after 12 p.m., according to Malibu Search and Rescue spokesperson David Katz.Â
Escondido Falls, also known as Escondido Canyon and accessible via Winding Way, has become one of the more treacherous hiking spots in the Santa Monica Mountains, as many hikers often hope to scale the trail’s waterfall. The trail is under the purview of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy but many residents complain of poor enforcement. The falls are privately owned and technically off-limits, but most hikers make it a goal to traverse the falls.