New Details In Dramatic MI Hiker Rescue On Isle Royale

ISLE ROYALE, MI — Officials have released more details after rescuing an ailing hiker on Isle Royale over the weekend.

Officials said 70-year-old Craig Berg, of Royal Oak, had been on a weeklong solo hiking trip and was expected to return home by way of the Ranger III ferry on Sept. 5.

When he did not arrive as expected, family members raised concerns and a search effort began.

Rescue crews eventually established a narrow area based on Berg’s last confirmed location and then conducted a 30-mile boat ride and almost five-mile hike to that location.

From there, the crews continued searching on foot along with air units until they found Berg on Saturday morning.

Officials said Berg was in "good spirits," despite being injured and suffering from hypothermia.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew then hoisted Berg into the helicopter, which took him to a hospital in Marquette for further treatment.

Officials said the island's rough terrain made rescue efforts difficult at times.

“This is a 44-mile island with extreme habitat,” said DNR Law Enforcement Sgt. Marc Pomroy, who was involved with the search. “You have to narrow down where you’re searching.

Berg's son, Evan, told WDIV he drove to the Marquette hospital from Royal Oak to pick up his dad on Saturday.

"He’s Alive! They got him!" Evan told the news station. "I yelled at the top of my lungs, ‘He’s Alive!’ And people looked at me and, oh, man. It was a wonderful feeling."

Evan said that his dad got lost along a trail and ended up losing his phone and wallet in a marsh. He then spent 11 days looking for someone before a group of kayakers spotted him, Evan said.

"This rescue is a testament to teamwork and what can be accomplished when first responders and members of the community come together," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Wendy Janson, command duty officer of the Sector Northern Great Lakes command center.

You can see footage of the rescue below:

The National Park Service thanked the agencies and search teams that assisted in the effort, including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State Police, U.S. Coast Guard Station Portage, No One Left Behind Canine Search and Rescue and Minnesota State Patrol aviation resources.