GARDEN GROVE : Deputies Search for Woman Lost on Hike

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies planned to search through Saturday night for a 58-year-old Garden Grove woman who became lost while hiking in Angeles National Forest.

Angelina Hoffman was separated from her husband on the Islip Saddle Trail off California 2 above Crystal Lake at 12:30 p.m., authorities said. Harold Hoffman told deputies he searched fruitlessly for three hours after he turned around and saw his wife no longer was behind him.

She was wearing pants and a jacket and carried a day backpack, deputies said. They reported temperatures in the 30s under overcast skies at the 6,600-foot level on the trail Saturday night. About 35 deputies joined the search after a sheriff’s helicopter was grounded by weather late in the afternoon.

The couple’s son, Victor Hoffman, 23, said the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office telephoned the family’s home about 6 p.m. Saturday to say his mother was missing.

“She’s an inexperienced hiker,” he said. “She went hiking with my father. They left this morning. Apparently there is no phone out there. My dad radioed (the sheriff’s department) from a ranger station.”

Victor Hoffman said his mother has “been hiking just a couple of times.”

“My dad does it for a hobby during the weekends and my mom goes up there to keep him company,” he said. “Just those two.”

“All we can do is sit here and worry. I hope she has a jacket with her. She probably wasn’t dressed for how chilly it can get at night.”

The Hoffman’s have three other sons, ages 19 to 31, and a daughter, 24, Victor Hoffman said.