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Missing Hiker At Colorado National Monument

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By NPT Staff - June 26th, 2020
Searchers at Colorado National Monument on Friday were looking for a hiker missing since Monday/NPS HO

Searchers at Colorado National Monument on Friday were looking for Jim Fuchs, who was thought to be missing since going on a hike Monday/NPS HO

A search-and-rescue mission was continuing Friday at Colorado National Monument for a local man who went for a hike on Monday and hasn't turned up since.

Staff at the park in western Colorado say Jim Fuchs, 66, of Grand Junction, Colorado, left a note Monday that indicated he was going for a hike in the monument. Thursday evening park officials were contacted by a friend who said they weren't able to reach Fuchs.

Fuchs’ vehicle was found at the Lower Serpents Trail parking lot, just inside the east (Grand Junction) entrance to the monument.

Searchers from the National Park Service, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and Mesa County Search and Rescue Ground Team began searching Thursday night, helped by a licensed drone equipped with thermal imaging and cameras. The search resumed first thing Friday morning.

More than a dozen volunteers were combing through miles of nearby canyons for any sign of Fuchs. Teams are physically hiking through the area as well as searching by air with the help of the drone.

Fuchs was described as standing 5-foot-11 and weighing about 175 pounds. It was not known what he was wearing when he went hiking.

Anyone hiking along the trails or backcountry from the Devil’s Kitchen or Lower Serpents parking lots over the last four days who might have seen Fuchs is asked to call monument staff at 970-250-0805. 

The red circle covers the general area being searched for Jim Fuchs.

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