A warm late spring night, fresh drinking water from a running stream and a little bit of luck produced a happy outcome for a youngster lost Saturday overnight in Upper Zayante.
The girl, 12-year-old Laura Wells-Lucas, had become disoriented while hiking on a remote 300-acre property about eight miles up Zayante Creek.
Authorities said she apparently had stepped off a hiking trail Saturday afternoon and became separated from her foster parent.
That ignited a frantic all-night search by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies, and dozens of search-and-rescue volunteers. A helicopter with spotlights joined the effort, flying repeated missions over the area near Loch Lomond broadcasting the girl’s name on the loudspeaker, with no luck.
“We took command of the situation and did what we could,” said Sgt. Chris Clark, who flew in the helicopter. “I was super concerned for her.”
Early Sunday morning, authorities gathered at San Lorenzo Valley High School, which was being used as a staging area for volunteers and search-and-rescue teams, from as far away as the Bay Area.
“It was a matter of using every resource we could, said Clark. “You don’t know which way it’s going to go.”
However, at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, the girl, after sleeping in the hills and drinking from mountain streams, wandered back to safety near a neighbor’s house.
