CRAIG BERG IS HOME. On August 27, 70-year-old Royal Oak resident Craig Berg, or...

CRAIG BERG IS HOME. On August 27, 70-year-old Royal Oak resident Craig Berg, or “Bergie,” began a solo hiking trip through Isle Royale National Park. The experienced hiker was expected to leave the island by ferry on September 5 but never arrived. After an extensive search, Craig was found alive on September 12—injured, hypothermic and alert. Fellow visitors and Michigan State Police troopers and K-9 units helped locate him. A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew then hoisted him from the island and transported him to Marquette for medical care. The search ultimately brought together multiple federal, state and local agencies in an extraordinary effort with the outcome everyone had been hoping for. Craig is not a novice. He is an avid and highly experienced hiker who did what he needed to do to survive an ordeal that could have ended very differently. When we had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one, the conversation was emotional. Craig told us that his greatest frustration was the lack of clear trail markings and what he felt was a limited initial search response. He hopes his experience leads to better trail identification and a stronger early response when someone goes missing in a state or national park. We also learned Bergie lives nearby in Royal Oak and is a huge Griffin Claw fan—especially Norm’s Raggedy Ass IPA. We stopped by with a case of Norm’s to help him recuperate and a bright Griffin Claw hat that should make him easier to identify on any future adventures. Craig Berg is an absolute legend. Meeting him and hearing his story firsthand will always be an important part of Griffin Claw’s story. Welcome home, Bergie!