Hiker stranded 9 days with broken legs shares story of survival

FRESNO, Calif. - A hiker who was stranded in the rugged Sierra Nevada for nine days while suffering from broken legs is now sharing her story of survival.

Miyuki Harwood, 62, was found Saturday morning in a remote area of the Sierra National Forest after she used a whistle to get the attention of a search and rescue team who were looking for her, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said at a news conference.

She was listed in stable condition, the sheriff said after meeting Harwood at her hospital bed.

"Her voice was strong. She was extremely thankful that people were looking for her," Mims said.

Harwood, of Folsom, Calif., was the focus of an intense search involving several law enforcement agencies after she got lost in the mountains near Horsehead Lake, about 100 miles northwest of Fresno.

On Tuesday, Harwood released a statement describing what happened and how she survived.

In the statement, provided by her family, Harwood said that on Aug. 20 she was hiking with a group. They were six days into an eight day trip and were up on Black Cap Mountain. After summiting, Harwood decided to start back to camp ahead of the group.

"I regret it," she wrote.

Harwood said it was getting dark, and she tried to get back to the camp site, but fell off a cliff. She landed on both of her legs. She says she was conscious the whole time. After she fell, her left leg hurt so she took off her boots and stayed overnight where she had fallen.

"The next morning I realized that I could not stand up with either leg," she said.

She said she saw the choppers flying over her the next day, but realized the rescue was called off because of smoke. The search for Harwood was hampered by thick smoke from a wildfire that has burned 96 square miles nearby in the Kings Canyon National Park.

Her 1-liter water bottle was also getting low.

"In order for me to survive, I knew I needed water and I heard water running below me," she wrote. "For the next two days, I crawled down to the water and luckily I had a water filter. I pumped 1 liter of water everyday and drank it there."

She said she continued to see helicopters everyday, but they were far away.

At night she said she slept on the ground in cold temperatures in a medium weight jacket. To try and warm up she would lie in the sun a few hours a day.

Finally, on Aug. 29, nine days later, she thought she had one last chance to survive. She heard a rescue team in the area and began blowing a whistle she had with her.

"I blew my whistle again and they responded with my name," she said.

She said she continued to blow her whistle and answer the rescuers calls.

"When I first saw them, it was a miracle and I was emotional," she said.

Harwood said the rescue team all came down to her and stayed with her while the doctor with the team stabilized her left leg. She was carried by stretcher to the open area where the helicopter landed to pick her up.

"I greatly appreciate the rescuers who found me and had not given up hope to find me," she wrote. "Thank you to my family, friends, coworkers and the Sierra Club. I am doing okay and would like to concentrate on my recovery. Thank you so much."