Hiker Missing For 10 Days In California Mountains Rescued Alive

A missing hiker, Lukas McClish, has been found alive after spending 10 days lost in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The 34-year-old's rescue on June 20 came four days after he failed to show up for a Father's Day dinner, prompting his family to report him missing.

https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzSheriffsOffice/

"Deputies responded with State Parks, Cal Fire and Boulder Creek Fire Department and were able to confirm it was Lukas McClish, who had been missing since Tuesday, June 11," the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The SCCSO credited witnesses who heard McClish's cries for help, and the use of drones for pinpointing his exact location.Park rangers were first on the scene, and fire crews assisted in the rescue.

McClish survived with minor injuries, relying on a flashlight, a pair of pants, hiking shoes, a hat, and folding scissors. He told ABC 7 News his survival strategy was simple:

"I just made sure I drank a gallon of water every day, but ... my body needed food and some kind of sustenance," McClish told ABC 7.

Credit: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY
@GabeHauari
Gdhauari@gannett.com