After a six-day search, the Alaska State Troopers have announced that they have suspended their active  search for 26-year-old Nephi Soper of Anchorage. Soper was last seen at about 7 pm on February 18th.

According to the original report by troopers, it was about 7 pm on last Thursday that Soper was last seen by a taxi driver at the Prospect Trailhead. The Alaska National Guard, when they reported the overdue hiker on the following Friday evening, said that Soper had planned a hike from Prospect Heights to Long Lake and then was going to traverse between Tanaina and Koktoya Peaks and into the Ship Creek Valley.

Following his hike, Soper had planned on exiting on Arctic Valley Road then continue on to Fort Richardson to attend training there.

Assisting in the search for Soper for the past few days were assets from the “Alaska Air National Guard 210th/212th Rescue Squadrons, the Alaska Army National Guard 297th CAV LRS helicopter, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, Nordic Ski Patrol and Alaska Search And Rescue Dogs. The 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center also participated in coordinating resources for the search,” the trooper dispatch reported.

Troopers stated that prior to the search suspension today, searchers included “MATSAR canine teams on the ground near Prospect Heights Trailhead and AST’s Helo-2 doing an aerial search of the area where Soper had planned on hiking.”

Soper is described as a 5’8” white male, weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was also described as physically fit and believed to be wearing a desert camo pattern gore-tex jacket and black pants.

Troopers are still seeking information, and ask that anyone with information to contact Alaska State Troopers at 907-262-4453, or your local law enforcement agency.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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