News Release

Search Efforts For Micah Tice Continue Saturday In The Longs Peak Area

Date: December 1, 2018
Contact: Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer, [phone]
Contact: Park Information, [phone]

Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members continue to search the Longs Peak area for Micah Tice. All of today’s ground search efforts will be focused in the Boulder Brook drainage and Storm Pass area. Over the last week the overall search area has encompassed approximately 10 square miles.  Due to conducive flying conditions today, two Colorado National Guard helicopters from Buckley Air Force Base are assisting with aerial reconnaissance. However, cloud cover on Longs Peak is impacting visibility from the helicopters and they are encountering strong wind gusts.

Also assisting Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members today include Rocky Mountain Rescue, Diamond Peaks Ski Patrol, Air Force Academy Mountaineering Club, Alpine Rescue Team, Larimer County Search and Rescue and Front Range Rescue Dogs. FLIR Systems Inc. volunteered their services to use their fixed wing aircraft to conduct thermal imaging of the search area. They conducted a flight on Thursday night as well. Ground searchers are facing areas of deep snow, high winds, freezing temperatures, frigid wind chill and are mitigating avalanche danger.

Thursday, Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members received information from park visitors who were in the Longs Peak area on Saturday, November 24. They spoke and hiked with Micah Tice for approximately 20 minutes. They reported that he was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, a black hat, black lightweight gloves, tennis shoes and a light blue backpack. Micah indicated he had started from the Longs Peak Trailhead at 6:30 a.m. They last saw Micah in the vicinity of the Battle Mountain area, between 7:30 to 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 24, as visibility and weather conditions continued to deteriorate.  

On Monday, November 26, Rocky Mountain National Park rangers were notified that the US Air Force Academy was asking for assistance in locating a missing Cadet Candidate, Micah Tice, 20, from Las Vegas, Nevada, who was last heard from late Friday, November 23. Tice’s vehicle was located at the Longs Peak Trailhead late Monday afternoon. It is unknown what Tice’s planned destination or route was. Weather for Longs Peak on Saturday included blizzard conditions, extremely high winds, bitter cold temperatures and snow accumulation.
 
Park rangers would like to hear from anyone who has been in the Longs Peak area since Saturday morning, November 24, or who may have had contact with Tice regarding his planned route on Longs Peak. Please call Rocky Mountain National Park at [phone].