TV crew filmed re-enactment of missing soldier

A search for a soldier who may - or may not - be in the Bob Marshall Wilderness has seen renewed interest this summer.

Noah Pippin, 30, of Michigan traveled late last summer to Hungry Horse, Martin City and then into the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. A California National Guard soldier, Pippin was supposed to report for duty in San Diego but never arrived.

Earlier this summer, the Flathead County Sheriff's Department flew over the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall looking for signs of Pippin but found nothing.

Over the past 10 days, a film crew from the Discovery Channel's show "Disappeared" has been retracing Pippin's route locally, including a stop at the Elkhorn Restaurant in Hungry Horse, where Pippin is said to have eaten twice before his wilderness trip.

According to Spotted Bear District Ranger Deb Mucklow, Pippin was supposedly last seen by hunters in mid-September at My Lake. He apparently told them he was heading across a section of the Chinese Wall that has no trail.

Pippin didn't have much gear, Mucklow noted. She said she's talked with family members and film crews, but the Forest Service can't be sure Pippin's even in the Bob Marshall. Having said that, Forest Service staff are "on the alert and lookout."

Mucklow said she couldn't recall a case of someone entering the Bob Marshall Wilderness that wasn't found. She said people who enter the Bob should have an itinerary and should tell friends and family where they're going and when they expect to come out in the event something does go wrong.

No permits are required to camp or hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.