Rocky Mountain National Park – An outpouring of volunteers found no sign Monday of a park ranger who has not been seen since he headed into the backcountry Friday.
After searching for Jeff Christensen all day Saturday and Sunday with about 25 and 50 rescuers, respectively, park officials were expecting as many as 80 people to show up Monday. But more than 125 were on hand as the search area became more focused.
“And I know there are people who did not sign up,” ranger spokesman Scott Sticha said of the search party. “It’s almost more than we can manage.”
Sticha said so many people have come out that park officials have asked a management team – similar to one that would help on a wildfire – to take over logistics. That team will begin arriving today.
Meanwhile, volunteers and rescuers are trying to remain upbeat as the third day of searching for their friend and co-worker passed with no clues.
Christensen, 31 – a fit and experienced ranger – left the Chapin Pass Trailhead about 11 a.m. Friday for a routine, solo patrol of the rugged Mummy Range. He had a radio and some essential gear with him.
Despite the numbers of people and two helicopters, just figuring out where to search is complicated. The foot trail at the Chapin Pass Trailhead is mapped for only about a quarter of a mile. After that, Christensen could have chosen to walk anywhere in an 8- to 12-square-mile area that starts at about 10,500 feet and rises quickly to over 13,000 feet.
With each passing day, it becomes less and less likely that he is simply lost, rescuers say. Searchers are holding out hope that Christensen is trapped somewhere in the craggy, rutted mountains where radio signals cannot get out.
“Injured would be the best-case scenario,” Sticha said.
Sticha said he was surprised no one had reported seeing the ranger after he left the trailhead. About 30,000 tourists come into the park on a given weekend day in the summer.
Several people from the Winter Park area – where Christensen has worked on the ski patrol the past seven years – have joined the search party.
A group of six who identified themselves as Christensen’s friends rested during an afternoon drizzle at the Chapin Pass Trailhead but declined to comment.
Ranger spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said no ranger in recent memory has gone missing for more than an afternoon. The park has never had an on-duty ranger fatality.
Staff writer Steve Lipsher contributed to this report.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 720-929-0893 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
