Man lost in US national park ate diet of berries and sheltered in bear den

A man survived for more than a month on mushrooms, berries and water after getting lost in a Washington state national park, he has said in an interview about his experience.

- Ramon Antonio Vargas

In a compelling conversation with People.com published over the weekend, Robert Schock recounted how he "really felt close to death" - and had just lost control of his bowels - when what he believed would be his final desperate scream for help caught the attention of the person who ultimately saved his life.

Schock told the outlet his ordeal aged him "several years", and he has sworn off ever returning to the North Cascades national park "anytime soon". Nonetheless, he said he was physically "recovering pretty well" and had regained about 18kg (40lbs) after his rescue.

The musician from Blaine, Washington, said he had previously been to the North Cascades when he went to its Hannegan Pass trailhead on 31 July where he was planning to run about 20 miles alongside his dog. But he said he had not been in several years, and wildfires in 2021 and 2022 had wiped out the trail that had been there previously.