Lost Hearing Impaired Teen Found in Buffalo NR

Who: 19-year-old Steven J. Strygulec of Rogersville, MI
Where: Buffalo National River, Arkansas
His mistake: He got separated, then lost a bunch of his gear
What happened: A group of five college students went for a camping trip through Buffalo National River. At some point during the hike, one of their friends – a hearing impaired, inexperienced outdoorsman, and with an injured knee – became separated from the group.

When the group realized their friend wasn’t with them, and he was overdue by several hours, they called for help. Rangers immediately started a hasty search of the area, then made camp until the sun rose.

In the meantime, the lost hiker was struggling. The man was hungry and cold. During a river crossing, he lost his sleeping bag and lighter. He also some how broke his flashlight. He had no map and wandered for hours off trail looking for the way back. He also fell off of a 10-foot cliff.

The next morning searchers found fresh boot marks. They followed the footprints which led them to the lost hiker. He was cold, hungry and exhausted. It is unclear how far off the trail he was, and there are no reports of the extent of his injuries.

Read the story here.