Incredible survival – How 89-year-old Bing Olbum’s family reacted to his safe return

CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) - Missing hiker, Bing Olbum, was found safe after his camp was located late Saturday night. The 89-year-old survived an incredible 10 days alone in the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

Local News 8 spoke with Olbum's daughter, Jennifer. She told reporters that when her father first started hiking the Hunter Creek trail, her family expected him back only a few days later.

"He's been hiking probably close to 30 years. But, the solo hikes he's been doing those intermittently for decades," Jennifer told Local News 8 over the phone. "We had a map of his hike, and he told us that he expects to be back by Monday."

Olbum had taken close to 5 days of supplies for his outing, but the following week it was clear something had gone wrong.

"He did specifically tell me if I'm not there by Tuesday, you can start to worry," said Jennifer.

On August 6, Jennifer reported her father missing in the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

The Custer County Sheriff's office searched for Olbum around the trails between Hunter Creek and McDonald Creek.

"Saturday morning, the sheriff told us that they had to pull out that day. That was going to be the end of it. Because that's their protocol. After five days that they find absolutely nothing, they pull out," said Jennifer.

Olbum had been in the forest for over a week, but despite the odds his daughter held out hope. The family even reached out to a private search group, but the paid hikers couldn't head into the trails until two days later.

Saturday morning, a group of local hikers reached out to Jennifer and her family.

"We had a couple of local guys who were just amazing people," said Jennifer. "(They)decided to pack up on Saturday enough for 3 to 5 days...to search for him, whether he was still living or not."

"I'm a physician and I felt like knowing my dad, he may have another 48 hours in him," Jennifer said.

Jennifer believed that her father as an experienced hiker must be rationing his food. That night, search and rescue left the forest but the local search party stumbled on something incredible.

"Saturday night, we heard from one of those kids. They said that they had found some of his stuff. We didn't know if that had been left behind five days ago or recently, and he had been wandering around. We just didn't know, he could have been miles away," Jennifer said.

The searchers continued to find Bing's belongings. Jennifer says her father had realized he couldn't make it back on his own. And so, the "leave no trace" outdoorsman had left a trail.

"They found him about halfway up that trail on the side of the trail, on a bedroll," Jennifer told reporters. "Their headlamps basically woke him up and they got him on the spare horse and walked him down."

Jennifer says her father was dehydrated and scratched up, but very much alive. 89-year-old Bing Olbum made it home.

Jennifer describes the moment of reunion as an emotional rollercoaster.

"It was just a lot of...I can't believe this. I didn't want to lose my father that way, disappearing into the woods," said Jennifer. "No tears till I gave the first hug and then, you know, then we had to keep ourselves from killing him ourselves."

The Custer County Sheriff's office said this is an extraordinary outcome for this incident.

The office said in a statement, "Bing's will to survive has resulted in an unbelievably good ending to this incident. We hope his recovery is swift and he will be enjoying time with his family and friends."