Jenny Espino and Amber Sandhu

Redding

Update at 9:30 a.m.

Deputies with the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said a hiker who went missing Wednesday night was found safe Friday evening.

Charity Stevens, 36, of Laguna Niguel was located near Red Banks on Mt. Shasta, Friday at 7:43 p.m. Her search triggered a local, state and federal response after she made an emergency call around 10 p.m. Friday night at the 13,000-foot level of the mountain.

She was flown off the mountain with the help of a helicopter from the California Army National Guard and taken to Mercy Medical Center in Mount Shasta where she was examined, treated and released.

Another hiker on the mountain helped law enforcement officers locate Stevens. It's unclear if it was the same hiker who had seen Stevens earlier and reported her missing to a ranger.

When Stevens called law enforcement Wednesday, she reported she didn't have warm clothing, but did have food and water and would spend the night on the mountain. She was told that a ranger with the U.S. Forest Service would be on their way to find her no later than 6 a.m.

Rescue personnel used Stevens' Verizon phone records to get her approximate location, which showed she was near the Mud Creek Glacier near Red Banks. They later located her at the the 8,500-feet level near the Clear Creek Trail Head.

Multiple law enforcement agencies and assets - Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue teams, U.S. Forest Service rangers, California Highway Patrol helicopters, California Army National Guard airplanes, emergency personnel - assisted in finding Stevens.

Lopey said it was unclear whether Stevens had obtained a permit to hike past 10,000 feet on the mountain, which is mandatory. People hiking the mountain must obtain a permit and carry proper clothing and equipment as they enter the hazardous area.

Stevens had become separated from her traveling companion but was reunited after the rescue.

Lopey said his team was relieved Stevens was found alive and well.

"This was a phenomenal search and rescue effort led by numerous regular and volunteer resources from many federal, state, and local agencies," he said.

ORIGINAL STORY

Rescuers are searching for a Southern California woman who called for help Wednesday night while hiking on Mt. Shasta.

Charity Stevens, 36, of Laguna Niguel had reached the 13,000-foot level of the 14,000-foot peak when she made the emergency call at 9:46 p.m. and was put in touch with Siskiyou County Sheriff's search and rescue coordinator, Deputy Mike Burns.

She told him she had food and water and would spend the night there. But she said she did not have enough clothes to keep her warm and her cell phone battery was at 23 percent, Sheriff Jon Lopey said on Friday.

"I don't know what occurred here, but we are concerned for her safety and welfare," he said.

Through Verizon phone records, rescuers on Thursday were able to peg her location near Mud Creek Glacier near the Red Banks area.

A rescue ranger for the U.S. Forest Service earlier that same day, at 6 a.m., went in her search.

She was last seen at the Clear Creek trailhead at the 8,500-foot level, and it appeared she was not dressed for inclement weather or cold temperatures, according to Lopey.

More:Mt. Shasta offers thrills for climbers but dangers as well

Lopey said his department received a call from a hiker who apparently had seen Stevens and wanted to report her missing. The hiker made his call from an area where his cell phone got a signal. He said he would be able to take the ranger to her. But they were unable to find her.

The search effort continued on Friday. There are 30 to 40 rescuers from various federal, state and local agencies on the mountain. The National Guard has sent two aircraft to assist in the search.

People hiking on Mt. Shasta beyond the 10,000-foot level must get a permit, which means certifying they have read the information about the dangers going into the more hazardous areas.

An employee at the U.S. Forest Service's Ranger Station in Mount Shasta said Stevens had not obtained a permit at their office.

More:Helicopter pilots make daring rescues on Mt. Shasta

Lopey did not know whether Stevens had obtained the permit, but he said she had a traveling partner. It appeared they became separated at some point during the hike. That other hiker is safe, he said.

He asked anyone who may have information about Stevens' location to call the Sheriff's Office at 841-2900.

Hikers are asked to take precautions around the rescue apparatus on the mountain.

The sheriff's department led 54 search and rescue efforts last year.

On average about 60 percent of those incidents occur on Mt. Shasta, Lopey said.

He advised hikers not to attempt traversing Mt. Shasta without proper equipment and noted how sometimes even the most experienced hikers can put themselves in danger because of the type of risks they take.

He spoke of carrying the proper equipment, GPS trackers and warm clothing in the event they become stranded.