WEST GLACIER, Mont. [May 9, 2023] - At approximately 11 pm on May 8, Two Bear Air located 19-year-old Matthew Read who was reported missing on Sunday, May 7 in Glacier National Park.
Two Bear Air picked up a thermal heat signature in heavily forested terrain. Rescue personnel lowered a rescuer down to Read’s location and found him somewhat responsive. Read was extricated via a 175 ft hoist, flown out of the park and transferred to Evergreen Ambulance. He is in stable condition.
Reports indicate Read hiked the Huckleberry Lookout trail on Friday and reached the first saddle where he encountered a snowfield covering the trail. He slipped into an unnamed drainage on the east side of Huckleberry Mountain. He descended into chest-deep snow, losing his phone, water bottle, and shoes. Upon determining that he could not make it back up to the trail, he started working his way down the drainage.
Read was last heard from on Friday afternoon. His vehicle was located on Sunday at the Huckleberry Lookout Trailhead after he was reported overdue to rangers.
Rangers conducted a hasty search Sunday afternoon. An expanded search began Monday morning.
Glacier National Park would like to thank Two Bear Air, US Border Patrol, Flathead County Sheriff’s office, North Valley and Flathead Search and Rescue for assisting in the search.
Huckleberry Lookout Trail reopened this morning.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service