‘I asked him if the path led out of the forest’: Solo Hike at Puchong Hill Turns Survival Saga

The Hike That Nearly Became a Tragedy

What started as a spontaneous solo hike ended with a full-scale rescue operation in the Puchong forest reserve. On 29 July, a woman ventured alone into Bukit Wawasan, a popular hiking spot in Selangor, only to find herself disoriented, dehydrated, and desperately clinging to hope in the middle of a dense forest.

Photo Courtesy of Teh Chalk Bee, Facebook

With no proper gear, no food or water, and only a dying phone battery, Teh Chalk Bee entered the forest around 12:30 PM, casually listening to a podcast through her earphones. It had rained earlier, leaving the trail wet and dangerously slippery. Despite the warnings of bad weather and her lack of experience, she decided to proceed—driven by a mix of confidence and naivety.

A Wrong Turn and a Vanishing Trail

Roughly 45 minutes into her hike, she noticed something odd—the trail was descending before she had even reached the peak. She decided to continue downward.

Along the way, she met a middle-aged man who silently nodded when she asked if the trail led to the exit. That was the last human contact she had.

Soon after, the marked path disappeared entirely. Driven by instinct and the false assurance from the man, she entered a steep, muddy slope. The terrain grew more treacherous. She stumbled, slipped, and crawled—completely alone.

Lost, Low Battery, No Signal

Eventually, her phone lost all signal. Panic started to set in, but she composed herself. Realising water often leads to civilisation, she followed a stream downhill but ended up in a swamp. Soaked and disoriented, she climbed back uphill.

By some stroke of luck, a weak signal returned. At 1:55 PM, she called a friend familiar with the area but could not get through. She tried again. Finally, at 2:58 PM, her location was successfully sent via WhatsApp. Her friend alerted the fire department, who advised her not to move. Meanwhile, she called 999 and notified her brother. Her battery was down to 20%.

A Race Against Darkness

Around 4 PM, rescue officers contacted her and told her to keep shouting so they could find her. She screamed into the forest until voices finally echoed back. Just as her phone died completely, four firefighters reached her location.

They had to cut through thick vegetation with machetes to get to her. She was located nearly a kilometre off the main route—far from any recognised trail.

The team helped her descend the mountain and brought her out through the backyard of a bungalow at approximately 4:50 PM. A police car, fire truck, and her relieved brother awaited her return.

Forest Warnings and Future Advice

The ordeal left her deeply shaken, but grateful. She admitted her mistakes—hiking solo, ignoring weather warnings, and treating the forest like a fitness track.

Her story is now a cautionary tale urging hikers to respect nature, never venture out alone, and always carry essentials including water, a map, a whistle, and a power bank.

Authorities and local hiking groups have reminded the public to stay on the official Bukit Wawasan trail, which is clearly marked and maintained by volunteers. Straying off these paths—especially to illegal trails like the “Blue Lagoon”—can result in fines or worse, tragedy.

In a 2024 advisory, the Wawasan Forest Community Society reminded hikers to carry walking sticks, complete their treks before 6 PM, and avoid areas not approved by the Selangor Forestry Department.