COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — On Thursday morning, the Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members received new information from park visitors about missing hiker Micah Tice.
The visitors said they were in the Longs Peak area on Saturday and had spoke and hiked with Tice for about 20 minutes.
They said he was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black hat, black lightweight gloves, tennis shoes and a light blue backpack.
As they hiked, Tice told the visitors he had started from the Longs Peak Trailhead at 6:30 a.m. The visitors said they last saw him around Battle Mountain between 7:30 and 8 a.m. that day.
The weather started to deteriorate after that point, and visibility dropped.
The rescue teams continued to search the Long Peak area Thursday, focusing their efforts on the Longs Peak Trail, East Longs Peak Trail, Granite Pass, and Jim’s Grove area, as well as the Boulder Brook Trail area and the Storm Pass area. High winds on Thursday forced the searchers to limit their efforts to below 12,000 feet.
Tice, a cadet candidate at the US Air Force Academy from Las Vegas, was last heard from late in the day on Nov. 23. His vehicle was found at the Longs Peak Trailhead on Monday. His destination is unknown.
Weather at Longs Peak on Saturday included blizzard conditions, high winds, cold temperatures and snow.
Tice is described as a white male, standing 5 feet, 11 inches and weighing about 160 pounds. He has dark hair and brown eyes.
Anybody who was in the Longs Peak area on Saturday or contacted Tice is encouraged to call Rocky Mountain National Park at 970-586-1204, the academy at 719-375-4111 or Colorado Springs police at 719-444-7000.