Next time you find yourself on a wilderness excursion, you might want to pack this condiment. According to reports, a hiker survived in the California wilderness for a whopping two weeks with half a jar of salsa. On the day after Thanksgiving, a couple was camping out between California’s Big Bear Lake and Angelus Oaks when they heard someone yelling for help.
“We were underneath a flight path and an airplane went by pretty low and we heard someone yelling for help,” Allison Scott said.
Little did they know, this would be the beginning of a rescue mission. As the couple followed the mysterious voice, they eventually came across a man who had been alone in the woods for two weeks.
“My boyfriend is looking over the ridge and calling out, ‘Hey I see you,’” Scott told reporters. “He had a stick with a water bottle on it trying to signal. He couldn’t walk. His feet were extremely swollen and infected just from walking so much, and possibly the cold where he was.”
When they got to the man, who they later learned was named Eric, he told them he’d gotten lost in the woods two weeks earlier. In addition, he also told him that all he had to eat was half jar of salsa. Yet, somehow, he miraculously survived.
Hiker sustains minimal injuries despite being lost for two weeks in California wilderness
When it comes to wilderness survival, the human body can do amazing things. However, how long someone can do without food or water depends on a person’s specific genetic and health conditions. Despite this, most research tells us that humans can survive without sustenance for anywhere between 20 and 70 days. However, most bodies can’t go any longer than 40 days.
After they found Eric, they immediately phoned for help. According to Mike McClintock, a battalion chief and spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, the department deployed rescue crews to the densely-wooded area. However, they later had to deploy helicopters for the rescue. As a result, a chopper from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department hoisted up Eric. Once he was examined, they found he sustained “minor injuries” and transported him to an ambulance.
Although officials couldn’t confirm Eric’s current medical condition, the couple said that he was set to make a full recovery. In addition, he even offered to take them out to dinner for all their help.
“He said he doesn’t have a cellphone. We have his landline phone, and he said, ‘Whenever you’re in Oceanside, I’ll take you out to dinner. Just give me a call,’” Scott said.
“He also said, ‘I’m very sorry for putting a damper on your camping trip,’ and I said, ‘I’m just glad you’re OK,’” Scott added. “‘I’m glad we found you.’”