By Mary O’KEEFE

Montrose Search and Rescue is continuing its search for a female hiker who went missing on Sunday within the Angeles National Forest. 

Monica Reza was last seen hiking near the Mount Waterman area on Sunday at 9 a.m. She was hiking with two other people. 

While one person hiked on to their car, Reza and another hiker continued on the trail. Then during the hike Reza became separated from the other hiker. 

Reza is said to know the area and is a hiker. 

“They [the friends] go out weekly [to hike] in the area. She is in good shape and is experienced [hiking],” said Sgt. John Gilbert, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. – Crescenta Valley Station. 

It appears she became separated near the ridge line. The terrain is challenging and the elevation on the trail is from 7,000 to 8,000 feet. It appears she left the trail for some unknown reason. 

Gilbert said search and rescue members had first been on the trails looking for her or any signs of distress but found nothing. They then went off trail to search in rugged terrain.

“There is a lot of brush including poodle dog bush,” he said. “It gets challenging when searching off the trail area.”

Poodle dog bush is a mountain shrub that is notable for secreting a severe skin irritant and is similar to poison ivy and poison oak.

At one point the vegetation and terrain was so rugged that team members had to be extracted via helicopter to get out of the area. 

Gilbert said team members are searching using long ropes to rappel around waterfalls. They do have air support but because of the vegetation and the terrain it is difficult to see anyone on the ground. 

Although it is a difficult search, the team has previously performed similarly in this area. 

“We have had good luck in the past,” he said. 

There were three other hikers in the past who had been rescued from this area. 

Another positive is the weather. It has been down to the 40s overnight but not terribly cold and the area has not had rain. 

On Tuesday, the team had about 35 searchers in the field. They started again on Wednesday morning but as of press time had not found Reza. 

Search teams from across Southern California are aiding in the search. Those include: Altadena Mountain Rescue, Antelope Valley, Malibu Search and Rescue–LASD, San Dimas Mountain Rescue, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, San Diego Mountain Rescue team, Ventura County East Valley Search and Rescue team and Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit. Teams from Orange County and San Bernardino County have joined the search as well.

CV Station Acting Captain Vienna thanked all the teams that are supporting Montrose Search and Rescue. 

“We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of Monica who has now been missing for over 24 hours. We have deployed numerous resources, including Air Rescue 5 and other technologies, to aid in the search,” Vienna said in a released statement on social media. 

If anyone sees Monica Reza or has any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station at (818) 248-3464 or Detective Rincon at (323) 890-5500.