(TheProudRepublic.com) – What was intended to be a 10-day camping trip turned into a 50-day battle for survival for a 20-year-old hiker who was all alone in the Canadian wilderness.
See the video below.
Sam Benastick’s experience, which began as a simple camping trip, exposed the dangers of venturing unprepared into remote areas and the strain it puts on search and rescue resources.
Benastick set out for a 10-day camping trip in British Columbia’s Redfern-Keily Provincial Park in mid-October.
When he failed to check in, his family raised the alarm, sparking an extensive search operation that would last for weeks.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, park rangers, and volunteers combed the treacherous terrain, known for its grizzly bears, wolves, and harsh weather conditions.
Despite their efforts, the official search was called off by the end of the month, leaving Benastick’s fate uncertain.
Benastick’s sister set up a GoFundMe page that raised over $42,000 to aid in the search efforts. “Our family is devastated and is determined to find him,” she stated.
A month after his trip, Benastick was found alive by two individuals on the Redfern Lake trail. He was carrying walking sticks and a makeshift sleeping bag, a testament to his resourcefulness and will to survive.
“Finding Sam alive is the absolute best outcome. After all the time he was missing, it was feared that this would not be the outcome,” Corporal Madonna Saunderson said.
During his ordeal, the young hiker had endured temperatures as low as four degrees below zero and heavy snowfall.
Benastick’s survival strategy involved initially staying in his car, then setting up camps by a creek and in a dried-out creek bed.
“He’s in rough shape. But man, for 50 days out in that cold, he’s going to live,” Mike Reid, one of the individuals who found him, stated.
While Benastick’s survival is remarkable, it raised serious questions about allowing inexperienced hikers to venture into such dangerous territories without proper preparation or supervision.
As Benastick recovers from frostbite and smoke inhalation, his family expresses relief and gratitude for his return.
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