Hiker makes his way out of woods safely

The Daily Inter Lake

A 17-year-old Bigfork boy is safely back home after straying from his planned route on a solo backpacking trip that started in the Jewel Basin Friday morning.

And, other than being tired and hungry, the young hiker reportedly is fine. Officials did not release his name.

The teen had walked southeast from the hiking area through rugged terrain, covering a considerable amount of ground and spending two nights in the woods before he reached a point about 35 miles up the west side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir on the South Fork Road.

That's where a citizen picked him up just before 8:40 a.m. Sunday, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office reported.

The backpacker had been dropped off about 10:30 a.m. Friday near a trailhead in the Camp Misery parking area, but failed to arrive at a pre-arranged location when his father returned for him about 7 p.m.

The father and another son searched the area on their own for some time then contacted U.S. Forest Service rangers and sheriff's office dispatchers shortly after midnight.

Rescue workers could not find him in a brief search in the early morning hours Saturday, so regrouped later Saturday to continue looking.

Searchers came out in force. Flathead Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead National Forest personnel, Sheriff's Posse, National Forest Firefighters, Red Eagle Aviation, Malmstrom Air Force base, County 911 dispatchers and many citizen volunteers helped in the search.

Sheriff Mike Meehan shared some tips for hiking in wilderness areas:

-Tell someone where you are going and when you will return, then stick with your plan.

-Carry emergency supplies in case you lose your way.

-Stay on established trails unless you are very familiar with the area.

-Carry a GPS unit and know how to use it.

-If you are lost, find an open area where you can be spotted by search aircraft and stay put.