The missing hiker had tarps and the ability to start a fire, which massively helped with the rescue. Photo courtesy of Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - On the night of Nov. 9, the Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team was activated to respond to the Milsap Bar area for a lost/missing hiker (MP).

Upon interviewing the reporting person (RP), we learned that our missing hiker and reporting person had set out on Thursday, Nov. 7 to hike down to the Middle Fork of the Feather River to do some recreational gold panning. The reporting person became tired and the missing hiker suggested they split, with the missing hiker deploying to retrieve water for the exhausted reporting person. The reporting person reported that it was the last time he physically observed the missing hiker.

On Nov. 8, the reporting person waited at the location where he split from the missing hiker all day, spending another night in the elements. On Saturday morning, the reporting person made the decision to hike out to their truck, hoping to reconnect with the missing hiker there. After arriving back at their truck and not finding the missing hiker there, the reporting person called 911.

The Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team poses for a photo after a successful rescue. Photo courtesy of Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

A CHP Air Ops helo, H-20, was deployed and just after sunset, located the missing hiker’s campfire on a steep cliff approximately 1,000 vertical feet down canyon from Milsap Bar Road, and 1,000 feet above the Feather River.

Due to the steep terrain, a hoist operation was ruled out and a joint rescue team from Butte County Search and Rescue and CalFire were deployed to rescue the missing hiker. After a lengthy hike through very thick vegetation, crews accessed the missing hiker, assessed he was in good health and without major injury and assisted him up and out of the canyon.

What went wrong

The reporting person and the missing hiker split up. You should always stay together; surviving as a team is always easier than surviving alone

What went right:

Upon realizing he was lost, the missing hiker found an emergency shelter site and stayed put.

Both the reporting person and the missing hiker were prepared to spend the night in the elements. As you can see from the pictures of the missing hiker's emergency shelter, he had tarps and the ability to make a fire.

In the current conditions, dehydration and starvation will kill you within days but hypothermia can kill you within hours. Always have fire-starting material and the ability to shelter from the elements. Visit buttesar.org for more information on the 12 Essentials.

The missing hiker had tarps and the ability to start a fire, which massively helped with the rescue. Photo courtesy of Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

Outstanding teamwork and collaboration between Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, CAL FIRE/Butte County, and CHP - Valley Division Air Operations were also a contributor.

Please remember that Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit auxiliary of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, and we rely solely on donation and grant funding. We receive no public tax dollars. Please visit buttesar.org to donate.