A 77-year-old berry picker spent 19 hours lost in Glacier National Park last weekend before being spotted by Two Bear Air and rescued by rangers.
Park spokesperson Tim Rains said the man and his wife drove the Going-to-the-Sun Road late Saturday before pulling over below The Loop to pick huckleberries. The wife eventually got tired and went back to the car but the husband continued to pick berries, going further into the woods.
The woman waited in her car for a few hours before flagging down a ranger and telling them that her husband had not returned from berry picking.
Two Bear Air spotted the berry picker on Sunday morning and rangers were able to go in and guide the lost man out of the woods. Rains said the man was able to walk out on his own, despite spending more than 19 hours alone in the woods overnight. Temperatures dropped into the 40s on Saturday night.
Rains said the incident is a reminder for visitors to stay safe in Glacier Park and always be prepared for cold weather.
Snow at higher elevations of the park forced the closure of the Going-to-the-Sun Road on Sunday afternoon. The east side of the road reopened early Tuesday morning but the section between Big Bend and Logan Pass remains closed due to ice. Officials are hoping the road will be reopened later today after the ice melts.