Jan 29, 2008 6:25 pm US/Mountain
Tracks Found In Search For Missing Snowmobilers
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Rescuers got text messages from at least two snowmobilers lost in the snow-covered mountains west of Denver on Tuesday, but they weren't sure if a third missing man is with them.
Authorities said the text messages don't send a long of enough signal to track and locate their cell phones, but they said they found a snowmobile and tracks.
The three failed to return Sunday night from a planned one-day trip. Friends and family members tried finding them on Monday, but authorities said they were not notified until Monday night.
Summit County sheriff's spokeswoman Paulette Horr said searchers believe they are closing in on the men's location but were having trouble deciphering the shorthand language used in the messages.
"They're really close," Horr said.
Horr said rescuers believe at least two of the men are together. She said it's possible the third is with them but just hasn't been mentioned in the texts.
Horr identified the missing men as John McKibben of Kremmling, Murry Mellonio of Littleton and Greg Morris of Florida. Morris' hometown had not been released.
Horr said about 35 people on snowmobiles and snowshoes were searching. A helicopter participated earlier in the day.
Horr said the start of the search was delayed by bad weather and avalanche danger. She said three friends who were searching for the missing men got stranded at a cabin but got out late Monday night.
About 3 feet of snow has fallen in the area since Sunday morning, said Kyle Fredin of the National Weather Service.
A cold front that moved across the state Monday dropped up to 30 inches of snow in the mountains and pummeled the Denver area with winds of 25 mph and gusts up to 45 mph.
Snow began to taper off Tuesday but up to a foot more is expected before the weather clears up by the weekend, Fredin said.
The storm caused temporary closures on Interstate 70 in the mountains west of Denver, on U.S. 287 from Ted's Place north of Fort Collins to Laramie, Wyo., and on U.S. 550 over Coal Bank, Molas, and Red Mountain passes.
Associated Press Writer P. Solomon Banda contributed to this report.
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