Weary hikers rescued by helicopter near Lake Berryessa (w/video)

The pair had run out of water seven miles into a 14-mile hike when they called for help Tuesday.|

Two hikers found themselves in over their heads on a 14-mile trek to Berryessa Peak in rural Napa County Tuesday afternoon and had to be rescued by helicopter, the Napa CHP said.

The couple, in their early 20s, were about seven miles into the hilly hike when they called for help, said Officer Ben Schmidt, who was one of three members of the helicopter crew who rescued the pair. It was around 3 p.m., they’d already been hiking for nine hours, and had run out of water when they called for help on a cellphone, he said. It was about 95 degrees outside.

“They were out of their depths, they were going too far, it was too much heat,” Schmidt said, adding that if they hadn’t been rescued they likely would have had to spend the night on the trail.

The CHP helicopter, H-30, was able to reach the pair and bring them to a safe location in about 20 minutes, according to a press release issued by the CHP. It would have taken emergency personnel several hours to do the same thing by foot, Schmidt said.

The hikers appeared OK, just thirsty, after a medical evaluation, Schmidt added.

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