Hiker was hungry and thirsty, but in otherwise good condition, authorities said
Authorities using three K-9 units found a hiker who was reported missing in a Rochester nature preserve for a few hours Saturday.
The man, 79, of Milwaukee, went for a hike around noon in what the Racine County Sheriff’s Department said was the Honey Creek Wildlife Refuge off Highway W in the Village of Rochester. According to maps of the area, that is the location of the Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow State Natural Area.
At 5:31 p.m. the county Communications Center received a call from a person who was concerned the man had not returned from his hike. The caller told authorities he had looked for the man in the nature preserve and couldn’t find him — although his car remained in the parking lot, according to a news release issued by the Racine County Sheriff’s Department. At the time, the temperature was in the 30s and snow was beginning to fall.
The first emergency units on the scene attempted to call out for the hiker, but received no response, according to the release. Responding sheriff’s deputies, DNR wardens and members of the Rochester Fire and Rescue Department then initiated a search led by three K-9 units, the release said.
“The first team sent out was led by Deputy Ruffalo and his K-9 partner Nitro,” the release said. “They had a good track and after approximately 30 minutes of tracking they located the lost hiker. The hiker was brought out to a waiting rescue squad and was found to be hungry and thirsty but in otherwise good health.”
Additional details were unavailable Sunday.
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