Missing hiker rescued in Glacier National Park
A Two Bear Air crew member prepares to hoist up Matthew Read to the helicopter above. He was located using a thermal scan on the east side of Huckleberry Mountain. (photo provided)
A flyer for 19-year-old Matthew David Read, who was reported missing on May 7. Rescue crews found him alive on May 8 and he is in stable condition. (photo provided)
Rescue crews located 19-year-old Matthew Read late Monday night after he spent multiple days missing in Glacier National Park.
According to a release from park officials, Two Bear Air located Read, a resident of Dexter, Michigan, at about 11 p.m., May 8. Read was last heard from on Friday afternoon and reported missing in the park on Sunday.
Two Bear Air came across Read after picking up a thermal heat signature in heavily forested terrain. A rescuer was lowered down to Read’s location and found him somewhat responsive, officials said. Read was extricated via a 175-foot hoist, flown out of the park and transferred to Evergreen Ambulance.
He is in stable condition, officials said.
Officials said that Read hiked the Huckleberry Lookout trail on Friday and reached the first saddle where he encountered a snowfield covering the trail. He slipped into an unnamed drainage on the east side of Huckleberry Mountain and descended into chest-deep snow, losing his phone, water bottle and shoes. Deciding he could not make it back up to the trail, Read started working his way down the drainage.
Read’s vehicle was located on Sunday at the Huckleberry Lookout Trailhead after he was reported overdue to rangers.
Rangers conducted a hasty search Sunday afternoon. An expanded search began Monday morning.
Glacier National Park officials thanked Two Bear Air, U.S. Border Patrol, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, North Valley and Flathead Search and Rescue for assisting in the effort to locate Read.
The Huckleberry Lookout Trail reopened this morning.
