(PLACER COUNTY, Calif.) -- A missing hiker was found safe after getting lost for days in steep terrain in Northern California, according to officials.
Placer County Sheriff’s Office crews searched for the hiker, whose name was not released, for days after he went missing on Monday in the Euchre Bar area, near the North Fork American River.
The man was first reported missing when he sent a text to 911 saying that he was lost and without food or water, according to the sheriff's office.
Dispatchers were unable to reestablish contact with the man after he texted 911, but authorities said they were able to obtain approximate coordinates of his location.
Deputies found the hiker's vehicle at the trailhead. Aerial resources including a helicopter and drones were deployed but were unable to get to the hiker through the dense tree canopy, authorities said.
A full search and rescue mission was launched, according to the sheriff's office, including specialized mountain rescue team members.
More than 50 search and rescue members, including nine K9 teams, were deployed over the next two days. Falcon 30 and additional drone teams assisted with aerial searches during the day, while deputies remained staged at the trailhead overnight.
Dive teams also began sourcing the riverbanks on Wednesday. The hiker was found at around 11 a.m. local time by the dive team along the shore of the river.
"The hiker was tired, hungry, and thirsty – but otherwise okay," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
"We want to send a huge thank you to all the volunteer Search and Rescue team members, including several from allied agencies. They dedicated countless hours over several days to search in extremely challenging terrain. Their commitment and expertise were instrumental in bringing this case to a positive outcome," the sheriff's office said.
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