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Authorities vowed to continue the search for a hiker who went missing near Lake Tahoe on Memorial Day, despite sending nearly all rescue crews home last Monday amid fears the man had died.“It’s not called off,” El Dorado sheriff’s deputy Gregory Almos said of the search.“We don’t have active boots on the ground right now, but we were in a helicopter on Wednesday and have future plans to go with more ground crews.” Just a week ago, nearly 200 rescue workers, mostly volunteers, were still combing the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado National Forest searching for Jason Coughran, 60, after the hiker went missing on May 25.
But by Monday, hope of finding the Sacramento Valley man alive had dwindled, Almos said.“If we were out looking for a person that was up and able to attract attention, then we would have found him,” the deputy said.
Coughran disappeared in the popular recreation area near Lake Tahoe just as a low-pressure system descended on the region, plunging temperatures to near freezing.The ensuing late-season storm brought snow and rain, significantly reducing the chances Coughran could have survived.
Rescuers quickly mobilized a network of volunteers and professionals from across California, tapping about 20 agencies to assist in scouring some 60,000 acres of woodland.Those teams have since been sent home, but the search remains ongoing, Almos said.
“We’ve been flying our helicopter over the area ...and continue searching some of the segments that are hard to reach from the ground,” he said.
“We have plans for the future, including another large effort coming here relatively soon.” The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver.
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