Thai hikers escape injury during weekend ice cave adventure

Tong Phiti and Prao Ruang relax after their rescue off of the West Glacier Trail on Sunday morning. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Bowler/SEADOGS)
Tong Phiti and Prao Ruang relax after their rescue off of the West Glacier Trail on Sunday morning. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Bowler/SEADOGS)

Searchers in Juneau found two hikers from Thailand who got lost on a trail near the Mendenhall Glacier on Saturday.

The couple from Bangkok were identified as Tong Phiti and Prao Ruang, independent travelers in their late 20s who arrived in Juneau to see the glacier’s now-collapsed ice caves.

Haines-based Alaska State Trooper Andrew Neason coordinated the search and rescue operation that started about 10 p.m. Saturday night. He says the couple reported being two hours out from the West Glacier Trail trailhead in a rocky area with a waterfall when it got dark and they lost the trail. The hikers had warm clothing, a flashlight, a few supplies and a cell phone with half a charge.

Neason said Juneau 911 dispatchers relayed the call for help to the trooper dispatch center in Ketchikan.

“We would much rather have a search for people that are not confident in their own ability or get themselves in a bad position,” Neason says. “We would rather have a trained search group working that (case) than have these folks try to get themselves out or not contact us because they are embarrassed and don’t want to use the resource, and then something tragic happens.”

Bruce Bowler with SEADOGS, or SE Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search, says two dog teams were dispatched with medical and survival supplies while Neason helped the couple determine their latitude and longitude using the cell phone. A search team found the couple at the base of a cliff.

“I guess they were a little cold, but other than that, they were able to bring them back in,” Neason says. “No cold weather injuries and no other injuries.”

Bowler says the hikers were tired and accepted some water after they were escorted down the trail by searchers. They refused food or medical attention. Phiti and Ruang were able to drive their rental car from the scene at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday and planned to get some rest at their hotel.

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