Search continues for missing hiker

Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton said three search dog teams from True North Search Dogs, Ravalli County Search and Rescue ground teams, as well as helicopters from Choice Aviation of Hamilton and the Montana Army National Guard continued the search for 25-year-old Kaden Laga in the Selway Wilderness of Idaho west of Twin Lakes.

Laga separated from his party approximately 16 miles west of Twin Lakes Saturday afternoon.  Ravalli County Search and Rescue began searching Monday afternoon when Laga failed to reach the trailhead where his party was waiting.  Search efforts have been ongoing since Monday evening.

Search plans for Thursday include ground searches with five dog teams, as well as aerial searches with helicopters.  A five person team from Idaho County Search and Rescue will also be flown in to begin searching from the Moose Meadow area.

Incident command will transition to the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office at 8 a.m. Friday morning.  Sheriff Holton stated Ravalli County Search and Rescue often handles the initial stages of searches in this part of the Selway Wilderness because the area is more easily accessed from the Montana side.  The search area in this operation is strictly in Idaho, necessitating the transfer of incident command to the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office.  Sheriff Holton said the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue will continue to support search efforts as the incident continues.

Sheriff Holton thanked the efforts of the missing man’s family, friends, and volunteers.  Sheriff Holton particularly thanked Two Bear Air for their consistent flights of the area, as well as Choice Aviation and the MT Army National Guard, and Ravalli County Search and Rescue volunteers.