Missing 73-Year-Old Hiker Found in El Dorado County

From: KXTV, CA - 21 Jan 2003

A 73-year-old hiker lost near Diamond Springs in El Dorado County was rescued over on Sunday. Lloyd Hendricks had been hiking with his son-in-law on Saturday when the two became separated.

Family and friends applauded when they learned Hendricks had been found. He had been lost for more than a day and they were worried time was running out. "He was tired," said Sheila Rodriguez, Hendricks' daughter. "He was weak. He hadn't had food for two days. He didn't eat breakfast the day he got lost, he didn't eat that whole day."

Hendricks was wearing only a short sleeve shirt when he went hiking Saturday. He was lost in steep terrain and to complicate the search just a bit more, he is deaf. "It was hard for the rescuers to yell to him," said Scott Stewart of El Dorado Search and Rescue. "They had to actually go up and get right next to him and touch him on the shoulder to get his attention because he couldn't hear."

Finally, a searcher spotted Hendricks' tracks. "I started working my way up the canyon wall," said Todd Cunningham of Diamond Springs Fire Protection. "I ended up seeing this guy trying to climb his way out."

An hour later, Hendricks was in an ambulance and on his way to safety. Although cold and hungry, Hendricks was in generally good condition.

© 2003 Gannett Co., Inc.