By KRWG News
Silver City – A father and son from El Paso who were stranded in the Gila Wilderness have been rescued. New Mexico state police say the two suffered hypothermia, but are in good condition.
A Blackhawk helicopter from the New Mexico National Guard helped rescue the men, who didn't return when expected from a five-day hiking trip in southwestern New Mexico's Gila Cliff Dwellings area.
The area was hit by a winter storm Dec. 30, three days after 55-year-old Robert Fritz and his 15-year-old son, Austin, went backpacking. They were taken to the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City, where they refused further treatment and headed back home to El Paso, Texas. Officials have said the pair had a tent, sleeping bags and food for five days, but they didn't have winter clothing.