70-Year-Old Hiker Rescued After Week-Long Search on Isle Royale

A 70-year-old solo backpacker who vanished on Michigan's Isle Royale was located on Saturday after a week-long search involving state police, Coast Guard personnel and local volunteers. Craig Berg, who had been missing since Sept. 5, was found injured and suffering from hypothermia but was conscious and able to speak, according to a statement from the national park.

A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter lifted Berg from the remote island and flew him to Marquette Regional Airport, about 140 miles away, for medical treatment. The search, which began on Sept. 6, initially focused on Rock Harbor, the planned endpoint of Berg's nine-day trek, before expanding to other trails, including Greenstone Ridge where a camera captured his presence on Aug. 30.

"He was in rough shape, but he’s okay. He asked for food and water," said Evan Berg, the hiker's son, after his father was rescued.

The National Park Service thanked the employees and partner agencies for their role in the operation, noting the challenges of conducting ground searches on the park's 200-square-mile, road-less terrain of dense boreal forest and rocky ridges.