Body of missing hiker found

Search personnel found the body of Glacier Park hiker Jacob “Jake” Rigby Sept. 2.  The body was located on the mountain known as “8888” in the southern end of the park.  An initial investigation indicates that Rigby may have fallen approximately 800 feet on the north side of the extremely steep mountain.  

Rigby’s body was spotted by helicopter personnel during an aerial search of the high-probability area between Ole Creek and Park Creek Drainages.   

The Flathead County Coroner has been contacted and incident managers are determining a plan to safely recover the body.   

The extensive search effort began Monday, August 29 after Rigby was overdue from a personal day hike in the park on Sunday, August 28.  More than fifty individuals helped with the search efforts, including thirty-one searchers who were searching and camping overnight in the steep and treacherous terrain.  Flathead Valley Search and Rescue and Flathead National Forest assisted with the search.   

Rigby, 27 years old, worked for the exotic plant team at the park for the past three summers.  He also worked at other National Park Service sites during the winter season.