Missing 70-year-old woman got lost while out for a walk. She was found a few days later

A 70-year-old Californian who spent nearly three days and two nights lost in the wilderness was found safe thanks to a piece of clothing.

Authorities located Elizabeth Schenk in a heavily wooded area north of Fort Bragg around 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 23, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Schenk was in “good spirits” after rescuers found her and had only suffered minor scrapes and abrasions from exposure. She was transported to a local hospital in stable condition, the sheriff's office said.

Schenk, who was originally from Oakland and had visited the area, was reported missing on the morning of Tuesday, May 21, after she got lost on a logging road and became lost. She called an unidentified man for help around 9:30 a.m. and asked him for directions, according to the sheriff's office.

When he still hadn't heard from Schenk two hours later, the man became concerned and alerted the authorities.

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Over the next 48 hours, more than 70 search and rescue volunteers from numerous Northern California counties joined the search for Schenk, who was considered at risk due to several pre-existing health conditions. Seven dogs certified in scent and unmanned aerial vehicles have also been deployed to the area.

Around mid-afternoon on May 23, searchers found an item of clothing they believed belonged to Schenk, and she was about 200 yards away, the sheriff's office said.

The woman was taken to Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Hospital as a precaution, authorities said.

Researchers said the area where Schenk disappeared has extremely steep topography with overgrown vegetation and forests.

Due to the dangerous terrain and harsh natural conditions, additional search and rescue assistance was requested through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the office said. Sheriff of Mendocino County.