Body of missing hiker found in mountains of Montana nearly 2 months after he went missing

Rescuers found the body of a missing hiker in the rugged mountains of Montana nearly two months after she left on a solo trip and never returned, officials said on Sunday.

Tatum Morell, 23, was discovered on Saturday after climbers found his body in a ravine below Whitetail Peak, Red Lodge Fire Rescue said. Rescuers believe Morell was scaling 12,500-foot-high Whitetail Peak when she was caught in a landslide and sustained fatal injuries.

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“After nearly two months of intensive search effort, we are relieved that she can be returned to her family,” said Deputy Chief Jon Trapp of Red Lodge Fire Rescue. “The volunteer efforts to find Tatum surpassed anything I have seen in my 17 year search and rescue mission; it was absolutely amazing.”

The recovery teams were greeted by Tatum Morell’s family and Red Lodge firefighters at the Red Lodge airport after recovering the body of the hiker in the mountains on Saturday.
(Red Lodge Fire Rescue)

Rescue teams searched the area where Morell was found on several occasions, officials said, but the 23-year-old was buried under rocks and extremely difficult to find.

Morell, pictured on another hike, has been described as a “passionate and experienced hiker” with a lifetime of experience traveling backcountry with her family and alone.
(Red Lodge Fire Rescue)

Morell last called his family using a satellite device on the evening of July 1 before setting out the next day on the West Fork Trail near Red Lodge. The trailhead is located in south central Montana near the Wyoming border.

Morell has been described as an “avid and experienced hiker” who planned to climb five peaks over 12,000 feet high in the area.

On July 10, rescuers and family said they believed Morell likely died in a “tragic accident” after being without contact for more than a week.
(Carbon County Sheriff’s Office – Montana / Facebook)

Rescuers launched a search for the 23-year-old when she did not return on July 5, navigating the dangerous mountainous terrain filled with rocky fields, car-sized boulders, fields of scree and snowfields in search of Morell.

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After an exhaustive five-day search without any sign of Morell, rescuers and family released an update on July 10 indicating the hiker was likely dead. However, the crews continued a reduced search of Morell using trained rescuers and teams of search dogs.

“Tate was a fiercely independent and adventurous soul who loved the mountains,” his family said in a July 10 statement. “We find some comfort in knowing that she passed away in a place she loved.”