Troopers rescue stranded Aussie

MAT-SU — Alaska State Troopers say a mountain biker competing in the Iditarod Trail Invitational, a human-powered race that follows part of the trail used for the sled dog race, lost his way and was missing for three days.

Yair Kellner, 52, of Melbourne Australia, was first reported missing at 6:40 p.m. Friday when he didn’t show up at the Finger Lake Lodge, troopers report.

He was 48 hours overdue.

Kellner, reportedly an experienced mountaineering guide, had two days worth of rations and survival gear, including a sleeping bag and a tent. Race participants searched the Finger Lake area but didn’t find him.

At 7 p.m. troopers began an aerial search. No sign of Kellner.

The search was suspended for the night but resumed the next day. Residents of the Shell Lake area joined in the air search. At 9 a.m. Saturday Kellner was spotted, troopers report.

He was 15 miles off track.

Searchers dropped a message to him, telling him to stay put and wait for searchers on snowmachines who were on their way.

When troopers finally talked to Kellner, he told them that high winds on Thursday had set up snowdrifts that covered the marked trail. Kellner ended up taking a wrong turn and walking in circles.

At some point, Kellner told troopers, he fell through the ice along a river and got wet.

“Fearing hypothermia setting in and running out of food, Kellner decided to set up camp,” Troopers state in their press release.

Kellner heated snow and drank warm water while huddling in his sleeping bag to keep warm.

Aircraft couldn’t land so at 10:30 a.m. Kellner was taken to the Finger Lake Lodge via snowmachine. Troopers say he was reported to be in good health.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.