By Scott Bridges

Sheriff’s deputies found a Culver City couple who got lost while hiking in the snowy Mount San Jacinto wilderness high above Palms Springs over the weekend, authorities said.

Michael Cao, 56, and his wife, Yi Mei, 55, were found unharmed about a mile and a half
below the Mt. San Jacinto Peak about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, said Riverside sheriff's Sgt. Steve Fredericks.

Cao and Mei began hiking from the Palm Springs Aerial Tram Station and were scheduled to return before 6 p.m. Saturday, he said. They strayed from the trail at some point on Saturday and were lost at nightfall, so they set up camp and waited for rescue.

The couple’s vehicle was found in the tram station’s parking lot, he said.

Deputies escorted the hikers were safely to the bottom of the mountain.