Body of missing hiker found in Glacier National Park

A man who was apparently missing in Glacier National Park for at least a week was found dead near the head of Kintla Lake late Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 29) from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

Flathead County Undersheriff and Deputy Coroner Pete Wingert identified the man as Bruce Colburn, 53, of Reading, Pa. Wingert ruled his death a suicide.

Late last week, Park officials were contacted by an acquaintance who had dropped the man off in the park on Oct. 8. The man left luggage and belongings at an area hotel and indicated that he would be in contact in a couple of weeks. The hotel employee became concerned when there was no word from the man after two weeks and called the Park. Prior to this notification, the Park Service had received no notification or indication that the man was missing.

Initial search efforts began on Oct. 23, after the man failed to call for a pick-up from an acquaintance, as expected. The man had flown to the Flathead Valley on Oct. 7. The next day, he was dropped off in the Park's North Fork area near Kintla Lake. That day, he was contacted by a park ranger at the Kintla Lake Campground, where he planned to spend the night. He told the ranger he intended to go hiking in the park. He was told that a backcountry permit is required to camp overnight in the park's backcountry. The next morning he had left the campsite.

The Park staff had no other contact with the man since the morning of Oct. 9. But he was apparently last seen near the Kintla Lake Patrol Cabin on Oct. 10. The man did not obtain a park backcountry permit. Last weekend (Oct. 25-26) the Park began searching frontcountry campgrounds and on Sunday began an aerial search. The FBI and several other agencies also helped in the search. They were about to issue a missing person bulletin to the public on Wednesday (Oct. 29) when the man's body was found.