Searchers continued looking Wednesday for a Sitka man last seen Monday on the Mt. Verstovia Trail.
Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said hikers saw 37-year-old Michael Hansen on his way up the steep, 2½-mile trail.
“We do know that he’s not well-dressed to spend a substantial amount of time in the outdoors, wearing street clothes and having a backpack with him,” she said. “But when you’re outside for longer than your planned quick day-hike, things can always get a bit hairy, especially when it’s cooler at nighttime.”
The National Weather Service predicts strong winds and heavy rain as a major storm moves in Thursday. Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s or the upper 40s.
Hansen is described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds, with a short, military-style haircut. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Officials said he’s only been in town since July.
Peters said troopers are working with Sitka Search and Rescue, search dogs from Sitka and Juneau, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“We do have ground searchers out again [Wednesday] going in and looking in the area as best as they can. The U.S. Coast Guard has supplied a helicopter to help ferry searchers going back and forth. And they’re also flying over the area to try to keep an eye out. And hopefully, they’ll be able to find him,” she said.
She said searchers would decide what to do next after comparing notes following Wednesday’s search effort.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to call troopers at (907) 465-4000, Sitka Search and Rescue at 966-5770 or the Sitka Fire Department at 747-3233.
Ed Schoenfeld is Regional News Director for CoastAlaska, a consortium of public radio stations in Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg and Wrangell.
He primarily covers Southeast Alaska regional topics, including the state ferry system, transboundary mining, the Tongass National Forest and Native corporations and issues.
He has also worked as a manager, editor and reporter for the Juneau Empire newspaper and Juneau public radio station KTOO. He’s also reported for commercial station KINY in Juneau and public stations KPFA in Berkley, WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and WUHY in Philadelphia. He’s lived in Alaska since 1979 and is a contributor to Alaska Public Radio Network newscasts, the Northwest (Public Radio) News Network and National Native News. He is a board member of the Alaska Press Club. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he lives in Douglas.
