SANTA PAULA : Hiker Rescued in Fall From Trail
Authorities on Sunday rescued a 25-year-old Ventura woman who fell 30 feet and broke her leg and wrist while hiking with friends on a steep, narrow trail north of Santa Paula.
Stephanie Valahovic also suffered head injuries and was airlifted to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, authorities said. She was in critical condition Sunday evening, a nursing supervisor said.
Authorities received a call from hikers about 1:10 p.m. that a woman needed help, said Ventura County Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Pitts. Valahovic fell onto a rocky ledge in an area called the Narrows, between Cross Camp and the Devil’s Punchbowl, a natural pool at the end of a popular hiking trail four miles northeast of Thomas Aquinas College, Pitts said. The pool is often used as a swimming hole.
“It’s a rather common area for hikers,” Pitts said.
The swimming hole is fed by the Santa Paula Creek and is usually about 10 feet deep. The location is also a popular destination for mountain bikers and campers.
Search-and-rescue teams are called to the rugged area in the Santa Paula Canyon several times a year to rescue injured hikers and swimmers.
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