A 70-year-old solo hiker missing for a full week on one of America’s most remote national parks has been found alive. Craig Berg of Royal Oak, Michigan, was discovered suffering from hypothermia but “alive and alert” after fellow backpackers spotted him on Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior and alerted authorities. He had set out on a solo hike along the Greenstone Trail on September 5 and was located on September 12. Dramatic video captured a Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisting Berg from the isolated island before flying him out for emergency medical evaluation.

The successful recovery capped a massive multi-agency search that included Michigan State Police K-9 teams, boats, drones, seaplanes, and crews on foot. Isle Royale, one of the least-visited U.S. national parks, has no roads and no reliable cell service, forcing hikers to rely on strong self-reliance amid its rugged terrain, dense forests, and rapidly changing weather. The case leaves open questions about how Berg endured the week-long ordeal, what injuries he sustained beyond hypothermia, and whether the near-tragedy will prompt new safety recommendations for visitors to this demanding wilderness.