Melanie Gould found alive, unhurt

Alaska State Troopers reported on June 18 that Melanie Gould had been found alive and unharmed following a search off the Denali Highway near Cantwell where her truck had been found. The search for Gould, who had last been seen in Talkeetna on May 30, had been terminated on June 9. Gould was reported to have been found by volunteers who had continued looking for her after the official search efforts had been called off.

Ground searchers, search dogs and air assets had combed the area surrounding Gould’s vehicle after it was located on a trail off the Denali Highway, with 25 to 30 ground searchers out each day. Twenty different dogs also assisted with search efforts.

An Alaska State Trooper news release issued at the time said that multiple department and civilian aircraft flew approximately 100 hours during the aerial search (85 flight hours were logged prior to Gould’s vehicle being located), four all-terrain vehicles traversed 100 miles of trails each, and Alaska State and Wildlife

Troopers from Cantwell, Healy, Nenana, Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Mat-Su West and Delta Junction participated in the search efforts.

Volunteers from MATSAR, PAWS-Fairbanks, ASARD-Anchorage, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, Healy Tri-Valley Search and Rescue, Alaska State Parks Rangers, the Cantwell Fire Department and members of the Healy Fire Department also participated in search efforts, and the Cantwell lodge provided meals for volunteers.

News reports have stated that Gould, a former Iditarod musher, is no longer living in Talkeetna, and that some of her sled dogs have been adopted out.

Gould was reported missing after she failed to show up for work at either of her two jobs in the Talkeetna area.

Troopers reported that Gould was in good physical condition when found but that she was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and later released.