Even though they are only 5 and 8 years old, the Carrico sisters knew something about wilderness survival, having been trained through 4-H, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. They may have put those skills to use after getting lost during a walk in the woods Friday afternoon in pursuit of a deer trail.
After the girls failed to return to their Benbow home, located in the rugged region near the South Fork Eel River, a rescue operation was launched.
Two nights passed while a 250-person-strong crew, including dog teams, assisted in the effort to find them, combing the steep terrain. By Sunday morning, tracks left by the boot-shod girls led rescuers to the sisters huddled together, safe, under a bush.