A 72-year-old hiker has been hoisted to safety after surviving up to a week alone in the rugged backcountry along California’s Shasta-Siskiyou County line.
The woman, described by acquaintances as an avid hiker, failed to show up for work late Saturday, prompting authorities to launch a search after her vehicle was discovered near the remote county border. What followed was a grueling dayslong operation through some of the most challenging terrain rescue crews encounter in the region.
Ground crews from Siskiyou County ultimately located the septuagenarian alive, though she had sustained physical injuries and showed clear signs of exposure, according to Shasta County Search and Rescue. The exact circumstances of how she became stranded remain unclear, but her ordeal in the wilderness stretched an estimated five to seven days.
Extracting her proved nearly as difficult as finding her. The landscape was so punishing that radio communications were severely limited in pockets of the search area, forcing teams to deploy communication relays or satellite equipment simply to maintain contact. Crews navigated canyons, creeks, trails and dirt roads, with downed trees and trail debris complicating every movement. Overnight temperatures plunged into the low 40s.
The operation drew together an extensive coalition: dog teams, ground crews, dirt riders and a Jeep team from Shasta County SAR all joined Siskiyou County searchers. California Highway Patrol then dispatched a helicopter to the heavily wooded area, where ground crews prepared the woman for aerial extraction while medical personnel moved in to assess and treat her.
Rescuers had a backup plan ready. If the helicopter could not complete the hoist, they were prepared to carry her out overland.
CHP air operations successfully pulled off the aerial extraction, flying the woman to a hospital for treatment and ending her wilderness ordeal.
Search and rescue officials used the dramatic rescue to issue a blunt warning to outdoor enthusiasts. Don’t assume you’ll be home when you planned, they advised. Their recommendations were simple but potentially life-saving: tell someone your destination and expected return time, carry appropriate supplies, and leave a note in your vehicle if you abandon it to continue on foot.
If you do become lost, officials generally recommend staying put rather than pushing deeper into unfamiliar terrain. Wandering farther can transform one missing-person search into a far more expansive and dangerous operation.
