In a remarkable twist of fate that some are calling divine intervention, a forgotten backpack became a lifeline for two hikers lost in southern Utah’s treacherous wilderness. The emergency supplies, abandoned six weeks earlier by another stranded hiker, appeared precisely when a father and son needed them most during their harrowing overnight ordeal.
Lost hikers discover crucial supplies at critical moment
Julian Hernandez and his son were enjoying what should have been a routine hike on the Red Mountain Trail in Dammeron Valley when they lost their way as daylight faded. Unprepared for an overnight stay in the wilderness, they faced dangerous dropping temperatures without proper equipment or supplies.
“We didn’t have the proper things,” Julian said. “The first thing that came to my mind was to find shelter.”
Their desperate search for protection from the elements led to an extraordinary discovery – a green backpack filled with survival gear, including Pop-Tarts, Cliff bars, an emergency tent, first aid supplies, and water. These items proved essential in helping them survive until rescue arrived the following morning.
Previous hiker’s misfortune becomes another’s salvation
The backpack’s origin story adds another layer of intrigue to this survival tale. Fifteen-year-old Levi Dittman had packed it with roughly $300 worth of hiking and emergency gear before getting stranded in the same location 45 days earlier. During his own rescue, Levi was forced to abandon the backpack.
“Looking at the map, it seems flat, which it’s not,” Levi cautioned about the deceptive trail. “So, anyone else, do not try this.”
When informed that his lost supplies had potentially saved two lives, Levi simply stated, “I’m glad it could help someone.”
A mother’s perspective on divine timing
After Julian returned the backpack to authorities, it was reunited with Levi and his mother, Gretchen Dittman. For Gretchen, the timing and circumstances pointed to something beyond coincidence.
“It was just such a moment of miracle,” she reflected. “Sometimes He’s using a backpack that sat for a month and a half for some guy that needed help in that moment—in the dark and cold. This is a God… fingerprint, you know? It was just really cool.”
The fact that the backpack remained undisturbed by wildlife and undiscovered by other hikers for six weeks, only to be found at the exact moment it was desperately needed, has left many pondering the extraordinary sequence of events.
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