Missing Glacier Park hiker found safe

An inexperienced hiker missing in Glacier National Park was found Wednesday morning cold, tired and wet, but safe.

On the morning of June 10, Chicago resident Luis Lim, 48, and Stephen Vickery, 66, of Toronto, departed on the Autumn Creek Trail from East Glacier toward Marias Pass. According to park rangers, the two men had just met that morning in East Glacier and decided to hike together to the Lubec Trailhead. It was Lim’s first time hiking, while Vickery describes himself as an experienced hiker.

Lim called park rangers at 5:40 p.m. and stated he and Vickery were lost and concerned they wouldn’t make it out before dark. Glacier County Sheriff’s Office pinged Lim’s cell phone several times in order to pinpoint their location. Deputies responded to the area and found Vickery on U.S. Highway 2 at about 2 a.m.  

Vickery told park rangers that Lim was still in the backcountry and was physically unable to continue with him due to exhaustion. The hikers carried water and food for the day, but were not prepared to stay overnight.

On Wednesday at 6 a.m., five crews of Glacier National Park employees began a search for Lim on foot and horseback. The hiker was located about 3.75 miles from the Marias Pass Trailhead, off the Autumn Creek Trail around 10:30 a.m.

Flathead County Search and Rescue and Two Bear Air were en route to the search when the hiker was located.