Searchers looked along Hourglass Ridge and Mount Alice in their effort to find a missing trail runner/NPS

Following more than a week of fruitless searching for a 49-year-old trail runner in the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, the search is being scaled back.

Since Chad Pallansch, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was reported missing on September 28, crews on the ground, some with dog teams, in the air, and utilizing drones have searched for the experienced trail runner and marathoner.  Recent efforts were focused on areas around Black Lake, Lake Powell, Stone Man Pass, Chiefs Head Peak, McHenry’s Peak, Mount Alice, and surrounding ridgeline areas. Search efforts have not provided further clues at this point, said a park release Tuesday.

Investigations are ongoing and NPS Search and Rescue Team members continue to review aerial photographs and drone footage. However, broadscale search efforts are being suspended. Patrols will continue to occur in the search area when conditions warrant and further actions may be considered.  Reported clues will be investigated as appropriate.

Pallansch was reported overdue on September 28, and park rangers found his vehicle parked at the North Inlet Trailhead on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Pallansch was last heard from around noon on Wednesday, September 27, when a text that was received at that time indicated he was almost to the summit of Mount Alice and roughly 7 miles from the Bear Lake area.    

Dog teams failed to find any trace of the missing man/NPS

Pallansch started from the East Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake on Wednesday, September 27. His reported itinerary was an expansive 28-mile route that included crossing the Continental Divide and traveling on established trails as well as off trail travel through steep talus slopes. Potential travel areas included Lake Verna, Mount Alice, Chiefs Head Peak, Black Lake, Mills Lake, and Flattop Mountain. Pallansch had not attempted this route previously, but is an experienced trail runner who has run numerous routes in the park, including Longs Peak more than 30 times.      

The runner was described as 5’7,” 155 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He likely was wearing a black ultralight jacket, black running shorts or leggings, and a grey fanny pack. Pallansch had personal navigation with him, but the device was not designed for emergency assistance.   

Search efforts included air reconnaissance, a drone team, heat sensing fixed-wing flights, dog teams, as well as ground crews on the North Inlet and East Inlet Trails, Mount Alice, Black Lake, Upper Glacier Gorge area, Thunder Lake, Lion Lakes, Sandbeach Lake, Boulder-Grand Pass, Lowell Peak, McHenry’s Peak, Arrowhead, Thatchtop, Stone Man Pass, Chiefs Head Peak, west ridge of Pagoda, Andrews Glacier, Upper Chaos Canyon, and Tyndall Glacier areas.  

If you have information that could help investigators, if you may have seen or know Chad Pallansch, or if you were in the areas listed above on September 27, you're asked to contact park staff. You don't have to identify yourself. You can reach Park Service investigators at 888-653-0009, ONLINE form go.NPS.gov/SubmitATip, or EMAIL [email protected].