Teen’s abandoned backpack turns into crucial lifeline for lost hikers in Utah

Snow Canyon State Park in March of 2019. Photo: Wikipedia

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah – A father and son stranded overnight in southern Utah’s Red Mountain area survived thanks to an unexpected lifeline—a backpack filled with survival supplies, left behind weeks earlier by another lost hiker.

According to Fox 13, Julian Hernandez and his 12-year-old son set out for a hike near Snow Canyon State Park on Sunday but were reported missing after failing to return. Search and rescue teams were deployed around 7 p.m., but darkness and difficult terrain made locating them challenging.

A breakthrough came when rescuers found a boot-print in the area and heard faint shouting, but the rugged landscape made it difficult to pinpoint the voices. Meanwhile, as temperatures dropped, Hernandez and his son stumbled upon a discarded backpack, providing them with the supplies they desperately needed.

A life-saving find

The pack, which had been thrown into the canyon a month earlier, belonged to 15-year-old Levi Dittmann, who had become lost in the same area on Jan. 4. Inside were emergency blankets, food, and water, all of which helped Hernandez and his son make it through the night.

“We ended up climbing through some red rocks, and we came across this backpack when we were already finding ourselves in a tough situation,” Hernandez told Fox 13. “Without that bag, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it.”

A full-circle rescue

Rescuers eventually located the pair using night vision from a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter, hoisting them to safety and reuniting them with their family.

Back in January, Dittmann was also rescued from the same area, though at the time, he had to abandon his pack to navigate out. The teen, who had spent months assembling survival supplies in his backpack, was stunned to learn it had saved two lives.

“I’m really glad that it could help people, because that’s what the pack was intended for,” Dittmann said.

A story of gratitude and giving back

Hernandez and his wife now plan to become search and rescue volunteers to assist others in distress. He also hopes to meet Levi in person and thank him for the life-saving supplies.

Dittmann’s mother, Gretchen, who watched the search efforts unfold from her home, called the event nothing short of miraculous.

“That it eventually helped someone else, that is such a cool story,” she said. “Just a God thing that you would never forget.”