Missing California hiker rescued after 10 days

(NewsNation) – A California man survived nine days in the wilderness with only the clothes on his back, a flashlight and a pair of scissors.

Lukas McClish, 34, set out on a hike in Big Basin State Park in California on June 11, hoping it would only last three hours. But wildfires in recent years have altered the park's landscape, erasing the familiar landmarks it had previously become familiar with.

McClish was reported missing by his family on June 15.

“His dad is a retired fire chief for the local districts, and from what I've heard, he pretty much never stopped hiking,” said Steve Kuehl, a rescue photographer. emergency that McClish's family has also known for years.

“He had been up for days, hiking for days, looking in every part of this area and around our district.”

McClish reportedly survived by drinking water from his boot, eating berries and sleeping on a bed of wet leaves.

Ten days after setting out on his hike, McClish's cries for help were heard by a retired firefighter, Kuehl said.

“[His] “The house burned down in the CZU fire that broke out here about four years ago,” according to Kuel. “And with all the foliage cleared in the canyon below his house, he could hear Lukas calling for help.”

A Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office drone operator finally spotted McClish in the forest on the 10th day of her disappearance. A dog helped rescue teams locate McClish in the remote area.

“We are grateful to have been a part of McClish's rescue with the help and support of our mutual aid partners,” Cal Fire's San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit told Nexstar's KRON.

Photos of the McClishes reunited with their family, taken by Kuehl, show the hiker covered in dirt but able to walk on his own.

“It was obviously a very emotional and raw moment for everyone. Because in that moment, everyone present got to see a mother see her son alive for the first time in almost weeks, without knowing what had happened to them,” Kuehl said. “So it was a powerful moment.”

Miraculously, rescue agencies confirmed that McClish had no serious injuries when he was found.