Chad Pallansch was last heard from on September 27.Photo:National Park Service
National Park Service
Chad Pallansch, 49, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was reported missing on September 28 after park rangers found his vehicle located at the North Inlet Trailhead on the west side of the park,according to a news releasefrom the National Park Service (NPS).
Pallansch was last heard from around noon the day before as he embarked on a rigorous 28-mile route that included crossing the Continental Divide and “off-trail travel through steep talus slopes,” the National Park Service said,
On Sunday, 55 people were involved in search and rescue efforts, including 38 NPS team members who were focused on specific areas of the park including the Boulder Grand Pass, Mount Alice and McHenry’s Peak, according to the NPS.
Pallansch, described as 5 feet, 7 inches and 155 lbs., was wearing a black ultralight jacket, black running shorts or leggings and a grey fanny pack. He had run numerous routes in the area but not the specific course he began last week, the NPS said.
Among the agencies searching for Pallansch in conjunction with the NPS are the Larimer County Search and Rescue (LCSAR), Grand County Search and Rescue, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMR), Colorado Search and Rescue Association (CSAR), the State of Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control’s (DFPC) Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA), Northern Colorado Interagency Helitack (US Forest Service) and a contracted helicopter with Trans Aero.
Pallanch had a navigational tool with him, but did not have the capability to contact emergency services, the NPS said.
Four people have died at Rocky Mountain National Park this year, according to theFort Collins Coloradoan.
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In August,21-year-old Jadyn Weissfell 300 feet to her death while descending a steep mountain gully known as the Flying Dutchman couloir. An unidentified 25-year-old man from San Angelo, Texas, who also fell, suffered critical injuries, the NPSconfirmed at the time.
source: people.com
