Hikers injured in Glacier Park to be discharged

Glacier National Park
Two Teenage Hikers Injured By Falling Rocks

Two teenage hikers were struck by falling rocks on the Highline Trail on Wednesday, July 21st. Both have been transported for medical attention, though the extent of the hikers’ injuries is not known at this time. A park employee heard yelling on the trail about two-and-a-half miles east of the Granite Park Chalet and notified the park’s dispatch center. Park staff immediately responded from the chalet and from the Swiftcurrent fire lookout and gave the hikers first aid. The hikers are described as 13- and 19-year-old boys. Additional staff staged to respond with Minuteman Aviation of West Glacier, and the park requested an ALERT helicopter from Kalispell Regional Medical Center. A thunderstorm initially kept both helicopters from flying into the area. Rangers on the ground worked together with both helicopter crews to transport the hikers off the mountain. Around 4:30 p.m., the 19-year-old hiker was flown out of the park, transferred to Three Rivers EMS, and taken to North Valley Hospital in Whitefish for medical treatment. ALERT flew the 13-year-old hiker to the medical center in Kalispell. Initial investigation of the rock fall indicates that the rock fell from a cliff about 100 feet above the trail. The exact cause is not known, but there appears to be no immediate hazard and the trail remains open.