PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. — A woman has been reported missing after she reportedly went on a hike with her dog northwest of Aspen.
Just before 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, a person told a Pitkin County Sheriff's Office deputy that their family member, 75-year-old Jennifer Hearn, went on a hike on Triangle Peak off Upper River Road on Sunday around 11 a.m. but had not yet returned. The person said Hearn brought her 3-year-old dog, a brown Irish setter named Tawny, with her, according to the sheriff's office. The dog may be skittish.
Her family said they did not know Hearn's exact plans, but knew that her car was at the trailhead. They said she hikes the trail three to four times a week.
After the initial report, a team of volunteers from Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) went to the Triangle Peak trailhead to search the area. They concluded the search around 2:40 a.m. The search resumed at 8:17 a.m. Monday.
Thirty members of MRA, one helicopter from Flight for Life, one multi-mission aircraft from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and one dog and handler from Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States continued the search. As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, they were still in the field.
Hearn may have worn jean shorts with a green T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt.
Authorities described her as a white woman standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds. She has brown eyes and shoulder-length gray hair.
“We understand, and are immensely thankful for the public's desire to aid in the search efforts," said Pitkin County Undersheriff Alex Burchetta. "We are using specialized aircraft with equipment that can detect activity with heat sensors. That equipment could register false positives that are not the person we are searching for if we have unauthorized personnel in our search area. Our focus is to search for and find Jennifer. We want to avoid someone else possibly being injured and distracting our efforts from that goal."
They asked the public to avoid the area. Anybody who lives in the Triangle Peak is asked to check their outside surveillance cameras for possible footage of Hearn.
The Triangle Peak route from the road is just over 5 miles out and back, with the summit reaching about 9,200 feet. It is a steep trail in rocky terrain. The parking area is about 10 miles northwest of Aspen.
Anybody who sees Hearn or knows where she is should call the sheriff's office at 970-920-5300 or submit information through this link.
