Lost in the snowy, rugged mountains of the North Fork for three days without cell reception or shoes, a 21-year-old man from New Jersey survived for three days before being rescued, according to authorities.
The young man was found late Saturday in the Whale Creek drainage of the North Fork of the Flathead River and is in stable condition, according to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry.
Curry said the man’s vehicle became stuck on a road up the North Fork on May 21. Unable to free it, he set out on foot that afternoon toward safety in a mountainous, isolated area without cell phone reception. He was reported missing the next day. Search crews began canvassing the area the morning of May 23.
Two Bear Air, a private helicopter based in Whitefish that aids with search and rescue missions throughout the region, located the man shortly before midnight on May 23 after he held up his cell phone using its flashlight as a signal. The helicopter is equipped with night-vision technology.
He was found off trail in steep terrain and heavy timber with snow on the ground. He had lost his shoes and was dehydrated but was in otherwise good condition, according to Curry. It’s unclear why the man’s shoes were missing, Curry said.
All told, the young man was lost in the woods for 56 hours.
Curry wished to thank all of the search crews who aided in the rescue, including Two Bear Air and members of the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, North Valley Search and Rescue and the sheriff’s office.