JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- The bodies of two hikers, believed to be those reported missing in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, have been discovered.
The National Park Service says bodies matching the description of the Missouri hikers reported missing in the park last week were recovered Monday along the Sanford River.
The park service tentatively identified the two as Rochelle Renken and Michael Huffman, both 62, from Columbia, Missouri. The agency says they were experienced backpackers and that Renken had prior experience crossing Alaska rivers. The bodies were sent to the state medical examiner for positive identification.
Evidence suggests the two tried to cross the river near the toe of Sanford Glacier but were swept away by the powerful current.
The hikers were last seen June 22.
Huffman and Renken both were retired from the Missouri Department of Conservation, Huffman as MDC's Outreach and Education Division chief and Renken as Resource Science Division field chief, according to department officials.