A San Diego man who had been missing in Joshua Tree National Park for four days was found alive Thursday afternoon. Paul Hanks, 54, went hiking on the Maze Loop Trail Sunday, just inside the west entrance to the park. His family said he was an avid hiker who often hiked in Joshua Tree National Park, but when Hanks did not check into his hotel room in Joshua Tree Sunday or into his hotel in Las Vegas on Monday, his family reported him missing. His white pick-up truck was found Wednesday in the parking lot of the Maze Loop Trail, and searchers found him about 4 p.m. Thursday. A Joshua Tree Search and Rescue team said he had fallen about 20 feet and injured his head, but he was conscious and talking when he was found. He was hoisted out by a helicopter, taken to a waiting Morongo Basin Ambulance, and then to a local hospital. A Park spokesman said that hikers should always hike with a friend and should always carry water and extra clothing. With the cool nighttime temperatures and the rain Thursday morning, Paul Hanks was very lucky to be found alive after four days alone in the desert.
MISSING HIKER FOUND ALIVE IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK THURSDAY AFTERNOON
