Bicyclist racing from Canada to New Mexico wrecks in flooded Montana national park

A bicyclist racing from Canada to New Mexico wrecked in a flooded Montana national park, rangers said.

Alex Minge, a 25-year-old from Riverton, Wyoming, was riding in the Tour Divide 2022, a bike race that goes from Canada to New Mexico, when he crashed in Glacier National Park on Monday, June 14, the National Park Service said.

“He wrecked his bicycle, lost his way trying to get back and encountered flood waters in the Kishenehn Drainage,” officials said in a news release. ”Park rangers began an immediate search and swept the North Fork Road as far as possible but were unable to reach the suspected location.”

Minge had turned on his GPS tracking device to signal that he needed help, park officials said. Rescuers tracked the device to his location, but they couldn’t reach him because of the flood.

A helicopter was flown to the park to help Minge, officials said. The bicyclist was injured, and he was flown to a nearby hospital.

Officials did not disclose Minge’s injuries or his current condition. Glacier National Park encompasses more than 1 million acres in Montana. The park has been experiencing some flooding after historic floods caused devastating damage across the state.

The park is still open to visitors, but park officials said tourists should check current conditions before heading to the park.

This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Bicyclist racing from Canada to New Mexico wrecks in flooded Montana national park."