UPDATE: New Yorker Who Thought He Could Hike Across Trail Ridge Road In Rocky Mountain National Park Missing

Published Date

January 29, 2015

Crews, some on ATVs, were successful Thursday in their search for a man who thought he could hike across Trail Ridge Road in winter/NPS

A New York man who thought he could hike across Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in the middle of winter was found Thursday and airlifted to a hospital.

The man, Jay Starr, Jr., 34, of Cohoes, New York, told rangers on Monday that he planned to walk across the road, which is closed to vehicle traffic in winter due to heavy snow and high winds.

"Rangers advised him against this based on his behavior and his lack of preparedness for winter alpine conditions. Starr was wearing tennis shoes, jeans or tan canvas pants, a black/blue jacket, no hat or gloves and was carrying a plastic grocery bag," a park release said.

Thursday afternoon he was located by rangers just east of Ute Crossing, and flown shortly after 4 p.m. to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, officials said. Further details were not immediately available.

Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, with its highest point reaching 12,183 feet. Over ten miles of the road are above 11,500 feet. The road closed to vehicles for the season on November 4, 2014. The closures are located at Many Parks Curve on the east side and Colorado River Trailhead on the west side. The road is not maintained during the winter. Conditions on the road range from bare wind-blown asphalt to deep snow drifts.

On Tuesday afternoon, park rangers on skis contacted Starr above Many Parks Curve on Trail Ridge Road. They were concerned for his welfare and were attempting to assist him.

"Starr fled from rangers up a dry section of the road. Starr continued to elude rangers until darkness fell," the park reported.

Jay Starr, Jr., thought he could hike across Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in the middle of winter/NPS

Beginning early on Wednesday, two teams of rangers tried to locate Starr again on Trail Ridge Road. One team came from the east side of the park and the other team came from the west side of the park. Rangers faced wind gusts of 50-60 mph, the park reported, making it hard for the rangers to follow Starr's footprints.

"Aerial operations were not possible due to high winds. The entire road corridor was checked. Starr was not located," the release added.

On Thursday rangers again tried to find the man along the road corridor. They were being assisted by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer with an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) equipped with snow tracks. Today's operations are also being aided by an over-snow tracked vehicle and operator from Estes Park Power and Light. The motorized equipment is only being used on Trail Ridge Road.

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Comments

Submitted by Rick B. on January 29, 2015 - 4:10pm.

Unfortunately, it appears this poor fellow is trying actively to climb the Darwin incline.

Submitted by Lee Dalton on January 29, 2015 - 4:11pm.

We sure are getting some very interesting looking ads on the margins of the website.

Submitted by beachdumb on January 29, 2015 - 6:09pm.

We sure are getting some very interesting looking ads on the margins of the website.

Those ads are mostly unique for each visitor and are based on the data the advertiser has collected on you. Clear your browser cookies and you will get different ads.

Submitted by Lee Dalton on January 29, 2015 - 9:53pm.

Thanks, beach. But I sure don't see how they could have collected anything from me that might indicate interest in some of that stuff.

Submitted by Rick B. on January 30, 2015 - 1:26am.

Nuts. All those rangers and pilots and other volunteers being put in significant discomfort and risk, for one jackalope. I hope he gets billed for every penny of expense saving his sorry soul.

Submitted by Gary Wilson on January 30, 2015 - 8:55am.

A severe case of "greenhorn" is strong in this one.

Submitted by mtgnppics on January 30, 2015 - 9:52am.

Poor guy..... definitely needs a serious psychiatric evaluation.

Submitted by pauletteb on February 3, 2015 - 3:08pm.

I hope this idiot gets billed for all the equipment and man-hours required to rescue him!

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