Abby Flantz is the name of one of the two people missing in Denali National Park and Preserve. Abby Flantz 25, and her friend Erica Nelson 23 embarked on what should have been a short backpacking trip near Anchorage Alaska. They left town on Thursday and have not been seen since. Today search and rescue crews are following their tracks with dogs looking for the two women. People realized they were missing because they didn’t go to work Monday. They both work at a hotel outside the Denali National Park. Both Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson were last seen on Thursday at a check station of the park at about 15 miles from the park headquarters. Their initial plans indicated that would aim to return on Friday, that’s 4 days ago. This is not an unusual phenomomon. People get lost, or seriously hurt when hiking in the wilderness. Hiking should not be considered as a walk in the park. When hiking, when exploring national parks especially ones in Alaska, you are exposed to a myriad of dangers that could srike from one minute to another. Both Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson are not from Alaska. Abby Flantz is from Gaylord, Minn and Erica Nelson from Las Vegas. According to recent reports Erica Nelson should have been on a plane to Houston on Sunday night to be the maid of honour in her sisters wedding. The park where researchers are looking for Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson, Denali National Park and Preserve, covers an area of about 9,400-square-miles. Search and rescue crews have searched about 100 square miles. The area being searched consists of rugged terrain without trails. Many hills and mountains are in the area and although Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson are considered experienced hikers they don’t have much experience with the Alaskan wilderness. Hopefully both hikers, Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson are ok.
I agree 100% with your analysis of the situation — as a born-and-raised Alaskan, the importance of preparedness was ALWAYS drilled into my head. Those Boy Scouts were right! I hope they are alright…
abby flantz is my second cousin and it was very sad for me when she was lost
I heard one incident…. A tourist from Netherland have come to visit India in 2004 december. They lost their daughter in Tsunami.. She has been found very recently and they have gaot their daughter back…
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Jack Darson
Addiction Recovery Alaska