NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Columbia

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Alpine Rescue Team
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NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Columbia

Post by Alpine Rescue Team »

We currently have a 64 YOM solo hiker that we believe was going to climb Mt Harvard and/or Mt Columbia last Friday, 9/20/13. His vehicle was located at the North Cottonwood Creek TH. It is a Silver Rav 4 with Ohio Plates. Our missing parties name is Gene. We have limited information about him except for the following - We believe he is wearing a stocking cap, he wears glasses, no beard, is 5'5" and is very slender. We have attached a photo of him with this post. We do not know which of the two peaks he was going to climb but understand that he didn't have any overnight camping equipment with him nd was just out for a day hike.

At this time SAR personnel from 8 different agencies are on the mountain with additional help from the Colorado National Guard and Flight for Life. If anyone believes they might of seen this person on one of the peaks, we are asking you to call. Please call:

Paul "Woody" Woodward
State Coordinator - Colorado Search and Rescue Board
303.393-7297
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2013 Mt Harvard Subject - Gene.jpg
2013 Mt Harvard Subject - Gene.jpg (18.05 KiB) Viewed 6463 times
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by Mark A Steiner »

Confirmed at noon on KOA 850 Denver. Radio interview with Chaffee County sheriff indicated he had some experience on 14ers, having apparently climbed 30 of them ... hope this ends well.
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content - Paul the Apostle.
Like it or not, I am a slow driver. Putt ... putt ... putt ...
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by mtgirl »

Linking an earlier forum post so all information is shared. I am hoping for a positive outcome for this gentleman. Thank you, SAR, for your amazing service.

http://14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t= ... 70#p506170" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by oldschoolczar »

Man, a lot of SAR activity this week. I really hope they find their guy and the gentleman at South Colony Lakes.. the forum seems to be really low-key on these latest incidents.. hope things are going well on both of these searches! Stay safe SAR.. god bless you for what you do for this community!
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by Rarefied »

KrazyK wrote:There was a possible sighting later Saturday afternoon (4pm or so) around 11,000 ft, and it sounded like he was a bit disoriented at that time.
Two quick thoughts if he made it down that far:

1. Anglemeyer Lake is around that elevation just off the standard route -- could he have ducked into there?

2. Further down at about 10,400' is the split to Kroenke Lake. If he was disoriented could he have headed off in that direction?

I'm sure SAR has already checked out both possibilities but I thought I would toss out the ideas anyway on the off chance they might be helpful. Best wishes for all parties involved.

R
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by MonGoose »

Rarefied wrote: 1. Anglemeyer Lake is around that elevation just off the standard route -- could he have ducked into there?
I camped at Anglemeyer Lake about 6 weeks ago when I hiked Mt Harvard. There is no trail to the lake and the area is littered with downed trees on a fairly steep hillside. It was miserable hiking and it's definitely not the type of place someone would just wonder into because it took some real effort to find it. It's also on the far side of the basin away from Harvard & Columbia.
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by Rarefied »

MonGoose wrote:I camped at Anglemeyer Lake about 6 weeks ago when I hiked Mt Harvard. There is no trail to the lake and the area is littered with downed trees on a fairly steep hillside. It was miserable hiking and it's definitely not the type of place someone would just wonder into because it took some real effort to find it. It's also on the far side of the basin away from Harvard & Columbia.
Agreed across the board -- a garden spot it's not! My thinking was that if the hiker knew of it from seeing it on his topo or from a previous trip in the area (KrazyK seemed to get the impression the hiker had been on Harvard before), maybe in a confused state he headed there to rest, cool his feet, get water (hopefully not from there), whatever.

Like yourself, I, too, view it as a long shot. But on the other hand, when someone can't be found after a considerable effort has been made to do so, well, exploring less likely places such as Anglemeyer -- or the trail to Kroenke -- seems to make some sense. 'Especially so since there is reason to believe the hiker was seen in that immediate area. If you will, it's a paraphrase of that quote, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

R
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by MonGoose »

Rarefied wrote:Like yourself, I, too, view it as a long shot. But on the other hand, when someone can't be found after a considerable effort has been made to do so, well, exploring less likely places such as Anglemeyer -- or the trail to Kroenke -- seems to make some sense.
I understand what you're saying. It's a large area to conduct a search and there are a quite a few trails and a lot of places to camp. We're all hoping for the best.
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by MountainHiker »

I certainly hope they find him well. Is it possible he started the Harvard to Columbia traverse and then aborted either for weather or fatigue? Then, instead of pushing over Columbia, he might choose to go down Frenchman Creek to the Colorado Trail. This would leave a long slog back to the road.
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by 14erFred »

Hoping and praying for a good outcome. Safety and good weather for all SAR personnel.
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by Project Ralphie »

MountainHiker wrote:Is it possible he started the Harvard to Columbia traverse and then aborted either for weather or fatigue? Then, instead of pushing over Columbia, he might choose to go down Frenchman Creek to the Colorado Trail. This would leave a long slog back to the road.
That's exactly what I thought when I started reading this thread - if he started the traverse, he could easily have gotten off route or needed to bail, and pretty much the only way out is East towards Frenchman Creek or Harvard Lakes to the CO Trail. But nothing I've seen so far suggests that he tried the traverse. Does anyone know where he was when he was spotted at 11,000 ft.?

Hoping for the best.
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Re: NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN - Missing hiker on Mt Harvard/Colum

Post by Cthulhu 2008 »

On Friday 9/20, I was on Harvard at 4:11 pm and Columbia at 6:42 pm. I didn't see anyone on either summit or on the traverse on the east side of the ridge.

Hoping for the best.
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