An Ohio man, missing for several days, is the subject of an extensive search that stretched into the third day Tuesday.  The man, Gene George, 64, resident of Bay Village, Ohio has not been heard from since last Wednesday, September 18, when he spoke by telephone from his Buena Vista motel room with a friend in Cleveland, Ohio and told her he planned to hike Mount Harvard either the next day or Friday.  On Sunday, when he failed to check out of his motel as scheduled, the motel owner, concerned for the man’s safety, notified Buena Vista police.  Authorities then discovered Mr. George’s vehicle parked and locked at the North Cottonwood Creek trailhead.  A search mission was launched that same afternoon and continued the following day. 

Undersheriff John Spezze is the overall incident commander with Deputy Marty Johnson assisting.  On Monday evening, as the search failed to turn up any trace of Mr. George, the undersheriff began marshaling additional resources from around the region.  This morning saw the arrival of search teams from the counties of Grand, Summit, Eagle, Gunnison, Pitkin, and Teller, as well as from the Evergreen-based Alpine Rescue Team, to assist Chaffee County search and rescue teams.  In all, more than forty hikers were assembled to continue the search.  In addition, at least four search dogs and two horseback teams are participating in the mission.  All are unpaid volunteers.  Two helicopters are expected to assist in the search as well.  

The missing hiker, Gene George, is described as a Caucasian male, brown hair, blue eyes, approximately 5’6” tall, weighing about 135 pounds.  He is thought to be wearing a dark blue jacket and dark blue hiking pants, possibly with a gray rain suit.  He may be carrying a faded green backpack.