Only a few days after the horrifying facts of a man who survived in the same area by eating tadpoles and drinking from puddles were made public, a 25-year-old Texas woman was discovered alive in the Big Bend National area after going missing for more than a week.
According to officials, Christy Perry, who has been missing since November 9, was found awake and talking on Friday morning by the National Park Service.
Big Bend National Park, 1,200 square miles (3,108 square kilometers), made national headlines in June when a teenager died after falling ill while hiking in 119F (48.3C) temperatures. The boy's stepfather later died after crashing his car while frantically searching for help.
To thoroughly search the region on foot and by helicopters, search crews closed the Lost Mine Trail, where her car was found.
Perry, who had planned a vacation in Big Bend, failed to show up at a campsite and returned home. Despite multiple search efforts, she remained unidentified, prompting a search for her by park rangers, federal border agents, firefighters, and Texas' public safety agency.
Then she was taken to a hospital in Odessa without any further information.
The hiker disappeared after getting lost on the Lost Mine trail in the Chisos Mountains. She was reportedly disoriented and drank rainwater to stay hydrated. The cause of her disappearance is unclear, but it may have been foggy.
“We are pleased to report a successful search and rescue operation in Big Bend National Park,” the NPS said in a statement.
“Our highly skilled team, in collaboration with outside law enforcement, has located and safely rescued the missing hiker.”
The NPS warns that it takes three hours to finish the trail, which includes steep sections and hot desert sun, and is in "mountain lion and black bear country."
Not long ago, Texas Highways magazine reported on the miraculous survival of a man lost in Big Bend, near the Mexico border, in June.
The 25-year-old Harper Hahn and her father, Austin resident Jeff Hahn, 59, intended to travel a short distance but got lost in the region with up to 107-degree temperatures.
The daughter left to get aid since she saw he was having trouble, but when she came back, he was gone.
Hahn had walked off in the direction he believed aid would arrive.
The marketing executive fell and fractured his wrist, but landed near a puddle where he used his straw to sip water. He later found a stream and used his hat to fish tadpoles.
After 27 hours, the marketing executive was located and transferred to the hospital for a few days before making a full recovery.
Not everyone is as fortunate as Perry and Hahn.
A father went looking for water for his 14-year-old stepson who had passed out in the sweltering heat, and the two of them passed away in the park in June.
Texas state and national parks reported at least ten heat-related deaths this summer, according to a report on Hahn.
A 71-year-old hiker and his dog went missing and the man was found dead during a Colorado mountain hike in August.
Experts recommend packing appropriately and keeping loved ones informed about itinerary details for safety during hiking in West Texas.
