Missing hiker survived 50 days in Canadian wilderness, at times in frigid temps

(WJW) - A 20-year-old hiker who had been missing for weeks was found alive in the wilderness of British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mountain Police confirmed on Wednesday.

Sam Benastick was first reported missing back on Oct. 19. As reported by CBC News and other media outlets, the hiker didn't return from what was supposed to be a 10-day camping trip.

He took his dirt bike and planned to hike and fish in the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park, but his family grew concerned when he didn't check in after 10 days, his sister stated on a GoFundMe page.

"Our family is devastated and is determined to find him," she said on the fundraiser, which gathered more than $42,000.

This led to an extensive search for the hiker, which was made up of rescue teams, park rangers and volunteers.

According to Royal Canadian Mountain Police, two people walking along the Redfern Lake trail spotted a man heading toward them around 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 26.

CBC reported he was carrying two walking sticks and had a cut-up sleeping bag wrapped around his legs.

Investigators say he was taken to the hospital, where police confirmed the man to be Benastick.

Benastick told investigators he stayed in his car for a couple days before setting up camp by a creek for 10 to 15 days.

"Then moved down the valley, and built a camp and shelter in a dried-out creek bed," the Royal Canadian Mountain Police said in a press release. "He then made his way to where he flagged down the two men and was taken to safety."

Benastick spent 50 days surviving in sometimes frigid temperatures. At times, CBC reported, temperatures in the area dropped four degrees below zero.

In the press release, investigators thanked everyone who took part to the search.

"Finding Sam alive is the absolute best outcome. After all the time he was missing, it was feared that this was would not be the outcome," Corporal Madonna Saunderson said in the release.