2 Men Lost in Forest Rescued

Two men who became lost while riding off-road motorcycles and spent the night in the Los Padres National Forest were rescued Sunday morning, authorities said.

Ron Baranese, 29, of Winnetka and Noel Eldridge, 32, of Studio City, were spotted by searchers about 9 a.m. on Gold Hill Road in Los Padres National Forest, more than three miles from their campsite in the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area, authorities said.

They became lost Saturday and then were stuck in snow while riding small off-road motorcycles in the state park near Gorman, said Ventura County Sheriff’s Senior Deputy Frank Underlin.

Baranese’s girlfriend called authorities about 9:30 p.m. that night when the men failed to return to the group’s site at Circle Campground.

Thirty search-and-rescue personnel from the Ventura County and Los Angeles County sheriff’s departments searched through the night in four-wheel-drive trucks and by motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle.

Two helicopters were dispatched Sunday morning, but the men were found by deputies searching by truck in the forest just outside the recreation area.

“They thought they were headed back toward the campground but they weren’t,” Underlin said. The men had walked about two miles before resting several hours and waiting for the sun to rise.

Underlin said the temperature during the search was in the high 30s. Both men complained of cramped muscles and dehydration, but neither required medical attention.