Hiker missing in mountains for 10 days shares incredible way he managed to survive

A hiker missing for 10 days in the California wilderness has explained exactly how he managed to survive.

Lukas McClish, 34, set out for what he thought would be a moderate three-hour hike in California's Santa Cruz Mountains on June 11 – but he would soon come face to face with the horrific reality: he was lost in nature.

He would walk alone for another five days before being reported missing, with his family raising the alarm after he failed to show up for a Father's Day dinner.

After several days of intense searching in the area, McClish was finally spotted by a Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office drone and reunited with his family.

The sheriff's office added in a statement on social media that McClish suffered no major injuries during his 10 days in the mountains.

McClish has now spoken out about his ordeal, explaining that he became lost due to the destruction of landmarks in the area by recent wildfires.

“I left with just a pair of pants, my pair of hiking shoes and a hat. I had a flashlight and a pair of folding scissors, like a Leatherman tool. And that's it,” he said told ABC News.

McClish then explained how he managed to survive in the remote area, revealing that he drank water from his boot every day.

“I just made sure to drink a gallon of water every day, but then towards the end my body needed food and some sort of sustenance,” the hiker said.

“I go up a canyon, I go down a canyon to the next waterfall, I sit by the waterfall and I drink water out of my boot,” he added, according to KSBW.

It was also reported to eat wild berries to survive.

McClish was located in the mountainous area of ​​Big Basin State Parks after authorities received reports from witnesses stating that someone had been heard screaming for help in the area.

The 34-year-old confirmed he had no serious injuries but his voice was “painful” from the screaming.

McClish also shared his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the research.

“It was definitely humbling and, I don’t know, it was an awesome experience,” he said of everyone who donated their time to search for him.

He added that he would also not return to the wild anytime soon, as he had done for a year in the last 10 days.

“I’ve done enough hiking to last probably the rest of the year,” McClish said.