Two Trails: A Hiker’s Story of Survival and His Mother’s Story of Hope

Getting the message that my son had not returned from a planned hike in the San Bernardino Mountains and that he was missing was the most paralyzing call I’ve ever received. I learned very quickly how a rescue operation is put together as we watched skilled professionals and countless volunteers search day after day for any sight of Eric and his coworker, Gabrielle. Were they alive? Were they hurt? Why hadn’t Eric found his way to us? These were all questions I asked myself repeatedly as my family waited for answers. As grueling as not being of any help to the rescue teams was for my family, the selflessness and kindness of each volunteer and professional are what kept us going. Eric and Gabrielle spent five days trying to make it out of the canyon, but each day presented a new obstacle. With limited food, water, and clothing, and no equipment to safely navigate a canyon, every day brought challenges. This, coupled with enduring the bitter weather, required mental toughness if they were to survive.

Karen Ziebarth grew up in Pipestone, Minnesota, and after several moves to various states over the years, moved to Central Iowa in 1991. She resides in Adel, Iowa, where she runs a small business, enjoys time with her children and grandchildren, and tries to escape to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. Karen visits national parks yearly with her sons and has a goal of visiting all 63.