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Missing Hiker Rescued After Two Days Without Food or Water in Placer County

Phone data guided a multi-agency search through dense terrain.

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Screenshot from a video published by the Placer County Sheriff's Office showing the rescue of the hiker who was recovered on Wednesday morning.

Overview

  • The hiker texted 911 on Monday, reporting he was lost in steep terrain without food or water.
  • Dispatchers were unable to reestablish contact but obtained approximate coordinates from his phone.
  • Deputies located his vehicle at a trailhead as more than 50 rescuers, including nine K-9 teams, deployed helicopters and drones.
  • Dense foliage limited aerial detection, so dive teams swept riverbanks and found him around 11 a.m. Wednesday.
  • Footage shows rescuers fast-roping to reach him along the North Fork of the American River, and officials said he was tired, hungry and thirsty but otherwise okay.