ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Ground and air crews were planning to resume a search Tuesday for two women — one a Minnesotan — missing on what was supposed to be a short backpacking trip in Denali National Park and Preserve.
Searchers and dogs were looking for Abby Flantz, 25, of Gaylord, Minn., and Erica Nelson, 23, of Las Vegas. The women were reported overdue Saturday when they did not show up for work at a hotel outside the park.
Park spokeswoman Kris Fister said Nelson was supposed to be on a plane Sunday night to fly to Houston, where she was set to be maid of honor in a sister's wedding.
"So they had a reason to be back," Fister said.
Ground and air crews have searched nearly 100 square miles of the nearly 9,400-square-mile park. Searchers were planning to camp out Monday night about three miles from where the women were last seen, Fister said.
The women were last seen Thursday at the Savage River check station about 15 miles from park headquarters. They had planned to return Friday.
Flantz's family still lives in Gaylord, where her parents, Jim and Kathy Flantz, were keeping a vigil by the phone Monday. They planned to fly to Alaska on Tuesday.
Originally Posted by Phillygirl
