Reinvigorated by the discovery of a British Columbia woman who had been missing since mid-March, searchers are once again scouring the remote Nevada wilderness for signs of her husband, Albert Chretien.

Hunters discovered 56-year-old Rita Chretien with the couple's van on Friday, on a remote logging road in Elko County, northeastern Nevada.

In an interview with CTV.ca, British Columbia RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said knowing the location of the couple's van will serve to focus this latest hunt.

"Owyhee County are coordinating a ground search effort this morning with resources on the ground," Moskaluk said, adding that inclement weather is hampering efforts to search from the air.

"It's a totally different search than what we had weeks ago because we now have the vehicle," he said, describing how search teams accompanied by rescue dogs will use the van as the starting point to trace Albert Chretien's steps.

The couple were missing since they left their home in Penticton, B.C.and hit the highway for Las Vegas on March 19th.

They were last seen in surveillance video captured at a food mart in Baker City, Oregon.

The couple, who own a commercial excavation business and were headed to a trade show, apparently took a wrong turn sometime later and ended up stranded on the logging road.

Three days after their van became stuck in the mud, 59-year-old Albert Chretien left to find help. He has not been seen since.

The couple's family reported them missing on March 30th, when they failed to return from their trip as planned.

Rita Chretien, who kept a journal of her experience in case she didn't make it out alive, survived her 49-day ordeal by eating snow and rationing the small amount of food the couple had on hand.

Moskaluk said it's "amazing" that Rita is faring so well, "considering that she existed essentially on water with some small amount of trail mix that they had with them."

Chretien's son Raymond, who was headed to meet his mother at the Twin Falls, Idaho hospital on Saturday where she is now recovering, told the Oregonian newspaper that word of her unexpected discovery came as a real surprise.

"We're stunned," he told the paper. "We haven't fully digested it. This is a miracle."

Relating his first communications with his mother, Raymond said she doubted whether she could have survived much longer.

"I don't believe they were prepared for winter weather," he said, describing his mother's regret for causing him and his two brothers so much anguish. "They don't go camping."

Although she reportedly lost between 20 and 30 pounds, Rita Chretien is said to be on her feet and walking around the St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Centre in Twin Falls.

The hospital updated Chretien's medical condition late Saturday, saying she is doing remarkably well given the ordeal she's been through.

"She has tolerated a small meal and her progress is very positive. The medical team is watching her closely, but indicators of her recovery are very good," the hospital said in a news release.

Rita is expected to be hospitalized for a couple of days, Moskaluk said, after which she is eager to return to B.C.

"They want to get home as soon as conveniently possible -- and when she's well enough -- but there's no word on when that's taking place."

With files from The Associated Press