Lost Hiker, La Plata Mountains, CO. Can anyone help?

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 11:49:14 AM

I am sick to my stomach over this. A good friend of mine has a son who is an avid outdoorsman. An extremely experienced Hiker, Skier, backpacker, and water guy. He has dedicated his life to outdoor education and works on staff at a facility in Co.
He did not return from a solo hike on Saturday in the La Plata mountains, near Durango. His name is Ian O'Brien and the search is already organized and underway bu they are covering a very large area. They have setup a CP at Lucy Hills parks on FS road 586 where they are assigning search areas covering Hespersus Mountain, Owens Basin, Wes Mancos trail, Sharkstooth trailhead to Box Canyon Trail to Transfer Campground. They are also considering that he could be off trail. I know this young man enough to know he is a power hiker, very comfortable and competent with a map and compass and could be almost anywhere. I also know his survival skills are at a high level and he is smart. So the fact that this is ongoing is a major concern.
If you happen to be in that area and/or have anyway in assisting the search I would consider it a personal favor. His parents are on the way out there now. All I can do here is support the family. His Dad is my crew chief at a major music festival in 3 weeks. I and several others have offered ourselves up to cover any and all of his responsibilities at the festival. I know his whole family and have watched his kids grow up into fine adults. I don't know what else I can do and I really can't even think straight right now.

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 11:52:29 AM

OH, I forgot to add, I have been all over the web trying to get some local reports but nothing seems to be posted yet in the news. If anybody has a lead on local information or news I would be in your debt if you could share that because not knowing what's going on is nearly as bad as not being able to get my feet on the ground out there.

WV Sawmiller · June 26, 2023, 12:27:08 PM

Tom,

So sorry to hear. I hope he is found safe and sound and soon.

SawyerTed · June 26, 2023, 03:45:35 PM

Hope he is safe and is found safe soon!

thecfarm · June 26, 2023, 05:25:09 PM

Wish I could do something to help.

beenthere · June 26, 2023, 05:58:56 PM

Rough country there. Hope he is found safe. Put in some days in that area summer of '61 sampling trees. Wouldn't want to be lost there, for sure.

Frustrating to lose contact. Similar with a 13yr old boy in this central Wisconsin area who they've been looking for the past two weeks.

And last week, looking for a lost sub on a mission to view the Titanic. That didn't turn out well at all.

Hopefully found alive.

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 06:06:34 PM

Thanks for the good wishes guys. Ray I wish that too. in fact I wish I could do something, but all I have been able to do is let his folks know they can call on me for anything they need on the home front while they are out there.
Today I learned his parents could not get decent flights to get them there fast so they are driving out, which concerns me a lot. That's a long drive to do under that much stress. I also learned, or was reminded, the young man has epilepsy and is one regular meds, which he always carries when he hikes or treks, but how much we don't know, nor do we know if he suffered a seizure causing this event. All conjecture on my part, I know. But I have done nothing today but sit here and worry about this fella and his family, his wonderful parents and two beautiful sisters, all under extreme stress.
This worry is tearing me up.

beenthere · June 26, 2023, 06:45:15 PM

Doesn't pay to worry. The hiker knew the risks, and he was willing to take them on as a challenge. Not exactly like a "hold my beer" event, but some take risks and don't think about the possible pain they may cause loved ones.

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 06:52:04 PM

Beenthere, your negative comments are not helpful and please don't tell me how to think about this. I am upset, hurting, and yes, more than a little scared for his family. Torn apart is probably a good way to put it. If you have to throw out 'worst case scenarios' for some reason, I am asking that you don't, because it only adds to my pain right now. Unless maybe that was your goal, but I doubt that.

beenthere · June 26, 2023, 06:57:10 PM

Sorry, and sorry for your pain. Did not think I was being negative, so sorry for that interp.

bags · June 26, 2023, 07:42:48 PM

The S&R fellas here said there were two aircraft and 30 some ground crews in the search--- said he was camped with a girlfriend. I'll bet they have a few more choppers in by tomorrow. Keep hope--- the S&R teams we have here in Colorado keep at it till the jobs done.

WV Sawmiller · June 26, 2023, 08:11:49 PM

Bags,

Hearing he was not out there lone is very reassuring in my opinion. It give me a lot more hope he will be found sooner and safe. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Southside · June 26, 2023, 08:22:56 PM

My experience having done plenty of S&R and searching for folks hiding is that those birds find a lot more after it gets dark. FLIR directed us to a lot of folks that nothing could see during the day.

Hold out hope, young, able, with another person, those are all very favorable odds. My dog and I found an 80's something year old, frail, dimentia, patient, when it was in the 30's for a high, and she was down in a gulley under chest high blackberries. Had been gone 12+ hours, other than being confused as to why Keegan and I were "standing in my bedroom" she was fine. Then she wandered off again, this time from a facility, and we found her, but the weather was nicer and that was an easy track. I know of folks who were legitimately lost for multiple days and in one case a week, they all made it.

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 09:09:15 PM

Bags, I don't know you, but I could kiss you square on the lips. 8) In fact, your post has brought tears to my eyes. I know the SAR folks in CO are the best and don't give up until there is no hope. But I did not know, there was a second person, are you certain of this? I am not doubting you, but his family is not aware of this and there has been no there mention of it. Perhaps he was camped with a partner, but hiked on his own? As you must know, these details are all I (we) have to hang onto right now.
Yes, I know that have a lot of boots on the ground and I can't express how grateful I am for that. I understand they are not turning away non-trained searchers, which is also good because wide area searches require a lot of boots.
BAGS, if you have any more details, please PM me if you don't want to put it up here. I just need to get as much info as I can.

Old Greenhorn · June 26, 2023, 09:19:32 PM

OK, just checked. He is alone, he went off for a trail run while his GF stayed back at camp with friends and he didn't return. Still ANY information is better than not knowing, so thank you. I know they have a lot of boots out there working hard and I know his parents made it safely to the campground.

doc henderson · June 26, 2023, 10:06:25 PM

Hang in Tom!

beenthere · June 26, 2023, 10:17:10 PM

Search underway for missing hiker in La Plata Mountains ? The Durango Herald

B.C.C. Lapp · June 27, 2023, 07:08:56 AM

Hang in there Old Greenhorn. I know your hanging by a thread there but you got to look after yourself any ways. keep eating even if your not hungry, drink plenty of liquids and try to get some sleep.
I am, like lots of the guys here, lending a knee to all that are praying for a happy outcome.

kelLOGg · June 27, 2023, 11:22:38 AM

OG, I have a friend who got lost in a similar fashion on the App Trail. After about 3 to 4 days she ran into someone who let her use his cell phone and it all ended well. I hope the same for your friend.

reride82 · June 27, 2023, 01:44:18 PM

OG,

I pray for a safe return of your friend. I also pray for the S&R teams as this doesn't look like a very straightforward rescue as there is no defined trail to the summit with lots of loose shale once above the treeline.

Levi

beenthere · June 27, 2023, 03:18:07 PM

Yep, the hike up to the top looks rough but awesome view when at the top.

Peak Bagging Hesperus Mountain | Visit Durango - YouTube

Old Greenhorn · June 27, 2023, 08:12:56 PM

Well, I tried to stay busy today after doing my morning searches for any updates. I went to the mill and put in several hours until I was running out of sweat and ran errands, came home had lunch and checked for updates again. Turns out there was a little bit of good news, he was sighted on Sunday and appeared disoriented and dazed. I'll just let his sister explain as she does it better than me:
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"Today marks the start of day 3 of the search for my brother. Please continue to share! It is helping in more ways than I can express!
The local sheriff did confirm that a group of hikers saw Ian looking disoriented and walking into the woods on Sunday. This news creates hope but also makes us concerned that he has been having seizures and is so confused that he didn't ask hikers for help. THIS MEANS THAT SHARING THIS INFO SO LOCAL FOLKS KNOW WHATS GOING ON EVEN MORE IMPORTANT! If he won't stop and ask for help, we need the community to step in!
At this point Ian has been without his medications for longer than we have ever known him to be. This is really scary and puts added pressure on the efforts. Healthy Ian could survive in the woods alone for a long time, but at this point he is not himself and he is in a lot of danger.
Please keep sharing! Please keep reaching out! The support we're feeling from the community and strangers around the country has kept us all going! Ian has the most supportive group of friends and a majority of them also happen to be incredibly competent wilderness experts.
Today, in addition to all of the people who have come out to help look, we have 2 SAR groups, a k-9 unit, drones, trucks, ATV's, folks posted at street corners, etc. My parents arrived to the site yesterday and we have more family on the way. Ian's partner Beth has been spearheading a lot of the efforts and is truly the only woman I would want working on this. She knows the terrain and she knows Ian better than anyone!
PLEASE KEEP SHARING ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE!!!"
-----------------------
So they have changed the classification of the search to a 'medical emergency search' now and have a lot of volunteers showing up to help. Getting the word out on FB and such is how the hikers that ran across him Sunday later learned he was missing and reported the sighting on Monday. They have setup a gofundme page to collect money for supplies and food for the volunteers and rescue teams. I won't solicit here for that but the FB posts are getting pretty easy to find now. We are all trying to keep positive thoughts. I made a phone call today with the festival office letting them know that no matter how this turns out, we have plenty of people to cover my crew chief's duties for him and I am available to to the pre-festival work that is needed.

I want to thank everyone again for the positive thoughts. I know the statistics in cases like this, I just don't like to think about them right now and rely on the power of prayer and support.