The father of a 3-year-old boy who disappeared while on a hike nine years ago joined others today in promoting recreational-safety awareness.
Allyn Atadero, a teacher at Falcon Bluffs Middle School in Littleton, said cases like that of his son, Jaryd, who disappeared while on a hike in 1999, show the need for Coloradans to take safety precautions while enjoying the state’s natural beauty.
“When you’re on a trail, you need to make sure 100 percent of the time you know where everybody is,” Atadero said. “You can’t turn your back on anyone, especially young ones.”
Atadero and his son were on a camping trip in northern Colorado with a Christian singles group, but the father was not among the 11 adults on the hike in the Big South Trail area of Poudre Canyon when Jaryd disappeared.
After DNA testing on a skull fragment and a child’s tooth that were found, authorities believe the boy may have been attacked by a mountain lion. Atadero, however, said he is not convinced that was the cause of his son’s disappearance.
Atadero said that a key piece of equipment on a hike is a whistle, which a child can blow when lost.
“I would think we would have found him if he had had a whistle,” Atadero said.
He and state Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, held a press conference at Falcon Bluffs Middle School to talk about recreational safety.
Gov. Bill Ritter has issued a proclamation designating this week as Recreational Safety Awareness Week.
The proclamation calls for hikers, skiers and others to “have a basic knowledge of general emergency procedures, travel with food, water, a whistle and first-aid kits, and choose to take advantage of Colorado’s wilderness in a group or with a partner, rather than alone.”
Outdoor enthusiasts also should be aware of weather conditions, how to handle encounters with wild animals, injury, dehydration, hunger and getting lost or separated, the proclamation says.
