A first-time backpacker was found on the ground of a California hiking trail, bloody, wet, shivering and possibly cut, with no memory of what got him into such dire straits.
Sashank Upadhyayula, 34, was found lying in tall grass on the edge of the Lost Coast Trail last Tuesday by a group of six teenage campers and their counselors. Lost Coast Outpost reported.
When the boys found him at about 9am last Monday morning, he was lying covered in blood, shivering violently and wearing only soaked jeans.
Adult counselors for the teenagers at Lost Coast Camp quickly tended to Upadhyayula and sent out an emergency alert by satellite phone for medical help.
Counsellors Solomon Lineman, 26, and Jack Davis, 28, both certified in field first aid, cut open his jacket, bandaged his wounds and wrapped him in a sleeping bag and tarpaulin. According to reports.
The teenagers, who had received a crash course in field first aid the day before, then set up camp stoves, boiled water, filled bottles, and placed a hot water bottle next to Upadhyayura to keep him warm, as instructed by camp program director Maria Vollmer, who had rushed to the scene after receiving the emergency alert.
“All the campers were really kind, calm and sweet,” Vollmer told the local paper. “Sol and Jack did a really great job helping this guy.”
Upadhyayula’s rescuers said he was barely able to speak when rescuers arrived. He said it was his first time backpacking and that he had gone out alone.
He also said he thought he had been attacked but couldn’t remember what happened.
A helicopter arrived about 90 minutes after the call for help and Upadhyayura was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and his wounds.
Bureau of Land Management official Paul Sebber said what happened to the solo backpacker is “a bit of a mystery.” The San Francisco Chronicle asks.
About a week later, he told Lost Coast Outpost he still wasn’t sure what happened, but he believes he was attacked.
The night before campers found him, Upadhyayula said he thought he heard something or someone around 10 p.m.
“I remember hearing a noise and getting scared so I removed my bear spray, two knives, water tank and electronic devices,” he told the magazine.
The next thing he remembers is waking up to waves crashing against him at the bottom of the coastal path.
“[I] “I got to the trail, got my Mylar blanket and collapsed. I covered my torso with the blanket and got into the fetal position to keep warm,” he said.
Upadhyayura had cuts on his arms, torso and throat.
“Doctors believe it was caused by a knife. [or] “He was stabbed,” Upadhyayula said. “Given his lack of memory, the fact that the knife was missing and that it was found some distance away and separated from his luggage, it seems likely that he was attacked.”
He reported the possible assault to both the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) King Range National Conservation Area office, according to the Outpost.
The sheriff’s office told the paper they are investigating but have not found any evidence so far to suggest a threat to the public.
“HCSO continues to investigate this incident, but at this time there is no information to indicate that there is a current or ongoing threat to the safety of residents along the Lost Coast Trail,” the office said in a statement.
Upadhyayula warned other hikers to be careful around them and thanked the rescue team.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t express how grateful I am. You are doing God’s work,” he said. “I pray that all your dreams come true.”
The 24-mile Lost Coast Trail can be dangerous due to its close proximity to the mighty Pacific Ocean.
In 2022, one hiker was killed and another was rescued after being swept off a trail by a 20-foot-high wave.
