Robert Schock, 39, went missing after setting out on a quick run with his dog on July 31. He wasn’t found until a month later, on August 30.
Schock, who is an ultra runner, only planned to stay at the national park briefly and did not bring many supplies with him; he only had a small backpack, a pair of shorts, and a dog pan for his pup Freddy.
A few hikers who saw him at the park also noted that he had no overnight gear.
According to Schock, who is a musician, he had been to North Cascades national park in the past but it had been several years since his last visit due to recent wildfires.
While he had a map with him, it wasn’t up-to-date and he quickly became lost, not having realized that the eastern part of the trail had closed down.
His phone also ran out of battery. Desperate, he eventually sent his dog to find his way home.
Authorities eventually found his dog near the river in the park, close to his vehicle. However, Schock himself was no where to be seen. Officials also discovered his wallet in his car, which raised the question of whether or not he planned on coming out of the park.
The car window on the passenger side was also opened halfway.
It wasn’t until his mother was unable to reach him by phone that he was reported missing.
While initial search attempts were unsuccessful, she never lost hope that he was still alive.
Meanwhile, Schock survived by using his backpack as shelter and eating berries and water. He also ingested a large mushroom, which he would later report to have tasted ‘just like the ones on pizza’.
At one point, Schock noticed a helicopter in the sky, but they weren’t able to spot him. Disheartened, he eventually began to lose hope and strength, only screaming for help occasionally.\
It wasn’t until August 31, one month after he step foot into the park, that he was found by a group of trail maintenance workers who had just finished a 10-hour shift in the back country.
He had yelled out for help one last time and his cries had been heard. He was eventually found near a riverbank, nude.
He recalls having lost control of his bowels just prior to being rescued.
The Pacific Northwest Trail Association would later say that he was ‘alive’ but ‘not well’.
Schock was subsequently taken to hospital by air, where he was kept on an IV for several days. After a few days of recuperation, he was discharged from the hospital and returned to Ohio.
Regarding the ordeal, Schock said it had ‘aged [him] by several years’. He also said he has no plans on going back to the national park any time soon. He also expressed his gratitute to the individuals who saved him.
