The two Virginia men who went missing last week in Glacier National Park have been found alive, according to an online announcement from the park Monday afternoon.
Jason Hiser, 32, of Richmond, Va., and Neal Peckens, 32, of Herndon, Va., were reported missing by family members Oct. 12 after failing to catch a flight home. According to their backcountry permit, the men planned to hike Oct. 9-10 on the east side of the park near Two Medicine.
A message on Glacier’s Facebook page read, “Neal Peckens and Jason Hiser have been located! Initial information indicates they are well and will be returning to their families!”
The National Park Service said as many as 50 people were searching by air, on foot and on horseback, aided by a dog team as they scoured the backcountry over the weekend. The agency said the team found a recently used fire ring and some tracks Sunday on the west side of the Continental Divide that suggested the men may have gone off trail in wintry conditions that included snow 18 inches deep.