OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Looking haggard after nearly five days lost in the Olympic Mountains, hikers Jeff Mersmann and Neil Twilla emerged safely from the deep, dark forest Thursday night after being found by rescuers.
“Praise the Lord Jesus Christ that we found this trail,” said Mersmann as he slowly walked out of the woods past the Duckabush Trail trailhead in the national park.
Mersmann, 38, of Bremerton was followed 10 minutes later by a slightly limping hiking partner, Twilla, 41, of Silverdale.
Twilla began using a walking stick after he twisted his knee.
That was the extent of their injuries, however.
Both walked out of the park on their own after the rescuers brought them food.
“I was down to the last half of my Clif (energy) Bar,” said Mersmann, and Twilla’s food supply had also depleted to nearly nothing.
Twilla and Mersmann began a planned overnight hike to Upper Lena Lake on Saturday and were reported overdue on Tuesday afternoon after they failed to return home.
They were expected home by Sunday night and at work on Monday.
Upper Lena Lake, which is 4,600 feet above sea level, is northwest of the town of Eldon. The lake is 7.3 miles from the trailhead.
The car driven by the two men was found at the Lena Lake trailhead.
Simply got lost
Mersmann said that, although they were experienced hikers, they simply got lost.
They followed the Duckabush River in an attempt to try to find their way, actually crossing it at one point on a log.
“We lost the trail and we were searching around for it,” Mersmann said.
They ended up several miles from their tent at Upper Lena Lake.
Sequim resident Susan Rivard-DiBenedetto, and fellow rescuer Dick Waldo, of Bremerton, both with Olympic Mountain Rescue, came upon the hikers at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday near the Duckabush River, just inside Olympic National Park.
“They were hungry, I can tell you that,” Rivard-DeBenedetto said, adding that she was “shocked” when she and Waldo happened upon the hikers.
“I said, ‘We’re looking for you.”‘