Hiker missing for 10 days in California mountains survived by drinking a gallon of water each day

Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) — A California man spent 10 days stranded successful nan mountains aft he sewage mislaid connected a hike, relying successful portion connected ample volumes of h2o to survive.

Lukas McClish, 34, group retired for what he thought would beryllium a three-hour hike successful nan Santa Cruz Mountains connected June 11, according to CNN connection KGO. But he became mislaid successful nan mountains – partially owed to nan demolition of section landmarks successful caller wildfires.

His family officially reported him missing erstwhile he didn’t show up for a Father’s Day meal connected June 16, triggering hunt and rescue efforts, KGO reported.

McClish was yet recovered connected Thursday acknowledgment to a drone from nan Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office, according to an X station from Cal Fire San Mateo, which said McClish was recovered successful Big Basin Redwoods State Park – California’s oldest authorities parkland and location to towering ancient seashore redwood trees.

“There were aggregate reports of witnesses proceeding personification yelling for help, but nan location of that personification was difficult to establish,” said Cal Fire.

McClish was recovered pinch “no awesome injuries and was reunited pinch his family,” according to nan sheriff’s office.

Speaking pinch KGO, McClish said he was “tired and a small sore” aft his ordeal. “I mislaid my voice,” he added.

All he had to past successful nan wood were nan apparel he was wearing erstwhile he left: “I near pinch conscionable a brace of pants, and my brace of hiking shoes, and a hat,” he told KGO. “I had a flashlight, and a brace of folding scissors, for illustration a Leatherman tool. And that was astir it.”

He attributed his endurance to drinking tons of h2o from creeks and waterfalls he recovered arsenic he hiked done nan parkland each day, calling for help, according to CNN connection KSBW.

“I conscionable make judge I drank a gallon of h2o each day, but past after, getting adjacent to nan extremity of it, my assemblage needed nutrient and immoderate benignant of sustenance,” McClish told KGO.

Seeing nan number of hunt and rescue workers who worked to find him was “really humbling,” he said. “It was an awesome experience.”