After going missing for more than a month in North Cascades National Park, Washington, hiker Robert Schock was found alive and safe with no lasting injuries. However, rescue crews believe he may have just been a day from death.
Jeff Kish, the executive director of the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, shared details about the hiker's discovery. He had been missing since July 31. The PNTA crew had finished a shift and was preparing to leave when they discovered the missing hiker.
In a social media post, Kish explained, "On the day that Robert was discovered, the PNTA crew had already worked 10 hours, doing some of the most physically demanding work that a trail crew can be asked to do. They hauled rock from all over the forest to fill holes in the trail that resulted from fires in late 2022, and swung hammers all day to crush those rocks to reestablish the trail tread."
Missing Hiker Found
He added, "They were returning to their backcountry camp, exhausted, when they crossed the Chilliwack River and heard something barely discernible above the sound of the river, but out of place for their surroundings. It was not readily apparent that they had heard a person, but their intuition was to take the time to investigate, just in case."
The crew continued searching and discovered the missing hiker. According to Kish, Robert was in a pretty rough condition. He said, "A half a mile off trail, along the bank of the Chilliwack River, laid out. And exposed to the elements, they found Robert. His situation was dire."
The hiker was immobile and said he had been stuck for weeks. Kish explained, "What I will share is that when our crew found Robert, he was able to communicate to them that he had been immobile, stuck in that exact spot for approximately two weeks. And based on the condition that he was found in, there was no reason for the crew to question it."
Kish celebrated the hard work of the crew. He wrote, "This crew was trained and tasked to build and maintain trail. They had Wilderness First Responder training to protect themselves. And others from incidents in the backcountry. But what they did this weekend was above. And beyond anything that I think anyone could have reasonably expected of them. They saved Robert's life against improbable odds, and at great psychological toll."
