Found Deceased AK - Marites Buenafe, 62, 02 Jul 2025

[jillolantern]

Search and rescue teams are looking for a cruise ship passenger who did not return from a hike near Mount Roberts Tuesday.

Cruise ship passenger missing after leaving for a hike in Juneau

Search and rescue teams are looking for a cruise ship passenger who did not return from a hike near Mount Roberts Tuesday.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

 

[jillolantern]

Cruise ship passenger goes missing while hiking Mount Roberts

Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky was last known to be hiking Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak from the Goldbelt Tramway on top of Mount Roberts.

www.ktoo.org

 

[jillolantern]

https://dps.alaska.gov/getmedia/683187dd-7155-40df-b167-13abf3bff1f6/Buenafe

 

[RedHaus]

Thank you for starting this thread. I was struggling to figure out how.

I was in Juneau, AK on a cruise May 11, 2025. My spouse and I went up the same tram this missing woman took, to have lunch at the top. We sat out on a deck looking at nearby snowcapped mountains. We saw hikers on the trails, as well as Mountain Goats. And we witnessed two avalanches likely due to the warmer than normal temperatures.

It was spectacular but we did not have time to hike. From what I read when preparing our itinerary, the trail that continues to Gasteneau Peak is arduous.

There was a Russian man at the summit who chatted with us during lunch. He shared that he was worried about his male friend who had decided to go for a hike. It had been a long while and he had no cell service up there to reach him. His greatest concern was Brown Bears (aka Grizzlies) coming out of hibernation.

Anyhow. I surely hope this Kentucky woman is found quickly; perhaps with an injury. I will be following this case very closely.

Here is ABCNews coverage.

Search for a woman who got off a cruise ship in Alaska to hike and didn't return

Authorities say a woman visiting Alaska’s capital city on a cruise ship did not return from a hike she said she was taking

abcnews.go.com

 

[IceIce9]

Authorities search for doctor who went missing in Alaska after leaving cruise ship for hike

Marites Buenafe, originally from Kentucky, told her family she had disembarked from the Norwegian Bliss for a hike.

www.cbsnews.com

Marites Buenafe — who is listed on the University of Kentucky Healthcare system's website as a doctor — was traveling aboard the Norwegian Bliss, according to a missing persons bulletin issued by the Alaska State Troopers. The ship was on a week-long round-trip tour of Alaska that departed from Seattle, according to ship tracking site CruiseMapper.

Around 7:30 a.m. local time on July 1, Buenafe texted family members that she was heading up Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau and would hike from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, the bulletin said. Security footage showed Buenafe at the top of the tramway around that same time. Hiking website AllTrails describes the hike as a challenging but popular 4.1 mile trek that usually takes about three hours to complete

 

[RedHaus]

Cruise ship passenger goes missing while hiking Mount Roberts

Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky was last known to be hiking Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak from the Goldbelt Tramway on top of Mount Roberts.

www.ktoo.org

This certainly isn't the time to critique back country hiking gear or do a PSA.

But from this photo in the link you provided, @jillolantern, I am thankful her small back pack had bright colors. I am fairly certain this is from CCTV on the ramp off of the Mt Roberts Tram.

 

[AddyFinch]

I’ve done half of that hike, and if drizzley or low hanging clouds, the mud is very slippery in spots. Not to mention the bears in area. Sounds like they’ve called all the experianced rescuers to the mountain. I think they’ve been having warm weather which helps.News

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Body of missing cruise ship passenger found in Juneau mountains

The crew of an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter located the body of 62-year-old Kentucky resident Marites Buenafe Thursday afternoon.

www.ktoo.org

Search and rescue responders have located the body of a cruise ship passenger in Juneau who went missing during a hike Tuesday morning.

The crew of an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter located the body of 62-year-old Kentucky resident Marites Buenafe Thursday just before noon, according to a news release from the Alaska State Troopers.

Her body was recovered by Troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue about 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge on Mount Roberts.

 

[Innana]

Very sad outcome. Glad the family can have closure at least.

 

[AddyFinch]

Glad they found her quickly, but sorry outcome wasn’t a happier one. I wonder if National Guard helicopter spotted her colourful backpack? Great team work.

 

[IceIce9]

She was a family practice physician in Lexington Kentucky.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/us/missing-hiker-alaska-cruise-ship.html

Dr. Buenafe was a physician at UK HealthCare in Lexington, Ky.

 

[RedHaus]

Body of missing cruise ship passenger found in Juneau mountains

The crew of an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter located the body of 62-year-old Kentucky resident Marites Buenafe Thursday afternoon.

www.ktoo.org

Search and rescue responders have located the body of a cruise ship passenger in Juneau who went missing during a hike Tuesday morning.

The crew of an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter located the body of 62-year-old Kentucky resident Marites Buenafe Thursday just before noon, according to a news release from the Alaska State Troopers.

Her body was recovered by Troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue about 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge on Mount Roberts.

Oh, how very sad.

I was so hoping she was hunkered down somewhere with a debilitating injury. It sounds like she may slipped and fallen off the trail / ridge.

My heart goes out to her family, friends and patients. May Dr. Marites Buenafe rest in peace.

 

[RedHaus]

Lexington doctor’s tragic death in Alaska sparks statewide concern over cruise safety - NewsBreak

Emergency crews have recovered the body of 62‑year‑old Dr. Marites Buenafe late Thursday near Gold Ridge, two days after the Lexington physician vanished d

share.newsbreak.com

"Late Thursday, local hiker and volunteer rescuer Naomi Jensen told [James Ford] at the Juneau Mountain Rescue staging area:

“It’s just so heartbreaking. We’d hoped she’d be found alive. These trails may look gentle from the tram, but one misstep can send you sliding off into brush or down a scree slope.”

Jensen, who participated in Wednesday’s ground sweep, noted that drizzly weather kept the terrain slick and visibility low — a critical safety concern often overlooked by cruise‑ship day‑trippers."

It is so sad because this was preventable. I fear Dr. Buenafe was unaware of the risk she was taking alone Tuesday morning.

Alaska is a breathtaking but wild, rugged, unforgiving, and unpredictable place, especially away from civilization.

While I was there in May I went on a bird watching tour that included a stop for a simple 1/2 mile walk in the woods. The naturalist guide for our small group strapped on a large revolver in a cross body holster and had bear spray. She repeatedly insisted on being in front...

My addition to the article's focus is cruise ships in Alaska should offer more guided hike excursions to provide safer options for those interested

IMO