Nick Masciopinto, 07-18-05

Juneau hiker's body recovered

The Associated Press, Published: July 20th, 2005

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Rescuers on Wednesday recovered the body of a 20-year-old hiker who police say died after falling about 1,000 feet down a steep mountainside.

Nick Masciopinto of Minneapolis, Minn., died of head injuries sustained in the fall, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Searchers with Juneau Mountain reached Masciopinto's body on Thunder Mountain in the Mendenhall Valley near Juneau Wednesday afternoon. Masciopinto had been spotted face down from a helicopter the day before, too late to organize a safe rescue, officials said.

A team of climbers and fire and rescue personnel carried the body to a spot on the mountain where it could be transported by helicopter to a nearby fire station, troopers said.

Masciopinto came to Alaska for the summer, staying with relatives of his mother, Alaska State Trooper Glenn Knapp said. Masciopinto set off alone Monday for a day hike on the Thunder Mountain Trail, reportedly with a rain slicker and some food and water.

The searchers flew over the area in a helicopter and reported about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday that the missing hiker had been located at about 1,100 feet from the top of the 2,800-foot peak. A heat-measuring thermal imager picked up no heat from his body, leading rescuers to believe he was already dead.

Masciopinto was due home from his hike at about 6 p.m. Monday, said Trooper Sgt. David Tracy.

The hiker called his family at 7 p.m., saying he would be late. At 8:15 he called to say he had lost the trail and was almost a third of the way down the mountain. He could see houses in the valley and would try to make it down.

After that, he couldn't be reached by his cell phone, Tracy said. That's when troopers were called.