Two Virginia veterinarians missing in Glacier National Park’s backcountry for five days were found alive Monday afternoon.

Searchers found Neal Peckens, 32, of Herndon, Va., and Jason Hiser, 32, of Richmond, Va., around 3:30 p.m. They were flown out of the backcountry and met family members “anxiously awaiting their return,” according to a press release from Glacier.

Peckens and Hiser were reported missing on Friday after they missed a flight back to the East Coast.

They had been in the park backcountry for seven days since Oct. 9.

According to park rangers, Peckens and Hiser were planning to hike from the North Shore Trailhead at Two Medicine and camp at the Oldman Backcountry Campground on Tuesday, Oct. 9. After spending the night in a backcountry campground as planned, they continued on their 17-mile hike on the east side of the park. They encountered winter conditions, including snow on the trail and very high gusts of winds as they hiked a section of trail on a ridge along the Continental Divide.  

One of the hikers slipped and fell approximately 100 feet down a steep area. The hikers tried to parallel their hike for a bit, one above and one below. They determined the best approach would be for both hikers to be together, to go down the mountain and perhaps try another route back up.  

They had a quality map of the area and when looking at it, extreme wind gusts blew it out of their hands. They continued down the mountain side and spent Wednesday evening in the Nyack Lakes area. They set up camp, including a fire.

On Thursday they started to hike back up the mountain by another route hoping to get back in the direction that they began. Weather conditions and mountainous terrain were challenging. They put considerable thought into what their best options would be and decided to travel back down the wet and slippery terrain and wait for a break in the weather.  

The break in the weather did not come and they camped in this spot, near the headwaters of the Nyack Drainage at approximately 6,000 feet for the next four nights.  They rationed their food, collected fire wood and materials to create a fire and smoke, turned their cell phones on during the day, displayed their space blanket for possible reflection during the day and used it to stay warn at night, and created a SOS message with logs.

On Monday, Oct. 15 two Glacier National Park employees were searching on foot when one of the searchers saw colored flagging that led him to a tent, and the missing hikers.  Peckens and Hiser were cold and wet, but in fairly good condition with no injuries.  

Foust said, “Weather conditions certainly played a role in this incident, both for the hikers and for the search personnel.”

The hikers were challenged to travel, stay warm and dry, and to maintain a fire. The search operation was hampered by low visibility and cloud cover, mud, snow and very windy conditions. Many of the searchers were still in the backcountry today and had to hike out in miserable conditions; rain, sleet, hail, snow and wind.  

Peckens and Hiser communicated their appreciation to the searchers and were ready to travel home with family and friends.  

Organizations assisting Glacier National Park with the search include Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead County Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources and the U.S. Border Patrol.