Search Sunday for missing Rocky Mountain National Park trail runner comes up empty
Update: Monday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m.: The park said search efforts continued for Chad Pallansch but he was not located despite 51 individuals, including 38 search team members in the field. Two dog teams also assisted with the search efforts. Efforts are focused on areas around Black Lake, Stone Man Pass, Chiefs Head Peak, west ridge of Pagoda, Andrews Glacier, Upper Chaos Canyon, and Tyndall Glacier.
Monday morning search team members were able to run aerial reconnaissance via helicopter while weather was favorable, focusing on Mount Alice, Chiefs Head Peak and surrounding ridgeline areas. Precipitation that was forecast prevented afternoon aerial flights.
Original story
Another day of extensive searching from air and land Sunday failed to locate a missing Fort Collins man last heard from on Wednesday atop a peak in the remote backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The park said in a news release that Sunday's search for 49-year-old Chad Pallansch involved 55 individuals, including 38 search team members, as well as air reconnaissance and heat-sensing, fixed-wing aircraft, whose efforts were hampered by high winds.
Park releases new information regarding Pallansch's gear and backcountry experience
Here is new information the park addressed in Sunday's release:
Pallansch had a personal navigation device with him, but the device was not designed for emergency assistance.
Pallansch had not attempted his route previously but is an experienced trail runner who has run numerous routes in the park, including Longs Peak more than 30 times.
Details emerge on the last time Pallansch was heard from
According to his friends' on social media, Pallansch was last heard from when he talked to his wife from the top of 13,135-foot Mount Alice at noon Wednesday (Sept. 27). Mount Alice is just more than 2.5 miles southwest of Longs Peak.
The post on the Fort Collins Trail Runners Facebook site indicated Pallansch, a marathoner, was heading toward Stone Man Pass down to Black Lake/Glacier Gorge, and then to Bear Lake before heading back to the North Inlet Trailhead in Grand Lake where he started.
Pallansch was reported overdue Sept. 28. Park rangers on the same day found his vehicle still parked at the North Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake from where he began his 28-mile loop hike.
Area of the park where Sunday's search focused
Sunday's search focused on the Boulder Grand Pass, Mount Alice, McHenry’s Peak, Arrowhead, Stoneman Pass, Chiefs Head Peak, Thatchtop, Powell Peak and Andrews Glacier areas. Those areas are located in the remote heart of the park and include steep terrain.
Ground crews continued to scour areas on the North Inlet and East Inlet trails, Black Lake and Upper Glacier Gorge area, Thunder Lake and Lake Powell.
Pallansch's reported itinerary was an expansive 28-mile route that included crossing the Continental Divide and traveling on established trails as well as off-trail travel through steep talus slopes. The length and remoteness of his route complicates the search.
Pallansch is described as 5-foot-7, 155 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is likely wearing a black ultralight jacket, black running shorts or leggings and a gray fanny pack.
The low temperature in the area Sept. 27-28 was in the low 30s. The area did not see precipitation in the time frame Pallansch went missing and Sunday.
The park is asking the public for information that would help in finding Pallansch, including from anyone who may have seen Pallansch or was in the areas listed above Sept. 27 The park said people do not need to identify themselves. They should call the National Park Service Investigative Services Bureau Tip Line at 888-653-0009, fill out the online form nps.gov/orgs/1563/submit-a-tip.htm or email nps_isb@nps.gov.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Still no sign of missing Fort Collins man in Rocky Mountain National Park
