Body of Missing Hiker Found in Glacier National Park
The 34-year-old Virginia woman, Jennifer Coleman, had been missing since Aug. 30 after embarking on a solo hike
By Micah Drew
Search crews on Sunday found the body of a 34-year-old Virginia woman believed to have gone hiking alone earlier in the week in Glacier National Park near Logan Pass.
Jennifer Coleman, who was reported missing Sept. 1, was found dead in steep and rocky terrain along the Continental Divide, according to a news release issued Sunday afternoon by Glacier National Park. The cause of her death remains under investigation, and additional details were not immediately available.
The search for Coleman, who is from Richmond, Va., began after she failed to check out of the West Glacier KOA as scheduled on Aug. 31. Park officials located Coleman’s vehicle at Logan Pass the following day. The search continued through Sunday, with both the size of the search area and the number of search and rescue personnel increasing as time went on. As many as 50 personnel had joined the search by Sunday.
Coleman’s family has been notified of the woman’s death, according to officials; however, rescuers are waiting for weather conditions to improve before attempting to extract her body. Air operations were halted on Sunday due to high winds.
In the news release, Glacier National Park officials expressed thanks to members of the public who relayed information to a tip line, which officials say was key to a faster, more focused search. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Department, Glacier County Sheriff’s Department, Two Bear Air Rescue, and the Flathead National Forest assisted with the search efforts.