Missing teen found after kayak overturned in Northern California lake

(FOX40.COM) — A teen was rescued from a Sierra County reservoir on Sunday morning after attempting to kayak across a lake to a hiking trail, according to the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office.

The 17-year-old departed from Ox Campground at Stampede Reservoir on Saturday evening and was reported missing at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday when his parents found he had not returned.

A full-scale search was triggered with resources from Sierra County, Nevada County, Truckee, the California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service responding to the lake.

Just as searchers were arriving at the lake, a motorcyclist located the teen on the north shore of the lake.

He appeared to be dehydrated and slightly hypothermic but was not injured.

While on the lake, the teen’s kayak overturned forcing him to swim to shore where he spent the night.

“While this incident fortunately had a positive outcome, it serves as a reminder of how quickly conditions can change and how vital it is to be prepared,” the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release. “Had the overnight temperatures been just a little colder, the outcome could have been tragic.”

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