An intensive air and ground search for a lost hiker on the weekend ended after the hiker caught a ride with a truck driver on an abandoned logging road.
The search started Saturday after the hiker, from Nanaimo, called 911 at about 8 a.m. and said he was lost in a remote area west of Doumont Road. The connection was lost because of poor cell coverage in the area, so the 911 dispatcher only managed to get his name and a rough idea of where he was.
Police contacted his family who confirmed the hiker had been camping with four friends, so police then called the camping companions, who were unaware their friend was lost, but said he was dressed appropriately, that it was not uncommon for him to hike alone and that he was an experienced back country camper.
Search and rescue teams from Nanaimo and Parksville were called up, along with Police Dog Services and an RMCP helicopter from Comox, and a search started at 9 a.m.
Just past 1:30 p.m. the hiker met up with a truck driver on an abandoned logging road and hitched a ride to the search command centre where he was reunited with his family.