Search Continues for Missing Denali Hikers
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Denali, one of the biggest areas in the park system, can easily hide the lost anywhere in its 9,400-square-mile range. Search and rescue teams are now in the midst of a massive hunt for two overdue hikers who were supposed to return last Friday.
Abby Flantz, 25, of Gaylord, Minnesota, and Erica Nelson, 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada, failed to report for work at a Denali-area hotel and were subsequently reported missing from what was supposed to be a short backpacking trip. They were last seen at the Savage river check-in station in the park.
Ground crews with dogs and aerial teams have so far scoured a 100-mile area without finding any signs of the women. The largely trail-less search area ranges in elevation from 2,000 to 6,000 feet over extremely rugged terrain, so search operations could continue for some time.
We’ll continue following this story, so keep checking the Daily Dirt for updates.
— Ted Alvarez
Searchers hunt for missing hikers in Alaska (CNN)