California's search and rescue teams plan to patrol the Lost Coast Trail in search for any clues that may lead them to Waterloo hiker Rick Eastep.

Eastep, 32, was reported missing Jan. 9. According to a release from the Humbolt County Sheriff's Office, the person who made the report said Eastep sent a text message saying he may have suffered a back injury and was near the Miller Flat area of the trail.

The text appeared to have been sent on Jan.7, but was not received until Jan. 9.

"The Lost Coast Trail, and in general, that area of our county does not get very good cell reception, so it's possible that it was trying to send, but finally made it through two days later," Samantha Karges with Humbolt County Sherrif's Office told CBC News.

Rescue crews from eight different organizations, including the Humbolt County Sherrif's Office, had done a formal search and rescue for Eastep.

Helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, ATVs, ocean rescue boats and canine units searched 42 kilometres of coastline and 25 kilometres of trail, said Karges. That search was called off on the weekend.

In a statement to CBC News, the University of Waterloo said they are aware of the search for Eastep and are "deeply saddened by the news that search and rescue teams have suspended their exhaustive search for Rick."

Eastep works as a presentation technologies specialist at the university.

"We'll continue to provide whatever support we are able to Rick's family and co-workers during this difficult time," the statement read.

'Weather was terrible'

The Lost Coast Trail runs along coastal mountains that descend to the ocean along California's far northern shoreline, north of San Francisco. Much of the trail is on the beach and disappears at high tide.

Cheryl Antony with the Shelter Cove Fire Rescue, who was involved in the search, told CBC News bad weather conditions made it difficult for crews to search parts of the coast.

"The weather was terrible and that was why there was no one else on the trail, at least as far as we know," she said.

Her team searched the parking lot of Black Sands Beach, close to where the trail ends, where Eastep's car was found. Anotony said his car was the only car in the parking lot.

Karges said the trail has very treacherous terrain and can be dangerous during the winter time.

"There's some spots [of the trail] that are impassable during high tide," she said.

"It was made even worse by the large surf that was happening this week. The surf was crashing 20 to 30 feet on the cliffside because of bad weather."

'We're not giving up hope'

Despite bad weather conditions, crews were able to locate a backpack, which family later identified as Eastep's, and a dry pack which contained Eastep's hiking permit.

Aside from his vehicle and backpacks, crews have not been able to locate anything else and plan to continue a search for the next couple of weeks.

"We're not giving up hope, we're still going out there searching and periodically searching the beach," Karges said.

She adds Eastep's family plans to travel to Humbolt County later on this week to make contact with the search and rescue teams, as well as reclaim Eastep's car.