A hiker in Northern California died after being swept into the Pacific Ocean by huge waves that inundated a seaside trail and another hiker who rushed into the water to attempt a rescue was hospitalized, authorities said.
Rescue crews sent Sunday afternoon to the Lost Coast Trail near Shelter Cove in Humboldt County found one person treading water in frigid 15–20-foot swells and another person face down about 50 to 100 yards offshore, Nick Pape, chief of the Shelter Cover Fire Department, said in a statement.
Pape said the hikers were part of a group of hikers at a portion of the trail on a beach known for sleeper waves, or sneaker waves. The dangerous waves often strike without warning and can catch beachgoers by surprise and toss them into churning waters….