California Man Survives 20-Day Ordeal in Snowy Wilderness: 'You Either Try to Walk Out or You're Going to Die'
Ron Dailey, a hunter from California, has shared an incredible account of his 20-day ordeal in the Sierra national forest, where he was stranded after losing his bearings and breaking down in his truck. His solo hunting trip turned into a fight for survival when a snowstorm hit, leaving him with limited food and water.
The 52-year-old man from Selma, California, had been driving through the forest on October 13th when his truck broke down at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. He took shelter in his vehicle, but it soon became clear that he was going to have to make a choice: either try to walk out of the wilderness or succumb to the harsh conditions.
"I remember thinking, 'You either try to walk out or you're going to sit here and die,'" Dailey recalled in an interview. The hunter's decision to keep moving ultimately led him to lose his phone, fall several times, and struggle with the thin air at high altitudes.
Dailey relied on his faith to sustain him during the darkest moments of his ordeal, often praying for help that never came. But he refused to give up, drawing on a deep sense of resilience to keep going. "It was me and God every night," he said.
For 20 days, Dailey trudged through the snow, covering a dozen miles before being spotted by fellow hunters. They took him to safety and alerted authorities, who located his truck with the rear window broken out just a day later.
Despite the incredible odds against him, Dailey's survival story is one of hope and redemption. "I'm still overwhelmed," he said in an interview. "If it wasn't for the Lord, I wouldn't be here." The hunter's ordeal serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit's capacity for resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Ron Dailey, a hunter from California, has shared an incredible account of his 20-day ordeal in the Sierra national forest, where he was stranded after losing his bearings and breaking down in his truck. His solo hunting trip turned into a fight for survival when a snowstorm hit, leaving him with limited food and water.
The 52-year-old man from Selma, California, had been driving through the forest on October 13th when his truck broke down at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. He took shelter in his vehicle, but it soon became clear that he was going to have to make a choice: either try to walk out of the wilderness or succumb to the harsh conditions.
"I remember thinking, 'You either try to walk out or you're going to sit here and die,'" Dailey recalled in an interview. The hunter's decision to keep moving ultimately led him to lose his phone, fall several times, and struggle with the thin air at high altitudes.
Dailey relied on his faith to sustain him during the darkest moments of his ordeal, often praying for help that never came. But he refused to give up, drawing on a deep sense of resilience to keep going. "It was me and God every night," he said.
For 20 days, Dailey trudged through the snow, covering a dozen miles before being spotted by fellow hunters. They took him to safety and alerted authorities, who located his truck with the rear window broken out just a day later.
Despite the incredible odds against him, Dailey's survival story is one of hope and redemption. "I'm still overwhelmed," he said in an interview. "If it wasn't for the Lord, I wouldn't be here." The hunter's ordeal serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit's capacity for resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
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20 days in the wilderness? That's just crazy! 
I mean, I've been lost before, but at least I had my phone to find my way back. Ron Dailey was literally "off the grid" with no phone and limited food/water... how did he survive that long? 
I guess faith really does play a role in survival stories like this 
. Still, it's insane that he just kept walking and praying for help every night 
. Glad to hear he made it out alive tho! 
it was so crazy i stopped at this tiny winery that only produces merlot and ended up buying a whole case lol my car is still full of wine bottles 
anyway back to this guy's story... 20 days in the wilderness sounds like a legit survival game but honestly i think he's just lucky his phone died before it ran out of battery lol what if he had some sorta smartwatch or fitness tracker that tracked his movements and alerted authorities sooner? just saying
20 days stuck in the snow with no phone and barely any food... i would have given up by day 5 lol 
.
! I'm literally speechless by how much he had to rely on himself and his faith to survive. It's like, I know I'd freak out after a few hours without my phone let alone 20 days 
. The fact that he didn't give up is insane 
! Glad he's safe and sound now 
.
I mean, that's some crazy stuff right there! 20 days stuck in the snow with no phone and limited food and water? 
That's like something out of a movie. And you have to feel for the guy, it was literally a choice between sitting there and dying or trying to make a break for it. I'm just glad he decided to keep moving and didn't give up. 
.
And the fact that he's still talking about his experience with such emotion is just testament to how traumatic it was for him 
On the other hand, it's also kinda inspiring to see someone's resilience and determination in the face of extreme adversity. 
Ron Dailey is literally one lucky guy! He could've easily given up, but he didn't...like at all 
Even though it sounds crazy, I'm so glad he talked about how he relied on his faith to keep going during those tough times 
. And let's be real, a 20-day snowstorm in the Sierra national forest? That's just wild 
. It's like, I get that he's a hunter and all, but come on, God can't even help you when you're stuck in the woods? Just kidding, kinda... seriously though, it's incredible that he drew upon that inner strength and resilience to keep going 
i mean what even is that? like, my grandma can survive on nothing but ramen noodles for a week lol anyway, the guy's faith is super admirable 
And he says it was all about his faith? Dude, you were probably thinking "I'm gonna die" a lot more than you're letting on 
. Anyway, glad he made it out alive, but let's not forget that many people aren't so lucky in the wilderness 
and the fact that he just kept praying for help is so inspiring 
i'm literally getting chills thinking about how close he was to death