Lukas McClish had been misplaced, wandering the Santa Cruz Mountains of California for 10 days earlier than he was rescued on June 20. When the 34-year-old hiker lastly got here out of the woods, he was shirtless, scruffy, and on the verge of malnutrition. He’d been surviving on berries and creek water, sleeping on moist beds of leaves, and screaming for assist as he looked for a method out.
McClish had set out on June 11, anticipating the hike to take simply 3 hours. He advised native information station KSBW that he’d been on his technique to work. He was conversant in the realm and had hiked the path earlier than earlier than, so he didn’t inform anybody the place he was headed. When he set out, he had nothing greater than his boots, pants, a folding multitool, and a flashlight.
On June 16, when he didn’t present up for a Father’s Day dinner, his mother and father reported him lacking, and the search formally started. By then, McClish mentioned he had been craving a burrito bowl for five days.
He mentioned, “I began to sort of notice that I is likely to be in over my head.”
Misplaced within the Mountains: Surviving Off Berries, Boot Water
The realm the place McClish was misplaced is on the north finish of the San Lorenzo Valley. The panorama is dominated by thick pine forests, winding networks of human and recreation trails, canyons, creeks, and waterfalls. In recent times, it’s been ravaged by a number of wildfires. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that McClish mentioned landmarks he knew of had been worn out, making it arduous for him to navigate.
Finally, he deviated considerably from his path and have become misplaced. He continued wandering as the times handed, prioritizing water and meals.
“So I sort of simply hiked every day. I am going up a canyon, down a canyon to the subsequent waterfall, sit down by the waterfall, and drink water out of my boot,” McClish mentioned. He drank a couple of gallon of water a day and ate wild berries wherever he may discover them.
At one level, McClish advised reporters {that a} mountain lion had stalked him for some time. However he mentioned that the lion made no strikes to hurt him, and he by no means felt threatened by it.
“It was cool,” he advised KSBW. “It saved its distance. I believe it was simply someone watching over me.”
McClish’s mother and father mentioned they hiked quite a bit in search of their son. Each evening after they’d declared him lacking, Diane McClish mentioned she’d fall asleep worrying for her son.
“Some nights, I simply needed to belief God that he was going to be OK,” she advised KSBW. “And that was arduous to do some nights once we would go to mattress at evening. As a result of I’d fear about the place he was, the place he was sleeping and the way chilly he was, and the place he was if he was alive.”
Hiker Rescued After 10 Days: A ‘Humbling’ Expertise
On Thursday, June 20, witnesses reported somebody screaming for assist. First responders from Boulder Creek Fireplace Division put drones as much as search the realm. They noticed McClish, and its Okay-9 unit tracked him down, main rescuers straight to the stranded hiker. His voice was hoarse, and he was sore. However he got here out of the mountains unhurt.
“It was simply actually humbling and I don’t know, it was an superior expertise,” McClish advised ABC7.
Native legislation enforcement officers, Boulder Creek Volunteer Fireplace Division, the sheriff’s workplace, state parks, and CAL FIRE all contributed to the search efforts. The McClish household expressed gratitude to all of them, and Lukas’ mother and father are completely happy to have their son dwelling.
Though, all three of them mentioned they’d had their fill of mountain climbing for the 12 months.
“We’ve all hiked quite a bit,” his mother advised ABC7.