Stranded Hiker Recounts 6 Nights Stranded In Santa Cruz Mountains
FELTON (AP) - A hiker who was stranded in the Santa Cruz Mountains for six days has said she went in and out of consciousness and tried to conserve her energy as she waited to be rescued.
Debra Collins recounted her ordeal to reporters Tuesday, three days after she was found by a man and his son in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
The 59-year-old woman fell into a ravine while hiking on an unmarked trail on Nov. 28. Although she was not injured in the fall, she said she was unable to climb out.
A nearby stream supplied water, but Collins had no food. She said the nights were particularly tough—shivering kept her from falling asleep, and she lost track of time.
Collins says she's still recuperating from hypothermia and that the sensation in her feet has still not fully returned.
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