MONTESANO, Wash. (AP) — Four members of a Washington state family missing since Tuesday have been found walking near a store about 55 miles southwest of Seattle, authorities said Thursday. 
 
 They were found in Mason County. The sheriff's office in neighboring Grays Harbor County, where the family lives, said deputies were on their way to meet them. 
 
 "I do not yet know the exact condition of the family other than they are alive," Chief Criminal Deputy Steve Shumate said in an email. 
 
 Jason and Melissa McAlister and two of their children, ages 8 months and 2 years, appeared to have left home to take a drive Tuesday while their older two children were at school, authorities had said. They didn't return as expected to meet the older children at the bus stop. 
 
 Investigators on Tuesday evening and Wednesday searched areas the family was known to frequent, without luck, and Shumate said authorities were hoping they had just broken down somewhere. 
 
 They were found walking near a general store in Matlock, Washington, Shumate said. 
 
 The family's home is in a rural area southwest of Seattle, about 20 miles north of the town of Montesano. They were reported missing Tuesday evening after no one showed up to meet the school bus bringing the older children, ages 5 and 7, home, Shumate said. 
 
 The family's landlord, who also lives at the property, told authorities that he had spoken with Jason McAlister, 33, before leaving the house at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Shumate said. McAlister reportedly told him that the family planned to do some chores, then maybe go out for a drive and come back by 3 p.m. 
 
 At the time of the conversation, Melissa McAlister, 27, was still in bed, Shumate said. 
 
 Jason McAlister works as a ranch hand on the property, while Melissa McAlister works at a Walmart store. 
 
 The sheriff's office had not been able to find an aircraft to use in the search as of Wednesday afternoon. The Washington State Patrol would have one available Thursday, he said. ||||| Jason McAllister said he and his family survived on Halloween candy, rain water and prayers. They kept their spirits high by listening to the radio and hearing search efforts were going on. (KING / Drew Mikkelsen) 
 
 MONTESANO, Wash. - Four members of a Montesano family missing since Tuesday were found safe Thursday walking near a store in Mason County, about 55 miles southwest of Seattle. 
 
 The sheriff's office in neighboring Grays Harbor County, where the family lives, said Thursday morning that the family "appears to be OK, considering." Officials say the family was in "good health" after they were evaluated for possible dehydration and mild hypothermia. 
 
 According to the sheriff's office, Jason McAlister told deputies he and his wife Melissa had taken their two youngest kids, ages 8 months and 2 years, for a drive into Mason County for some sightseeing. They got stranded on a logging road when they tried driving around a downed tree and the road gave way, causing their car to get stuck. 
 
 The family's van got stuck when they tried to drive around a downed log on a remote logging road. (KING) 
 
 "Everyone is good. God is great. We're happy to be alive," said Jason McAlister, who made sure his family didn't get dehydrated by collecting rainwater in empty water bottles. 
 
 McAllister said they also survived on Halloween candy and prayers, and kept their spirits high by listening to the radio and hearing search efforts were going on. 
 
 McAlister said they had plenty of gas in the car as well as clothing and water. He said the family tried hiking out Tuesday afternoon, and when it got dark he built a shelter for them on the side of the road. 
 
 "I had it against a granite rockface, so that the wind wouldn't blow through it or anything," said McAlister. 
 
 But he said everyone still got wet, and early Wednesday morning they hiked back to the van to dry out. 
 
 They watched DVDs in the car and heard reports about the search for them on the radio. 
 
 At daybreak Thursday, they set out on another hike hoping to get to a main road. 
 
 "Today was going to be make and break day," said McAlister. 
 
 He was grateful when they met up with hunters about a half-hour into their hike. 
 
 The hunters immediately recognized the family and called 911, then drove the family to a general store in Matlock where they were met by aid personnel and sheriff's deputies. 
 
 "I was thankful, happy really to end the deal, you know?" said McAlister. 
 
 Associated Press contributed to this report. 
 
 Copyright 2016 KING ||||| 0 Missing Montesano family found alive 
 
 Jason McAlister knew after two nights stranded on a logging road that he needed to get his family to safety soon. “Today was going to be a make or break day,” said McAlister Related Headlines Grays Harbor commissioner accused of tossing opponents signs 
 
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 Coast Guard hoists man to safety near Grays Harbor McAlister and his wife Melissa went on a drive Tuesday morning with two of his four daughters ages 2 years old and 9 months old. The family was reported missing after his 7- and 8-year-old daughters were brought home from school by the bus Tuesday. 
 
 QUICK FACTS: 
 
 ● Parents and two of four kids disappeared Tuesday 
 
 ● Two other kids were at school and bus stop when parents didn’t arrive 
 
 ● Found Thursday morning near Matlock Store in Grays Harbor County 
 
 ● No immediate word on condition 
 
 ● Deputies not initially sure why they disappeared 
 
 ● This story will be updated as additional details are available 
 
 When no parent came to get them, the driver returned the children to the bus barn and school officials notified the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office. McAlister said he drove the van on a dirt road weakened by heavy rain. The road gave way and the van was stuck. He used a coat to build a small shelter for the family when they tried to walk out the first day. But they were forced to head back to the van Wednesday morning where they spent the night, running the engine for warmth. “Sat in the van all day yesterday just with the heater and listening to the radio,” McAlister said. The family was able to hear news reports that searchers were out looking for them, but they had no cellphone to call for help. 
 
 Jason and Melissa McAlister were last seen on November 15, 2016 at about 7 a.m. in Montesano. The couple left with their two female children, ages 8 months and 2 years, to go for a drive. © 2018 Cox Media Group. Thursday morning they tried walking out again, and this time they were found by two hunters. “I figured if I could get back out to the main road we’d find some help,” McAlister said. “Halfway down the road hunters were coming up.” McAlister's parents, Mary and Bob, drove all the way from Montana after hearing the family was missing. They arrived early Thursday to the good news that they were found, and everyone was all right. "We just want to see them all back together, all six of them,” Mary McAlister said. Jason McAlister said he was grateful that people cared about him and his family. “I want to thank all the search and rescue people that were out looking for us,” said McAlister. Top stories on KIRO7.com 
 
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 © 2018 Cox Media Group.
– A missing family was found Thursday after two days trapped in their car, surviving on Halloween candy and rain water, KING reports. According to the AP, authorities had been searching rural Washington state for Jason and Melissa McAlister and their two young children, ages 8 months and 2 years. The McAlisters were reported missing Tuesday night after they failed to pick their older children up from the school bus. Their landlord told authorities that Jason had talked about going for a family drive when he saw him Tuesday morning. "They are just very dependable," Melissa's aunt told KIRO prior to the family's discovery. "That's why we are terrified that something's happened." The McAlisters were spotted Thursday by a hunter, who called 911. Jason says the family was driving along a logging road Tuesday when they tried to go around a fallen tree and got stuck. They slept in the car Tuesday night then tried to walk to safety on Wednesday but got lost and returned to the car for the night, listening to news of search efforts on the radio while eating Halloween candy. The hunter saw them as they tried again to walk to safety on Thursday, called 911, and drove them to meet authorities at a general store. A sheriff says the family "appears to be OK" and is in "good health" despite dehydration and mild hypothermia.