On Wednesday, June 13th, Rhonda Stevens, 48, and a male friend entered the park at the Walton Ranger Station and headed into the Park Creek drainage to hike to Battlement Mountain. While hiking off-trail through tall brush the following afternoon, the two became separated. Stevens’ companion looked for her for several hours, but could find no sign of her. On Friday morning, he reported her missing to park dispatch. He said that he’d last seen her around 3 p.m. near Rotunda Cirque. Park staff, drawn in from all across the park and from several divisions, immediately began a search by air and by foot. Joining in the effort were personnel from Customs and Border Protection air operations, the Border Patrol, Flathead Search and Rescue, the Forest Service, and Minute Man Helicopter. Around 5 p.m. Stevens was spotted from the air on a saddle in the area between Mount St. Nicholas and Striped Elk Lake. The helicopter picked her up and brought her back to West Glacier. Stevens said that she’d suffered no serious injuries and declined medical treatment.
