Hiker found in Campo backcountry after missing for two days

The woman was found Sunday in a steep and rocky area almost 10 miles from the Lake Morena campground


Hiker found in Campo backcountry after missing for two days + ' Main Photo'

A hiker was found Sunday after she went missing for two days in the Campo-area backcountry, according to sheriff’s officials.

The 50-year-old woman was reported missing just before 2 p.m. Saturday when her family said they had last spoken to her Friday morning, sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Ford said in a news release.

Officials said she had texted her family that she was about to start a hike near the Lake Morena campground, Ford said.

Parks and recreation officials told investigators that the woman had missed her checkout time at her cabin and her personal belongings were still there, investigators said. A short time later, the womans vehicle was located near a trailhead in the area.

Sheriffs search and rescue volunteers, a helicopter and U.S. Border Patrol officials began searching the area, Ford said. Around 10 p.m. Saturday, the woman’s shoe prints were found.

Early Sunday morning, Ford said volunteers following the tracks and calling out for the woman heard someone yell back. Around 5 a.m. they found her in a steep and rocky area almost 10 miles from where she had parked her vehicle.

The woman was not seriously injured, but she was exhausted, sheriff’s officials said. She was airlifted to the Lake Morena campground, where she was reunited with her family.