Big Sky Times

There is additional information available about the 19-year-old man who was located alive and "responsive" in Glacier National Park on May 8, after having been reported missing the day before, according to 7 KZBK Bozeman.

On May 7, it had been reported that Matthew Read was missing in the park.On the evening of May 8, at approximately 11 p.m., Two Bear Air spotted him, according to park officials. 

After picking up a thermal heat signature in the thickly wooded area, they lowered a rescuer down to Read's location and "found him somewhat responsive." Read had been unconscious for a significant amount of time. He is currently in a stable condition after being extricated from the park via helicopter, transferred to Evergreen Ambulance and flown out of the area. The hoist that was used to free him was 175 feet long.

On May 5, Read went hiking on the Huckleberry Lookout trail, and when he reached the first saddle, he found a snowfield covering the trail. At some point, he lost his phone, water bottle and shoes as a result of falling into chest-deep snow after slipping into a drainage on the east side of Huckleberry Mountain and falling into the valley. After he came to the conclusion that he could not climb back up to the trail, he started making his way down the drainage instead.

Read was last seen or heard from on Friday afternoon. His vehicle was discovered on Sunday near the Huckleberry Lookout Trailhead, after park rangers were notified that he had been missing for more than 24 hours. A hasty search was launched by the Rangers on Sunday, and the following day an expanded search got underway.

KZBK 7 Bozeman reported the following statement: "Glacier National Park would like to thank Two Bear Air, U.S. Border Patrol, Flathead County Sheriff's Office, North Valley and Flathead Search and Rescue for assisting in the search."