Siskiyou County, California — A 72-year-old California woman has been found alive after surviving an estimated five to seven days alone in a remote and rugged wilderness area, despite suffering physical injuries and signs of exposure.
The Siskiyou County woman disappeared after failing to show up for work late Saturday. Her vehicle was later found near the Shasta-Siskiyou County line, prompting a large search operation through difficult terrain.
What followed was a dayslong effort involving search crews from multiple agencies, as rescuers worked through steep canyons, creeks, trails, dirt roads and narrow shelf trails in an attempt to locate her.
Search Crews Face Difficult California Terrain
The search area presented numerous challenges for rescuers.
Crews had to navigate steep and remote terrain, with downed trees and trail debris making movement even more difficult. Overnight temperatures dropped into the low 40s, adding another danger for someone stranded outdoors without adequate shelter.
Communication was also difficult in portions of the wilderness.
Radio signals were limited in some areas, forcing search teams to rely on communication relays and satellite equipment to maintain contact during the operation.
The challenging conditions meant search crews had to carefully work through areas where even reaching a missing person could become a major logistical problem.
Multiple Search Teams Join the Effort
The search brought together numerous teams and resources.
Dog teams, ground crews, dirt riders and a Jeep team from Shasta County Search and Rescue assisted searchers from Siskiyou County as they worked through the remote landscape.
After days of searching, a Siskiyou County ground crew finally located the woman.
She was alive but injured and showing signs of exposure, according to Shasta County Search and Rescue. Her condition and location immediately created another challenge: getting her safely out of the wilderness.
Helicopter Rescue Brings Woman to Safety
California Highway Patrol was called in to assist with the evacuation.
CHP dispatched a helicopter to the heavily wooded area, while ground crews prepared the woman for an aerial extraction. Medical personnel also made their way into the area to evaluate and treat her.
Rescuers had another evacuation plan ready in case the helicopter could not safely reach or extract her. The woman ultimately did not have to be carried out overland.
CHP air operations successfully hoisted her from the wilderness and transported her by helicopter to a hospital, bringing an end to an ordeal that officials estimated had lasted between five and seven days.
After spending nearly a week exposed to the elements and navigating an extremely difficult environment, her survival marked a remarkable outcome for the search operation.
Officials Warn Hikers to Prepare for the Unexpected
People who knew the woman described her as an avid hiker, but search-and-rescue officials used the incident to remind outdoor enthusiasts that even experienced hikers can face unexpected emergencies.
One of the most important recommendations is to make sure someone knows where you are going and when you expect to return.
Officials also recommend carrying appropriate supplies and leaving a note inside your vehicle if you abandon it to continue traveling on foot.
That information can be especially valuable to search crews because it can provide investigators with additional clues about a missing person’s likely movements.
What to Do If You Become Lost
Search-and-rescue officials also emphasized a basic rule that can be difficult to follow when someone realizes they are lost: stay put whenever possible.
Continuing to wander can make it significantly harder for rescuers to determine where someone may have gone and can potentially expand the search area.
Remaining in one location can give search teams a better chance of finding the person, particularly when crews are already working with information about their last known location.
For this California hiker, the difficult ordeal ultimately ended with rescuers finding her alive and getting her to medical care. Her survival also serves as a reminder that preparation, communication and staying in place when lost can make a critical difference in a wilderness emergency.
Have you ever gotten lost or faced an unexpected emergency while hiking? Share your experience in the comments and tell us what safety advice you think every hiker should know before heading into the wilderness.
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