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PAGE, Ariz. — A 72-year-old man lost for six days in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was able to drive himself home to Richfield after being rescued by searchers, authorities said.
"It's a miracle he's alive," Kane County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Alan Alldredge told KSL Newsradio. He said the man was only planning on about a four-hour hike on Aug. 29 to Willow Creek Canyon but apparently got disoriented.
A friend of the man notified authorities on Sept. 2 and a team of 14 searchers focused on the canyon. But it was a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter that spotted the man about 2.5 miles southwest of the trailhead, Alldredge said.
The man was so weakened at that point, he was not jumping up and down to attract attention as the helicopter flew overhead, Alldredge said. Instead, the man was laying in the shade, shirtless.
The man's skin was so badly sunburned, it blended in with area's red rocks, Alldredge said but the pilot just happened to spot his barely moving shirt. "It was a real chance thing," he said.
When rescuers reached the man, he was "kind of delirious" from thirst and hunger, Alldredge said. The man was flown to Escalante for a medicial evaluation and given food and water.
"I think they said they put like eight bottles of water into him, some Gatorade, and quite a bit of food. He was in serious condition," the chief deputy said. "He was definitely stressed."
The man told authorities he'd hiked out of the canyon in an attempt to locate the trailhead. He said he had tried to keep warm during the cold nights by piling rocks on top of himself.
Despite his ordeal, Alldredge said the man was able to drive himself home and let searchers know Sunday night he'd arrived safely.
