News Release

Body Found Believed To Be That Of Brian Perri

Date: July 29, 2018
Contact: Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer, [phone]
Contact: Park Information, [phone]

Yesterday afternoon, Saturday, July, 28, 2018, a body was found by a Rocky Mountain National Park Climbing Ranger southwest (incorrectly listed as northwest in original release) of the summit of Mount Meeker in steep terrain. Boulder County Coroner’s office will not release positive identification until completion of an autopsy. However, it is believed that the body is that of Brian Perri, 38, of Fort Collins, Colorado.
 
Additional rangers arrived on scene last night and stayed in the area overnight. An on scene investigation will take place today. Once the investigation is complete more details will be released. Until then, no further information is available.
    
Late Thursday July 5, 2018, park rangers were notified by Fort Collins Police that Brian Joseph Perri, 38, of Fort Collins, Colorado, had been reported as missing.  Perri was last known in the Mount Meeker area of Rocky Mountain National Park.  On June 30, Perri texted a friend a photograph of himself from the summit of Mount Meeker.  After rangers were notified of the missing man on July 5, six days after he was expected back, they located Perri’s car in the parking lot at the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead.   Perri was day hiking and was expected out on Saturday, June 30.

Extensive search efforts began the evening of Thursday, July 5, and encompassed significant sections of 22.5 square miles above tree line as well as forested areas. The majority of the search area was in rugged and remote terrain with loose rock, steep ridges, and exposed cliffs, on ridge lines and couloirs. The area was searched by helicopters, ground searchers, dog teams, and UAS reconnaissance.  Assisting Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue members has been Larimer County Search and Rescue members and dog teams, Rocky Mountain Rescue based in Boulder County, Fort Collins Police, Northern Colorado Helitack, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Flight For Life Air Ambulance and Colorado Search and Rescue Board members.