Search for hiker ongoing

A search is under way in Glacier National Park for a hiker who is three days overdue from an arduous trek across the park, according to a press release from the park.

Yi-Jien Hwa, a 27-year-old resident of Kentucky and Malaysia, was last seen Aug. 11 at the St. Mary Visitor Center.

His car has been located at the Logan Pass parking lot and it is thought he was hiking alone on a trip that was planned to end Aug. 18 at Kintla Lake, according to the release.

Park spokeswoman Norma Sosa told The Associated Press that the search was halted Thursday afternoon because of bad weather but would continue this morning with the help of additional agencies.

"The National Park Service is very concerned about the safety and condition of Mr. Hwa, and we are doing everything possible to locate him," said Patrick Suddath, the park's incident commander for a search effort that started Wednesday. "We are exploring every possible lead, and we are ruling nothing out."

Hwa is described as being 6-feet, 1-inch tall and about 170 pounds, carrying a blue Kelty backpack, trekking poles and other equipment. He may be wearing dark-colored blue, black or green clothing.

When Hwa filed for a backcountry permit with the park, his planned route was to include the Floral Park area, Gunsight Pass trail, Highline Trail to Goat Haunt at the park's northern border, then on to Kintla Lake in the park's extreme northwest corner, according to the release.

Hwa's family notified park officials Tuesday night that he had not contacted them as planned. They said they had not heard from since the first day of the hike, according to the press release.

Wednesday's initial search on that route included contacts with other hikers who said they had not seen him. The search has since been ramped up to include 25 searchers from the National Park Service and the U.S. Border Patrol, along with four dogs with handlers, according to the press release.

Rain and low visibility prevented aerial searches Thursday. The weather in the park was hot and sunny last week and only became rainy in the past couple of days.

Suddath said he expects search efforts to intensify as weather conditions improve over the next few days.

Additional agencies, such as the Flathead County Sheriff's Office, are expected to join the search, according to the release.

Park officials ask anyone with information to call Glacier National Park at 406-888-7801.