Retired engineer rescued after 11-day ordeal in Isle Royale
Craig Berg, a 70-year-old retired quality engineer from Royal Oak, Michigan, was rescued after spending 11 days lost in the wilderness of Isle Royale National Park on Lake Superior. He was found injured and hypothermic on 12 September following an intensive week-long search led by Michigan State Police, and was airlifted to safety by a US Coast Guard helicopter crew before being taken to hospital for treatment.
Berg had set off on a solo hike on 27 August, planning to complete his trip at Rock Harbor within ten days, but last contacted his family on 2 September and was captured on a trail camera on the Greenstone Ridge Trail on 30 August. His wife raised the alarm when he failed to check into his hotel on 5 September, prompting the search, and he later lost his phone and wallet in a marsh where he was eventually located. His son Evan drove 455 miles from Detroit to meet him, describing him as "in rough shape" but recovering, while relatives noted Berg was an experienced solo hiker who had planned the route carefully in advance.
- Michigan hiker, 70, found alive after 11 days missing on Isle Royale
- Rescued by Coast Guard helicopter, hypothermic and injured
- Family had raised alarm after he missed hotel check-in
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Craig Berg, a 70-year-old retired quality engineer from Royal Oak, Michigan, went missing while on a planned solo hiking trip in Isle Royale National Park, a remote and rugged island wilderness in Lake Superior. He set out in late August intending to finish within ten days, but lost contact with his family and failed to arrive at his expected pick-up point, prompting concern from his wife and a large search operation.
Isle Royale is known for its isolation, dense forest and limited mobile phone coverage, making it a demanding location for solo hikers and a difficult place to mount a search. Michigan State Police led the search effort over several days, with the US Coast Guard also involved, reflecting the scale of resources typically needed to locate someone missing in such terrain.
The case matters because it highlights the risks of solo wilderness hiking in remote national parks and the challenges faced by search and rescue teams operating in areas with poor communication access. Berg's family, including his son Evan, travelled to be with him as the search and subsequent recovery unfolded.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Hiker who was missing for 11 days on solo trip to Michigan island is miraculously found alive”.