Missing Calif. Hiker Spent 2 Days Alone in the Wilderness with Dog. Then Biologists Heard His Call for Help
Two biologists were collecting water samples in the San Antonio Reservoir when they heard a noise, which turned out to be missing hiker Alex Stecher
East Bay Regional Park District Police Department/Facebook
Alex Stecher and his dog ApolloA man who went missing for nearly 48 hours in the California Bay Area after embarking on a hike was found safe, authorities said.
On the morning of Friday, May 17, hiker Alex Stecher, 54, set out for an overnight trip — with his dog Apollo accompanying him — through the Ohlone Wilderness, about 50 miles outside of San Francisco, according to SFGate.
Stecher, of Oakland, Calif. and his bull terrier cattle dog mix were set to make their way from the Sunol Regional Wilderness to Del Valle Regional Park and meet a car at designated pickup time of 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Just hours after they failed to show up, Stecher was reported missing, KABC-TV reported.
Although the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department (EBRPD) began a "large scale search" using both police and fire rescue teams, including the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, Alameda County Fire Department and CalFire, the department wrote in a statement, the hiker and his dog had still not been found by Sunday, May 19.
Officials began turning to the public for help in locating Stecher, sharing photos on Facebook and Instagram of Apollo and the man's last known outfit.
East Bay Regional Park District Police Department/Facebook
Alex Stecher and his dog ApolloJust one day later, on Monday, May 20, two biologists collecting water samples in the San Antonio Reservoir — about a 17 mile hike away from where Stecher was supposed to finish his trip — heard a call for help.
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San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Biologist Nick Hood told NBC Bay Area they were on a boat when they heard a noise in the distance, and quickly realized it was a call for help.
"We turned the motor back off again and we started yelling ourselves, 'Hey, is anybody out there?' and we got a response," Hood said. "And then saw Alex."
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"We were in the right place at the right time," added Hood.
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"Alex was safely located today," the EBRPD confirmed on May 20. "Thank you to all of our personnel, as well as our brother and sister agencies that assisted with the search the last few days."
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