After being missing for a month, hiker Robert Schock was found alive and well by a trail crew in the North Cascades National Park in Washington. Schock had been reported missing on July 31 after witnesses saw him near the Chilliwack River without any overnight supplies. His abandoned vehicle and dog were found 8 miles from the hiking trail on August 3, which sparked concerns for his safety.
Schock’s mother, Jan Thompson, reported that her son was weak and malnourished but coherent and in high spirits when he was found. The trail crew responsible for his rescue, as well as his mother, believe that Schock may not have had another day left in him if he had not been found when he was. He had been immobile and stuck in one spot for two weeks prior to being rescued, and his situation was described as dire.
The Pacific Northwest Trail Association, whose crew found Schock, commended his resilience and strength in surviving his ordeal. The National Park Service did not provide further details about the rescue. Jeff Kish, the executive director of the association, wrote on Facebook that Schock’s rescue was miraculous and that he may have been on the brink of a tragic outcome if he had not been discovered when he was. Schock’s condition at the time of his rescue was not fully disclosed, as Kish believed that only Schock himself should decide what details to share publicly.
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