Update, 8:15 a.m. Wednesday:
Search crews found a missing hiker injured near Hatcher Pass on Tuesday, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Ground searchers including Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, Alaska State Parks rangers and troopers found Roberto Zapata at about 4 p.m. Tuesday near Bomber Glacier, the destination of his hike. In an updated dispatch, troopers said he was flown by the Alaska National Guard to an area hospital for treatment.
Original story:
A Palmer man is missing after going on a hike in the Hatcher Pass area last weekend, as searchers continued to look for him Tuesday by air and on the ground, according to Alaska State Troopers.
According to an online dispatch, 60-year-old Roberto Zapata left Saturday morning and was expected to return Sunday evening before he was reported overdue early Monday. A missing persons bulletin for Zapata said he was headed for Bomber Glacier and was last seen wearing green pants and a hoodie with a picture of Bigfoot on it.
Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said Tuesday that Zapata had been alone on the hike. So far, searchers have only found Zapata’s vehicle parked at the Upper Reed Lakes trailhead. The Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and Alaska State Parks rangers searched the area Monday, with support from a trooper helicopter.
McDaniel said Tuesday morning that the rescue group searchers were returning to the area but helicopters were grounded by rainy conditions.
“If weather allows, additional aerial searching will occur up there in the area for Roberto,” McDaniel said.
Troopers ask anyone with information on Zapata’s whereabouts to call their Palmer post at 907-745-2131.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cklint@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Chris here.
