A 70-year-old Michigan hiker missing for nearly a week on remote Isle Royale has been found alive, ending an extensive search across the Lake Superior wilderness and bringing relief to his family.
Craig Berg, of Royal Oak, was located by backpackers inside Isle Royale National Park on Saturday, September 12. Park officials said he was “alive and alert” after disappearing during a solo multi-day backpacking trip.
Berg had been scheduled to leave the island aboard the Ranger III ferry on September 5. When he did not return home as expected, his family reported him missing on September 6, prompting a multi-agency search across the isolated national park.
Craig Berg was hiking across Isle Royale
Berg had been backpacking along the Greenstone Ridge Trail, which crosses much of the island. Before beginning the trip, he shared a planned itinerary with Isle Royale wilderness rangers.
His family later said the route had to be modified after campsite closures affected his original plan. They had details of the first itinerary but reportedly did not have a copy of the revised route, making it harder for search crews to pinpoint where he might be.
Park restrictions had been introduced at several locations because of increased human-wildlife interactions and food-storage concerns. Authorities have not said those conditions caused Berg to go missing.
Missed ferry raised concern for his safety
Berg was expected to leave Isle Royale on September 5 aboard the Ranger III and return toward Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His failure to make the scheduled trip became a key warning that something may have gone wrong during the hike.
Emergencies on Isle Royale can be difficult because the park is separated from the mainland by Lake Superior, has no road network through its wilderness interior and has limited cellular coverage.
Remote terrain has complicated other recent rescues as well, including the case of a 15-year-old found alive after days on a capsized boat in Alaska’s Bering Sea.
Search teams worked by land and air
The search began on September 6 and involved National Park Service personnel along with support from other agencies. Ground teams and aviation resources were used as crews worked through the island’s trails, campsites and surrounding wilderness.
Reports said agencies assisting the operation included Michigan State Police, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard. Hikers already inside the park were also alerted to Berg’s disappearance.
The breakthrough came on September 12 when backpackers encountered Berg and reported finding him alive. His son, Evan Berg, later said his father was in rough condition but was able to speak and asked for food and water.
The successful rescue contrasts with wilderness searches that end in tragedy, including the search for missing hiker Dominic O’Connell at Edith Falls, showing how quickly an overdue trip in isolated terrain can become a serious emergency.
Changing trail conditions add to wilderness challenges
Conditions on Isle Royale can require backpackers to alter plans during a trip. The National Park Service’s current Isle Royale conditions list campground restrictions in some areas and a marked reroute on part of the Greenstone Ridge Trail because of flooding linked to beaver activity.
Those conditions have not been identified as the reason Berg disappeared. They do, however, show why route updates and changing wilderness conditions can matter during multi-day trips in the park.
Questions about Berg’s ordeal remain unanswered
Authorities have not yet released the precise location where Berg was found, a full medical assessment or a detailed explanation of what prevented him from reaching his scheduled ferry.
It also remains unclear how he managed food, water and shelter during the days he was missing. Park officials said additional information will take time to investigate and share, so explanations about how Berg became stranded or survived should not be treated as confirmed until further details are released.
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