Sixty-year-old Sheryl Powell disappeared near the Grandview Campground in the Bristlecone Pine Forest area July 12.
Her husband said she went to take their dog for a walk while he moved their Jeep the day she went missing. The woman strayed away when a man who appeared to have been hiding out in the area went after her down a hill, wielding a knife.
Powell’s family said she thought the man was chasing her.
Powell, who is described as an experienced hiker, traveled at night to avoid dehydration. She also managed to find water and a cactus to eat, but after a certain point, she couldn’t walk any further.
Ground search teams used aerial reconnaissance and thermal imaging to find her.
Searchers described Powell as “resilient and strong but exhausted” after being lost for days in an extremely remote area, according to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. She was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance. She’s expected to be released in a few days.
The dog, Miley, was found Monday morning about 2 miles from where Sheryl went missing, authorities said.
“Everything happened so fast. We’re so happy,” said daughter Farrah Powell.
The hiker’s children thanked everyone who helped find their mom, and they thanked the community for their support.
“Nothing counts. Nothing in the world counts anymore,” the hiker’s husband said. “This is a miracle of miracles.”
