KC/Challenger Accident

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Evans24
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KC/Challenger Accident

Post by Evans24 »

We were up hiking Kit Carson and Challenger and Search and Rescue was up there searching for a guy named Mike. I guess he disappeared on Friday or Saturday on the mountain? We camped right by his tent and didn't see him come back. We saw the helicopters on Sunday all day. We were wondering if anyone had any updates if he was found? Our thoughts are with him and his family.
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jdorje
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by jdorje »

The helicopter flew over 3-5 times between 1000 and 1400 yesterday. The latter flights appeared to be staging out of crestone, possibly ferrying up SAR members. I thought I heard the chopper again around 2100 but could not get a visual.

Friday and Saturday both had significant weather. Sunday was pretty clear all day though. Stay safe everyone, especially SAR.
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OutdoorEsprit
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by OutdoorEsprit »

Evans24 wrote:We were up hiking Kit Carson and Challenger and Search and Rescue was up there searching for a guy named Mike. I guess he disappeared on Friday or Saturday on the mountain? We camped right by his tent and didn't see him come back. We saw the helicopters on Sunday all day. We were wondering if anyone had any updates if he was found? Our thoughts are with him and his family.

Do you have a description of Mike? I'm a co-worker of a guy named Mike who went climbing this weekend and is as yet still missing. The Mike I work with is a 50-60 year old male, about 5'5".

I don't want to jump the gun, but I think the guy you were next to might be my co-worker. We're in contact with his family, and any information would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by OutdoorEsprit on Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
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Evans24
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by Evans24 »

OutdoorEsprit wrote:
Evans24 wrote:We were up hiking Kit Carson and Challenger and Search and Rescue was up there searching for a guy named Mike. I guess he disappeared on Friday or Saturday on the mountain? We camped right by his tent and didn't see him come back. We saw the helicopters on Sunday all day. We were wondering if anyone had any updates if he was found? Our thoughts are with him and his family.

Do you have a description of Mike? I'm a co-worker of a guy named Mike who went climbing this weekend and is as yet still missing. The Mike I work with is a 50-60 year old male, about 5'5".

I don't want to jump the gun, but I think the guy you were next to might be my co-worker. We're in contact with his family, and any information would be great appreciated.
Sounds very familiar to the description of what the SAR guys were telling us. We never saw him as we camped close to his tent, but had no idea it was his until the SAR guys came and talked with us and asked us if we had seem him and to be on the look out. Unfortunately, he never came back to the tent.
bencormier
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by bencormier »

Anybody have any updates on Mike? Hopefully the weather is better today for SAR.
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TheOtherIndian
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by TheOtherIndian »

OutdoorEsprit wrote:
Evans24 wrote:We were up hiking Kit Carson and Challenger and Search and Rescue was up there searching for a guy named Mike. I guess he disappeared on Friday or Saturday on the mountain? We camped right by his tent and didn't see him come back. We saw the helicopters on Sunday all day. We were wondering if anyone had any updates if he was found? Our thoughts are with him and his family.

Do you have a description of Mike? I'm a co-worker of a guy named Mike who went climbing this weekend and is as yet still missing. The Mike I work with is a 50-60 year old male, about 5'5".

I don't want to jump the gun, but I think the guy you were next to might be my co-worker. We're in contact with his family, and any information would be great appreciated.
The SAR description was 56 year old Caucasian male Michael from Denver, about 5 foot 5 inches, 130 pounds (not 100% sure about the height-weight as I was a little tired when talking to them). Was last seen on Challenger ridge and is likely wearing tan and grey clothing. I believe he was hiking on Friday.
Anything less than immortality is a complete waste of time. -Bender 'Bending' Rodriguez
John Cormier
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by John Cormier »

Hello, this is Mike's brother John writing from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The description of Mike (above) is pretty accurate but more like 5'3", 140 lbs, a beard and sandy blonde hair and balding. He's the oldest of 6 boys and I'm the youngest bother. Brothers Matthew and Steve are en route to Kit Carson Peak (or rather the closest search command post) and should be there tonight around 6pm local time. His two sons Colin (25 yrs old from Utah) and Joseph (22 yrs old from California) are also en route but not sure of their arrival time. We are in constant touch with the authorities but ANY updates or info you may have please post it. I just joined the forum don't have constant access to it but will respond to anything ASAP. Obviously our mother is worried sick so your support and prayers are appreciated.
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by SurfNTurf »

Hoping for a positive outcome. My thoughts are with the Cormier family and the SAR personnel participating in the search.
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mtgirl
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by mtgirl »

Hoping the Cromier family receives positive news today, and Mike is found safe. Waiting on news is the hardest part, and my thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest assured, the SAR folks in the area are first class, and they will do everything in their power to locate him.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by bigdaddylewis »

Mike caught up to our group as we were ascending Challenger on Friday morning. He summited Challenger, left his helmet and headed for Kit Carson. We met him again on Kit Carson as he was leaving the summit. The last we saw him he was picking up his helmet on Challenger and heading West on the ridge... that was about 12:20. We were off the Challenger ridge before the storm hit and he was quite a ways ahead of us. He was wearing a khaki shirt and tan/gray shorts, gray REI backpack with orange accents. Really nice guy... praying for his safety.
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Steve Climber
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by Steve Climber »

Hate hearing these. Positive thoughts for Mike, his family, and SAR for a speedy and safe rescue.
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Re: KC/Challenger Missing Person

Post by OutdoorEsprit »

Mike is a wonderful guy, always sharing stories about his adventures in the mountains with a huge smile on his face, always eager and looking for the next mountain to climb. Last I heard, he's climbed around 43 of them, so he certainly has lots of experience and so many stories to tell. Couldn't ask for a better guy to climb next to.
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
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