Anyone whose been in the Yaak knows the expanse of raw wilderness and the beauty that goes with it.
The Yaak is that area north of Hwy 2 up to the Canadian Boarder just west of Troy. That’s why there’s concern for a hiker who, appears to be lost up in the Yaak. David Hepfer (pictured), from Illinois, is said to be up there hiking.
Border Patrol located his car on September 17th–nearly 2-weeks ago, in the Northwest Peak area in the Pete Creek area. At first, the Border Patrol thought it might be associated with an illegal border crossing, but a conversation with Hepfer’s roommate confirmed that he was “hiking in NW Montana.” The 2021 Toyota Corolla had camping items associated with camping and hiking.
Attempts to “ping” Hepfer’s phone were unsuccessful. Lincoln County Deputies and the David Thompson Search and Rescue teams, using search dogs and drone are combing the area. So far, no sign of Hepfer, who’s now been listed as a “missing person”.
