Rangers reflect on successful rescue of hiker

Madeline Connelly and her dog were found alive after six days

By MARY CLOUD TAYLOR

Daily Inter Lake

The rescue of a 23-year-old hiker found after almost a week lost in the Great Bear Wilderness brought a mix of elation and shock for those involved in the search effort.

For rangers familiar with the terrain who have seen a number of hikers disappear over the years, the hope of finding Madeline Connelly after six days seemed a bleak improbability.

“I was totally excited and almost in disbelief,” Ranger Rob Davies said, “because after six or seven days, the hope of finding a survivor in that area, knowing she didn’t have food or shelter in 32 degree temperatures and some snow where she was, made survival very unlikely.”

Connelly went missing in the Great Bear Wilderness on May 4 after getting lost during a hike with her dog.

Planning to be gone for just a few hours, the Chicago native packed light, carrying no extra food, water, shelter or clothing. A few hours into her trek, Connelly got turned around, hiking deeper into the wilderness in search of a way out.

Connelly spent six nights sleeping under trees in unforgiving weather as helicopters and search teams scoured the area for any sign of her. A Glacier National Park trail crew on May 10 located Connelly in the Spruce Creek drainage off the east side of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River about 5 miles from her vehicle.

Both she and her dog were in good condition.

As the District Ranger for Hungry Horse, Davies worked behind the scenes coordinating the Forest Service’s involvement in the search effort.

After years of hiking and working in the area, Davies described the area Connelly was found in as a flat bench of dense timber with the river and several tributaries running through it. Though the trail becomes more popular in the summer months, early spring brings few hikers to the area.

The relatively flat area makes for an easy hike, but without any distinguishing landmarks, Davies said it is easy to get disoriented in the dense vegetation. This time of year, patches of snow still cover much of the ground and the Flathead River and other water sources rise with level four white water.

Davies said, over the course of the week, it became more and more difficult for him to remain hopeful that Connelly would be found.

He knew she had entered unfamiliar territory unprepared for her unexpectedly long stay, and did so alone.

Davies’ worst fears centered on the weather and the water, though the area is known to harbor bears, mountain lions and various other wildlife. He said he often pictured her venturing too close and being swept away by the treacherous waters or freezing to death without shelter from the low temperatures and rain.

Davies attributed Connelly’s survival to three things: her family, her clothing and her dog.

The lack of people in the area and the density of the forest would have made it nearly impossible to find Connelly had she not told her family her plans and whereabouts before she left, according to Davies.

When search teams located Connelly, Davies said she was wearing waterproof clothing and a wool hat that likely contributed to her ability to fight the freezing, wet weather.

Still, Davies said that without her dog to keep her warm and keep her company, Connelly might not have lasted as long as she did.

According to Davies, Connelly was lucky to have survived.

Chris Prew, the recreation program manager for the Forest Service, said he advises hikers and campers to have an understanding of an area before hiking in, planning your trip to match your skill level. He cautioned adventurers against underestimating the weather and not to hesitate to turn back when red flags crop up.

Prew said one of the most common things that lead to hikers getting lost is a disregard for fading daylight, changing weather and a lack of landmarks to mark their path.

On average, Davies said the Forest Service sees between three and four missing people cases a year with that number rising slightly for the Park Service. The majority of those go missing in the Great Bear Wilderness, the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park.

Though he said education and prevention are always the best methods to avoid getting lost, it still happens.

Davies said the most important thing for hikers who do find themselves lost to remember is not to wander.

“Stay put!” he said. “Get to an open area or trail and stay there.”

Davies’ advice was to put a bright piece of clothing or something easily spotted in an open area if it’s necessary to take shelter under cover. After three or four days, he said a helicopter will most likely be searching the area and will be able to spot the object.

He also recommended taking clothing to accommodate for Montana’s rapidly changing weather, enough water or a filtering system and some form of shelter.

Though predators rarely attack people, Davies said surprising a bear can quickly lead to disaster. To avoid this, he said hikers should make noise to alert anything in the area to your presence. Also carry bear spray, which has been proven to be much more effective than a firearm in the event of an attack.

Most missing persons are found within three or four days with only a few turning into recovery missions. Davies attributed this to the training, skill and tenacity of the local search and rescue teams.

“The county search and rescue is an amazing resource,” Davies said. “Those guys are good and they do this a lot. Without their experience, energy and coordination, we would not have gotten to her so easily.”

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.