UPDATE | Thursday, Sept. 18 | The missing elk hunters have been found deceased, family members announced. Read more in this story.
CONEJOS COUNTY, Colo. — A search and rescue effort is underway in Conejos County to locate two missing hunters.
On Tuesday, the Conejos County Sheriff's Office said Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah, had disappeared during an elk hunting trip west of Trujillo Meadows Reservoir, which is about 4 miles north of the Colorado-New Mexico line.
Their loved ones were expecting them to check in at a predetermined time, but they never did, the sheriff's office said. The families have not heard from the men since Thursday, Sept. 11, when severe storms moved into the area.
On Saturday, deputies with the sheriff's office responded to the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead to try to locate the two men, the sheriff's office said.
Deputies found their car at the trailhead. Inside, they found camping gear and backpacks. This concerned deputies because of the recent poor weather.
Search and rescue operations began, including crews on foot, in the air and with dogs.
In an update Wednesday, the Conejos County Sheriff's Office said it has had over 54 teams of professionally trained Search and Rescue personnel, mixed with volunteers, in the field. Each team is made up of three to four individuals, either on foot or on horseback.
Volunteers from Texas, Arkansas, Wyoming and other states have come to the area to aid in the search, according to the sheriff's office. Numerous drones and aviation equipment, including a "personally owned Black Hawk Helicopter," are also being used.
A verified GoFundMe has been created to help with the search.
"We need more help and we need it now," Porter's aunt Lynne Runkle wrote on the GoFundMe. "We need more resources and we need them now. We are working furiously to find additional support as quickly as possible; time is of the essence."
Denver7's news partner KOAA has been in contact with Porter's fiancée, Bridget Murphy, who said she has not heard from the two men since Thursday evening.
"While they are experienced hunters, bad cold storms and fog came in quickly and continuously until Sunday morning," Murphy wrote. "A lot of their gear is still in their car at the trailhead, as we assume they probably thought they were going out for a quick evening hunt with clear weather."
She is asking anybody with qualified hunting or hiking experience to come to the Los Pinos Trailhead and help search on foot, KOAA reported.
"I love Andrew with all of my heart, and if you can’t come help, please just pray for a safe recovery," Murphy said. "We are desperate for help and assistance on foot to support SAR [Search and Rescue] with the Conejo County Sheriff's Office that has been so very supportive and dedicated to searching. We are grateful for their dedication and ongoing hard work."
As of Wednesday morning, the two men are still missing.
Anybody with information is asked to call the Conejos County Sheriff's Office at 719-376-2196. The family is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who can find them.
This is a developing story and will be updated. Denver7 is working to learn more.
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