This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Unified Police are looking for a 77-year-old man who went missing during a hike Saturday morning.
The man, who family said is a frequent and experienced hiker, was hiking on the White Pines Trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon with some companions. He began to fall behind and at about 11 a.m. told the group to go ahead, saying he would meet up with them on their way back, according to Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell.
His hiking companions made it to the end of the trail and headed back down toward the parking lot without encountering the man. They then called police, Bell said.
Officers found his car in the White Pines parking lot, and search and rescue crews began to look for him along the mountain trail in the early evening. A Life Flight helicopter aided in the search from the air.
As darkness fell, Bell said, they were trying to contact AirMed, whose helicopters have an infrared feature that can read heat signatures and help with searches at night. But he was unaware whether AirMed helicopters were available.
The Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter was not available Saturday, Bell said, because it was in Wyoming to assist with the search for a man suspected of kidnapping and assaulting a Centerville woman and her four daughters, Bell said.
Bell said there was no indication that the man was injured, but his age was a concern.
The Tribune will update this story as more information becomes available.
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