Mountain rescue in the Franklins

Two teens were rescued Thursday night after being stranded in the Franklin Mountains. The Fire Department says they were called just before 8:30 p.m. to the Ron Coleman trail along Transmountain Road, when the hikers said their cell phone batteries were running out of power. Rescue teams made contact with the two males, who 18 and 19 year old, around 10 p.m. The hikers were safely brought down by 1 a.m. No injuries were sustained to either the hikers or rescue teams.

El Paso Fire Department Spokesman Carlos Briano tells ABC-7 that rescue teams did encounter a rattlesnake during the operation, and urges the public to be mindful that rattlesnakes are active in the evening and that hikers should do research before attempting to climb the Franklin Mountains. “There is dangerous wildlife up there. And if you’re going to do it, have the proper, gear,” Briano told ABC-7, who added that hikers should bring various types of communication devices. “A cell phone pings a lot up there, so you’re going to drain power right away.”