Missing Talkeetna resident and former Iditarod musher Melanie Gould was found alive and unharmed on Saturday. Local Talkeetna residents launched a search after the Troopers official ground search halted on Thursday and said they found her close to Cantwell unharmed but cold and tired.
Trooper Spokesperson Megan Peters said that Gould contacted them Saturday. Gould was transported to Mat-Su Regional Hospital on Saturday afternoon.
The Facebook site dedicated to finding Gould announced Saturday afternoon that she was found alive and unharmed and later that day it was taken offline.
A spokesperson for the family said they are eternally grateful for all the assistance they received from Talkeetna residents, that Gould is in good care and a formal statement will most likely be made later this week. Gould’s family has traveled to be with her.
Gould was reported missing after she didn’t show up to work Tuesday, May 31. A search was launched and on Saturday, June 4, Alaska State Troopers found her truck about 18 miles from Cantwell on the Denali Highway. From there, an intense ground and air search was initiated. Dozens of individuals and search dogs were involved in the search. The official search was called off 10 days after she went missing.
Download Audio (MP3)
Sue Deyoe is a reporter at KTNA in Talkeetna.
