GWINN, MI — A 70-year-old hiker missing for a week on Isle Royale National Park was found alive and rescued Saturday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Craig Berg had been missing since Sept. 5 on the Lake Superior island, where search crews and volunteers worked to locate him.
Authorities said Berg was injured and hypothermic when he was found, but he was alert. He was then flown off the island by an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City and taken to Marquette Regional Airport in Gwinn, where emergency medical services transferred him to a hospital for additional care.
Backpackers, troopers and K-9 teams helped find the missing hiker
The search effort came together after backpackers in the area helped guide responders to Berg’s location, the Coast Guard said. Michigan State Police troopers and K-9 units were also involved in the search on the island.
Officials said the rescue was the result of a coordinated effort among multiple agencies and people on the ground. The Coast Guard said a boat and helicopter were used Friday to transport state police troopers and K-9 units to Isle Royale so they could assist in the search.
Isle Royale is a remote national park in Lake Superior, and getting crews and equipment onto the island can be difficult. That isolation likely added urgency to the effort, though authorities have not released further details about Berg’s route, destination or what led to his being reported missing.
Coast Guard helicopter airlifts Berg to Gwinn for medical care
Once Berg was located, a Coast Guard helicopter crew moved quickly to get him to help. The MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Traverse City hoisted him from the island and transported him to Marquette Regional Airport in Gwinn, Michigan.
Emergency medical services personnel were waiting to take over after the flight and bring him to a local hospital. Officials said the goal was to get him the medical attention he needed as soon as possible after spending days missing in the elements.
The Coast Guard’s account did not include additional information on the timing of the rescue beyond saying it took place Saturday. It also did not say how Berg was injured or how long he had been without food, water or shelter before he was found.
Officials say the rescue showed what teamwork can accomplish
Michigan State Police Lt. Ben Eckola said in a statement that authorities were grateful Berg had been found alive and alert. He also thanked the agencies and individuals involved in the operation for helping bring the search to a successful end.
Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Wendy Janson said the rescue showed what can happen when first responders and community members work together. She said the agency was thankful it could get Berg safely off the island and into medical care.
Those remarks reflected the larger effort behind the operation, which depended on coordinated transportation, search support and helicopter evacuation in a rugged setting. For Berg’s family and the teams involved, the outcome turned a weeklong missing-person search into a rescue with a positive ending.
A remote national park where search operations can be difficult
Isle Royale National Park sits in Lake Superior and is known for its remoteness, which can complicate rescues and searches. The park’s isolation means teams often must rely on boats, helicopters and specialized personnel to reach missing people and move them to safety.
In this case, the search included backpackers, state police and Coast Guard crews, showing how many different resources can be needed when someone goes missing in a remote place. Authorities said Berg was found alive, but they have not released more about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
The rescue also underscored the risks of hiking in rugged backcountry terrain, especially when weather and exposure become factors. Berg’s hypothermia showed how quickly an outdoor emergency can turn serious, even before a person is located by searchers.
What authorities have not yet said about the disappearance
Officials have not provided a full account of how Berg became separated from others or what caused him to be missing for so long. They also have not released details about the extent of his injuries or the treatment he received after reaching the hospital.
The U.S. Coast Guard said only that Berg was alive and alert when found and that he had been transported for further medical care. For now, that leaves the rescue itself as the clearest part of the story: a missing hiker was located, airlifted and handed over to medical responders after an extensive search.
Even with unanswered questions, the outcome offered relief to the teams involved and to those following the search on the remote island. It also highlighted the value of quick coordination between local, state and federal responders when a hiker goes missing in difficult terrain.
