A hiker who went missing for 10 days in the California wilderness has shared exactly how he managed to survive.
Lukas McClish, 34, had set out for what he thought would be a moderate three-hour hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California on 11 June - however he would soon find himself facing the horrifying reality that he was lost in the wilderness.
He would be trekking alone for another five days before he was reported missing, with his family raising the alarm after he failed to show up for a Father's Day dinner.
After several days of intense searching in the area McClish was eventually spotted by a drone from the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office and reunited with his family.
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The Sheriff's Office added in a statement on social media that McClish had no major injuries from his 10 days in the mountains.
McClish has now spoken out about his ordeal, explaining that he had lost his way due to landmarks in the area being destroyed by recent wildfires.
"I left with just a pair of pants, and my pair of hiking shoes, and a hat. I had a flashlight, and a pair of folding scissors, like a Leatherman tool. And that was about it," he told ABC News.
McClish went on to explain how he managed to survive in the remote area, revealing that he had drank water from his boot everyday.
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"I just made sure I drank a gallon of water every day, but then after, getting close to the end of it, my body needed food and some kind of sustenance," the hiker said.
"I go up a canyon, down a canyon to the next waterfall and sit down by the waterfall and drink water out of my boot," he added, as per KSBW.
It has also been reported that he ate wild berries in order to survive.
McClish was located in the Big Basin State Parks region of the mountains after authorities received reports from witnesses, stating that someone had been heard shouting for help in the area.
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The 34-year-old confirmed that he had no major injuries but that his voice was 'sore' from shouting.
McClish has also shared his gratitude for everyone who aided in the search.
"It was just really humbling and I don't know, it was an awesome experience," he said of everyone who gave their time to look for for him.
He went on to add that he won't be heading back out into the wilderness anytime soon either, as he had done a year's worth in the past 10 days.
"I did enough hiking for probably the whole rest of the year," McClish said.
Topics: US News
Brenna Cooper