Missing hiker found alive after more than 5 weeks in remote B.C. park

A hiker who went lacking in B.C.’s backwoods has been discovered after surviving greater than 5 weeks in a distant park in B.C.’s northeast as snow fell and temperatures plunged.

CBC Information confirmed the knowledge via household, in addition to people concerned within the search. 

Sam Benastick, 20, was first reported lacking after failing to return house Oct. 17 from a 10-day tenting journey in distant Redfern-Keily Provincial Park, about 250 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John.

He began his hike on Oct. 7, which suggests he was within the open air for 50 days.

As the times progressed, there have been fears about Benastick’s survival as winter climate set in, with in a single day lows dropping under -20 C.

Mike Reid, the final supervisor of the Buffalo Inn in Pink Mountain, B.C., had Benastick’s household keep at his inn for over 20 days as they searched for his or her son in October.

In that point, Reid says he developed an emotional reference to the household — and he was advised firsthand by Benastick’s father when the hiker was discovered.

“Proper now, I … it is superb. I’ve bought three youngsters myself, and for him to seek out his son, it is simply superb,” Reid advised Sarah Penton, the host of CBC’s Radio West, via tears.

Reid stated that he had spoken to the person who discovered Benastick and discovered the hiker was now in Fort Nelson Hospital awaiting his dad and mom.

He stated Benastick was discovered by employees who have been grading the realm round nicely websites in northeast B.C., which refers to when surveyors mark the roads round pure fuel wells as a part of common operations.

“They have been on that street for every week. And he stated four-wheelers [and] snowmobiles have been going up and down that street,” Reid stated on Tuesday.

“This morning, that they had simply began driving, they usually stated, ‘The hell is that particular person doing strolling on this street?’ And he had two sticks, one in every hand, and it was Sam.”

Benastick’s rescuers advised Reid that the hiker had minimize his sleeping bag and wrapped it round his legs, and the 20-year-old had almost collapsed of weak spot when he was put into an ambulance.

“You already know, the man says he is in tough form. However man, for 50 days out in that chilly, he will dwell,” Reid stated.

Reid says he was all the time optimistic that Benastick could be discovered, and he’s trying ahead to having the Benasticks keep over when all is claimed and accomplished.

CBC Information has reached out to RCMP for this story.