Altadena Mountain Rescue Team

Since 1951, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The Altadena Mountain Reacue Team was founded on September 8th, 1951.

As one of the oldest organizations of its kind in Los Angeles County, this all volunteer rescue team has been dedicated to saving lives through mountain rescue and safety education for 75 years.

AMRT has been a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Forces Bureau since 1956.

Headquartered at the LASD, Altadena Station, the team is staffed by Reserve Deputies and Civilian Volunteer Rescue Specialists, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
It is one of eight teams in LA County

On June 7th, 1959, AMRT was included as one of the founding members of the Mountain Rescue Association. The MRA is the national governing body of accredited mountain reacue teams.

Please celebrate with us our 75 years of dedication to our community, our love of the outdoors, and to honor those that came before us, who made the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team what it is today.

On September 3 at 1355 hours, AMRT responded with Los Angeles County Fire Dept. E12, S11, LA County Fire Air Operations COPT18, and Montrose Search and Rescue for an injured hiker on the Gabrielino Trail.

AMRT deployed its Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) to access the trail and safely extract the injured hiker so E12 and S11 could perform a medical evaluation.

Another great example of multiple agencies working together to get the right resources to the patient when access is limited.

08/03/26 at approximately 1530 hours AMRT was notified that a family member called 911 to report their father was bitten by a rattle snake in the area of Bear Canyon Campground, Angeles National Forest.

AMRT requested LASD-SEB Air Rescue 5 and Montrose Search and Rescue to respond and assist in locating the patient.

Due to heavy tree canopy, teams were inserted in the area via hoist to search the canyon bottom. The patient was located quickly, assessed, and hoisted out to the nearest trauma center.

This was a text book example of Lasd Mike working seamlessly together and achieving great results.

Lessons learned: If you find yourself needing help in the back country, notify 911 first then notify family / friends. It takes time to mobilize rescue resources and every minute counts. The patient did a great job staying calm, staying put, and keeping SAR updated.

📸 spmorrisroe

Today, Altadena Mountain Rescue Team joined Montrose Search and Rescue for a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) training exercise along Angeles Crest Highway.

Training together with our SAR partners strengthens coordination, communication, and our ability to provide an effective response when large-scale incidents occur.

At approximately 2pm on Saturday June 27th, Altadena Mountain Rescue was called out for a 70 year old male who found himself off trail, lost on a ridge in need of assistance. The gentleman set out on the Crest Trail from the Sunset Ridge Road trailhead.

Members reached a location on the Chaney Trail east of the victim location provided by the 911 coordinates, in an attempt to obtain a visual of the victim. Members located him, approximately 1,000 feet to the west, on the other side of the canyon.

Given the heat, his age and location, the call was made to request Air 5 assistance in extracting the victim.

Air 5 inserted a medic and hoisted the victim, transferring him to Camp 2 for a hand-off to awaiting AMRT members.

The individual was transported to his vehicle, after being assessed for injuries.