Hiker Who Was Lost for 10 Days in the Mountains of California Lived by Drinking a Gallon of Water Every Day

A man from California got lost on a hike and was stuck in the woods for ten days. He survived in part by drinking a lot of water.

CNN station KGO says that on June 11, 34-year-old Lukas McClish went on what he thought would be a three-hour hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains. But he got lost in the mountains, in part because recent wildfires destroyed important sites in the area.

KGO reported that his family publicly reported him missing when he didn’t show up for a Father’s Day dinner on June 16. This led to search and rescue efforts.

A drone from the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office finally found McClish on Thursday, according to an X post from Cal Fire San Mateo. The post said that McClish was found in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which is California’s oldest state park and home to tall, ancient coast redwood trees.

Cal Fire said, “There were multiple reports of people hearing someone yelling for help, but it was hard to figure out where that person was.”

According to the sheriff’s office, McClish was found with “no major injuries” and was found with his family again.

When McClish talked to KGO about what happened, he said he was “tired and a little sore.” He also said, “I lost my voice.”

The clothes he was wearing when he left were all he had with him in the bush. “I left with just a pair of pants, my hiking shoes, and a hat,” he told KGO. “I had a flashlight and some scissors that folded up like a Leatherman.” That was all there was to it.

CNN station KSBW says he said he stayed alive by drinking a lot of water from creeks and waterfalls he found every day as he hiked through the park and called for help.

As McClish told KGO, “I just made sure I drank a gallon of water every day.” But when she was almost done, her body needed food and something to keep it going.

Many search and rescue workers worked to find him, which made him feel “really humble,” he said. “It was a great experience.”