Lost Californian hiker rescued after ten days in wildfire-ravaged forest
24 June 2024 14:27
He went on a three-hour hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains but got stuck there for ten days. He lost his way because recent wildfires had erased signposts and landmarks that marked the trail. Miraculously, he managed to survive.
The disappearance of Lukas McClish, a 34-year-old Californian, was reported by his family when he didn't visit them on Father's Day, celebrated in the US on the third Sunday of June. For his parents, it was apparent that their son was in trouble since he didn't come to wish his dad a happy Father's Day.
The report triggered a massive rescue operation. Fortunately, on Thursday, after several days of searching the mountains, a drone camera from the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office spotted the man.
Cal Fire Czu rescuers, who helped locate and extract the unlucky tourist from the forest trap, reported that they had received several reports in recent days about mysterious signals. Tourists mentioned hearing cries for help, but no one could determine where the voice originated.
Ultimately, Lukas McClish was found in the forest between Empire Grade Road and Big Basin Highway in Santa Cruz County. The local sheriff's office stated that the discovered tourist did not have significant injuries, and he immediately returned to his family.
US tourist lost in the mountains. He couldn't find his way back
In an interview with the local ABC News station, McClish said that on that day he went hiking "just a pair of pants, and my pair of hiking shoes, and a hat." "I had a flashlight, and a pair of folding scissors, like a Leatherman tool. And that was about it," he added.
He says he survived by drinking large amounts of water he collected in his boot. He tried very hard not to limit his fluid intake. Every day, he managed to collect up to 3.8 litres of water.
He missed food very much. He searched for small, sour berries growing in the area. He was a little exhausted, and he was moved when he saw rescue teams arriving to help him.
He was somewhat embarrassed that he was in such an unfortunate situation during a short mountain hike. He said he probably wouldn't go on solo trips for a while. "I did enough hiking for probably the whole rest of the year," he commented.
