Woman spends cold, lonely night lost in Park

Hungry Horse News

A Georgia woman's pleasant hike turned into a miserable night in Glacier last week, but she came through the ordeal without a scratch.

Mary Curry, of Augusta, Ga., was hiking down the Gunsight Pass Trail from Sperry Chalet and was expecting to meet a friend at the Jackson Glacier Overlook Trailhead last Friday (July 22).

When she got to Gunsight Lake, she apparently asked for directions from some fellow hikers.

Perhaps they misunderstood her, because instead of pointing her down the trail, they pointed her in the direction of the spur trail running to Jackson Glacier itself, according to Park spokeswoman Melissa Wilson.

The spur trail to the Glacier then petered out and Curry found herself bushwhacking through alders on the side of Citadel Mountain.

In short, she was good and lost.

She ended up spending the night on the mountainside.

Park rangers then began a search first thing Saturday morning after her friend reported her missing.

Park rangers did a ground search and then searched via Minuteman helicopter.

Curry, who was now in a drainage below the Blackfoot Glacier, heard the chopper and got into a spot where she thought they could see her.

As luck would have it, they did.

She was picked up and taken out of the backcountry.

Curry sustained no injuries in the incident, other than being wet, cold and tired, Wilson said.

While the area is pretty thick bear country, Wilson said that Curry didn't report having any bear encounters.

Curry was fairly well equipped - she had rain gear and other survival gear in her pack - at least enough to make it through the night.