Clovis hiker shares his story of survival

FRESNO, Calif. -- The missing Clovis hiker who broke his leg and spent nearly a week in the wilderness without food and water is now describing the frightening ordeal.

"I entertained the idea of potentially dying a couple of times," said Gregory Hein. "You really can't think about it too much. Yes it does dwell there or it kind of incapacitates you."

Gregory Hein, 33, is being treated for a broken leg and a dangerous infection which set in at an elevation of more than 10,000 feet.

On July third, the experienced hiker set out to back pack from Florence Lake to Mount Goddard in the Kings Canyon National Park. What was a planned three day trip turned into a week long fight to stay alive -- after a boulder smashed a bone in his leg in two different places.

"It stuck out about that much from the skin," said Hein. "I figured somehow I was going to crawl my way out or someone was going to rescue me."

From a wheelchair at Community Regional Medical Center he told us about how he built a makeshift splint using his trekking pole. And then dragged himself to a safer place.

Hein explained, "My right heel in my right hand to maneuver over rocks the first four days and to get down to the lake I left the splint on my leg and through webbing in between these two areas in my foot."

Hein ate crickets to survive and drank any water he could find.

"Put snow in the hood of my poncho and let the sun melt the snow and just drank out the hood of my poncho," said Hein.

Fresno County search and rescue teams searched for the six foot hiker the entire time. Eventually they spotted him - in pain, hungry and grateful.

"They even flew directly over me and didn't see me," said Hein. "And finally when they did see me I just kind of grabbed my foot and laid down on my back for a while and breathed a deep sigh of relief knowing that I wouldn't have to spend another night out."

Hein plans to keep hiking as soon as he heals. But added he'll always be better prepared in the future.