Missing camper found: Huntington Beach woman's family says she was chased by man with knife

INYO COUNTY, Calif. -- The family of a Huntington Beach hiker who was found Monday, days after she vanished for days in the Inyo National Forest, says she was chased by a man with a knife.

Sixty-year-old Sheryl Powell disappeared near the Grandview Campground in the Bristlecone Pine Forest area July 12.

She strayed away to find a place to use the restroom, when a man who appeared to have been hiding out in the area chased her down the hill, wielding a knife.

Powell's family said she thought the man was chasing her.

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Powell, who is described as an experienced hiker, traveled at night to avoid dehydration. She also managed to find water and a cactus to eat, but after a certain point, she couldn't walk any further.

Ground search teams used aerial reconnaissance and thermal imaging to find her.

Searchers described Powell as "resilient and strong but exhausted" after being lost for days in an extremely remote area, according to the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. She was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance.

Her husband said she went to take their dog for a walk while he moved their Jeep. The dog, Miley, was found Monday morning about 2 miles from where Sheryl went missing, authorities said.