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Hiker Missing in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest

A hiker who disappeared last week in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest remains missing as of Tuesday.

Search and rescue teams continue their hunt for Chad Seger, 27, from Asheville, WSOC reported. He left his car near the entrance of a popular hiking trail by the Blue Ridge Parkway last week.

Hiker Disappears

Seger’s family reported him missing on Friday. They last heard from him on Monday. 

More than 120 people from various agencies have taken part in the search and rescue efforts, according to WLOS. The teams deployed a K9 unit and were considering using a North Carolina Highway Patrol helicopter unit, too.

“We’ll be back every day for the next few days if need be until we have some conclusion here,” Allison Richmond, the public information officer for Haywood County Emergency Management Team, told WLOS.

Seger was last seen in the Black Balsam area, according to the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. His cellphone last pinged from Johns Rock Overlook.

Family Awaits News

Seger is a Marine Corps veteran who is in good physical health. He may have brought hiking or camping gear with him, Richmond said.

“We consider each other family and when stuff like this kind of happens, like a brother or sister in arms go missing or is hurting or something, as a veteran community, we should obviously come together and help them through whatever is going on,” fellow veteran Charles Jungnick said, according to WLOS.

Officials say they are concerned about hypothermia, in light of a recent burst of cold weather at night.

Meanwhile, Seger’s family is waiting for tips to come in. They’ve asked anyone who saw Seger to come forward, saying no clue is too small to aid the search. 

“A lot of people have reached out with their prayers and their words of encouragement – we really appreciate it and just want people to keep praying and keep sending their thoughts our way,” Seger’s wife told WSOC.