Search Underway For Missing Hiker
Woman Walked Away From Lost Valley Ranch
POSTED: 11:13 a.m. MDT September 8, 2002
UPDATED: 7:10 a.m. MDT September 9, 2002
JEFFERSON COUNTY -- The search continued Sunday afternoon for a 53-year-old woman who was reported missing.
The woman, identified as Terry Schmidt, apparently left Lost Valley Ranch for a hike Friday afternoon and has not been seen since. The ranch is located in Jefferson County, near Cheeseman Reservoir in the Hayman burn area.
"It's a little unusual to have someone go missing at that hour of the day and 24 hours later have them still be missing," Bill Barwick from Alpine Search and Rescue told 7News.
Schmidt was attending a conference at the ranch with her spouse and decided to take a hike while her husband was attending to business, 7News reported.
The Alpine Search and Rescue team is coordinating the search efforts, which began at 2 a.m. Saturday.
Nearly 70 people are taking part in the search efforts, including five dog teams and one helicopter.
Foul play was not believed to be involved and investigators say the woman may be simply lost somewhere in the dark burn area, according to Mark Mattivi of Alpine Search and Rescue.
Because the area where Schmidt was hiking is in the burn area, a lot of the familiar landmarks are gone and she probably got disoriented, according to Barwick.
Crews expected to continue the search until dusk Sunday and resume at daybreak on Monday morning.
The woman, identified as Terry Schmidt, apparently left Lost Valley Ranch for a hike Friday afternoon and has not been seen since. The ranch is located in Jefferson County, near Cheeseman Reservoir in the Hayman burn area.
"It's a little unusual to have someone go missing at that hour of the day and 24 hours later have them still be missing," Bill Barwick from Alpine Search and Rescue told 7News.
Schmidt was attending a conference at the ranch with her spouse and decided to take a hike while her husband was attending to business, 7News reported.
The Alpine Search and Rescue team is coordinating the search efforts, which began at 2 a.m. Saturday.
Nearly 70 people are taking part in the search efforts, including five dog teams and one helicopter.
Foul play was not believed to be involved and investigators say the woman may be simply lost somewhere in the dark burn area, according to Mark Mattivi of Alpine Search and Rescue.
Because the area where Schmidt was hiking is in the burn area, a lot of the familiar landmarks are gone and she probably got disoriented, according to Barwick.
Crews expected to continue the search until dusk Sunday and resume at daybreak on Monday morning.
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
