A California hiker missing for almost two days in the San Diego backcountry has been found safe thanks to the discovery of a single shoe print.
The 50-year-old woman, who has not been named, was last in contact with her family at around 8.30am on Friday morning when she had texted to say she was setting off on a hike near the Lake Morena campground in Campo.
When they didn’t hear from her again, the woman’s family alerted authorities at around 2pm on Saturday and a search was launched to try to find her.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said that the hiker had missed the checkout time at her cabin near the lake and her belongings were still inside. Her car was found near a trailhead in the area, police said.
After searching high and low using helicopters, off-road trucks, and a search and rescue dog, search and rescue volunteers stumbled upon what they believed to be her shoe prints on a trail on Saturday evening, helping them narrow down the search.
Finally, after darkness fell, volunteers shouting out to the missing hiker finally heard a response just after 4am on Sunday morning, authorities said.
It took another hour for volunteers to pinpoint where the yells were coming from, before they found the 50-year-old in a steep and rocky area roughly 10 miles from where her vehicle was parked.
The disheveled hiker was “exhausted, but in good condition,” authorities said.
She was airlifted to the Lake Morena campground and given medical treatment, police said – before being reunited with her family.
The harsh terrain just southwest of the Laguna Mountains encompasses a mixture of desert, coastal, and mountain habitats, with Lake Morena siting at an elevation of 3,000 feet.
It is known to be the most remote reservoir in all of San Diego County, according to San Diego Parks and Recreation.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement: “The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank San Diego County Parks and Recreation and the US Border Patrol, as well as the Sheriff’s ASTREA (helicopter) Unit for their assistance in the search.”
