It’s blazing hot in the
Pacific Northwest right now—which means it’s unusually warm at higher elevations, too. That could have been what saved a hiker lost in the wild for eight days. Andrew Devers, 25, left on June 18 for a hike near North Bend, Washington, about an hour’s drive from Seattle. When he didn’t check in, search and rescue crews went looking for him near where his car was spotted at a local campground. He was gone long enough that the search was suspended a few days ago, the
Seattle Times reports.
Luckily, it hasn’t been getting dangerously cold at night and there are plenty of ripe berries and fresh river water. Devers survived on what he could find, per the
King County Sheriff’s Office. Eventually he bumped into a trail runner on Sunday near the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trailhead, a popular hiking spot for Seattleites. He was taken to a local hospital. Local search and rescue volunteer Nathan Lorance suggests hikers make a detailed plan before setting out and leave it with someone who can call for help if you don’t return on time,
Q13 Fox reports.
(More
uplifting news stories.)