Glacier Park search to resume on Thursday

A massive search for a missing hiker unsuccessfully concluded its third day Wednesday in Glacier National Park's alpine backcountry.

No substantial clues or evidence were discovered Wednesday to locate Jacob "Jake" Rigby, 27, who has been missing in a rugged section of southern Glacier Park since Sunday.

Some 17 search crew members were staying overnight Wednesday in the primary search area and are prepared to stay out another night, according to a news release from Denise Germann, Glacier's public-affairs specialist.

Other search members returned to park headquarters in West Glacier and will be ready to resume searching Thursday.

The search for Rigby, a seasonal Glacier Park worker, has involved more than 50 people - ground crews, helicopters, a search dog team and some specially trained human trackers. Rigby failed to return from a day hike on Sunday.

Up to 11 different search teams were out on the ground Wednesday, assisted by aerial searchers, Germann said.

"We definitely got in there early this morning, with anticipated weather changes," Germann said.

By late afternoon, cooler weather, precipitation and winds developed in the search area.

"Probably one of the biggest challenges now is the weather," Germann said, noting that a lower cloud ceiling and wind would interrupt aerial search efforts.

Most of the search is focused on the Ole and Park Creek drainages.

A team of searchers reached the trail register atop an unnamed mountain, locally known as "8888," located between the two drainages and between Brave Dog Mountain and Mount Despair. However, the tattered and faded register revealed no signatures. The peak is 8,888 feet high.

"Search managers believe that the lack of a signature is not considered clear evidence for Rigby's presence or absence from the area," Germann said in her press release Wednesday night.

A day earlier, searchers thought they found a lead to Rigby's travel route. Search crews checked the register atop Brave Dog Mountain and found a signature that is believed to be by Rigby dated Sunday.

After this discovery, search efforts were concentrated in this area, the route from Brave Dog Mountain toward Mount Despair.

This area is extremely steep and treacherous. It is an area that only highly skilled hikers and climbers attempt to reach.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the West Glacier region Wednesday night through noon Thursday. A weather front is expected to bring substantially lower temperatures, rain showers and even snow at higher elevations. The advisory predicts snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches on park trails above 6,500 feet by Thursday morning, with lighter snowfall at lower elevations.

That could complicate search efforts for Rigby, a Glacier Park seasonal employee.

It is believed that Rigby was hiking an extreme mountain traverse with challenging terrain in the Soldier Mountain, Sheep Mountain, Brave Dog Mountain, Mount Despair and Eagle Ribs Mountain areas in the southern end of the park.

This area is north of U.S. 2 near the Snow Slip Inn and the Devil Creek Campground. His vehicle was located at mile marker 192 along U.S. 2.

Anyone who may have been in the area in the Ole Creek or Park Creek drainages on Sunday and may have seen Rigby is encouraged to contact park dispatch at 406-888-7800 or 406-888-5800.

Posters with Rigby's photo and key information have been posted in the park and other locations.

The first word that Rigby was missing came at 2 a.m. Monday when the park dispatch center received a call that Rigby was overdue from a day hike.

Rigby's supervisor notified park rangers that he did not show up for work at his scheduled time later that morning. Rigby is a member of the exotic plant team in Glacier.

Initially, no one knew where Rigby was hiking, but after a search of trailheads, rangers found Rigby's vehicle at the Fielding Trailhead along U.S. 2. Search efforts, including several ground teams and two helicopters, were launched Monday in several areas that were possible hiking routes.

The probable search areas were narrowed as park rangers spoke to Rigby's friends and coworkers.

Rigby is an avid and skilled hiker and is familiar with the park, according to a news release from Glacier.

He has excellent scouting capabilities and enjoys hiking off trail. He is 6 feet tall with brown, short curly hair. He is of medium build and believed to be wearing a blue T-shirt, blue Patagonia hiking shorts, white/silver Mamut daypack, size 10 La Sportiva boots with Vibram soles, and possibly gaiters.

The Northwest Herald in Illinois said Rigby is a 2002 graduate of Johnsburg High School and received a degree in geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Herald reported that Rigby's brother Dave believes he probably became lost or injured on his hike. "He keeps to himself, but he's really a smart guy," Dave Rigby said. "We're not overly concerned that he did anything wrong. We're just thinking the he might have slipped and rolled his ankle and can't walk, or took a wrong turn."

In addition to Glacier Park personnel, the Flathead National Forest and Flathead Valley Search and Rescue are participating in the search.