A Sitka man out cutting Christmas trees Sunday afternoon triggered a several-hour search involving multiple agencies after he became separated from the rest of his group, Alaska State Troopers said.
Troopers said they received a report at about 4:21 p.m. Sunday that 31-year-old Geoffrey Diehl, was separated from family and friends while on a hike to cut Christmas trees. Several agencies, including Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Mountain Rescue, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Coast Guard responded, conducting searches using dogs and aircraft, troopers said, before finding Diehl -- who'd become disoriented in the woods -- at about 10:11 p.m. on the Indian River Trail.
Troopers said Diehl was "cold and wet but he was able to walk out on his own with searchers and did not require medical attention."