Search enters the 6th day for hiker missing in Joshua Tree National Park

by Coachella Valley | July 18, 2018 12:02 am

#LostHikerNews, a search begins for hiker missing in Joshua Tree National Park. Cover photo by Laura Green.

UPDATE: 7/18/18 2am 

Check here for regular updates.

Search for missing hiker at Joshua Tree National Park trail reaches it’s 6th day

“Still no sign, not even so much as a footprint so it’s somewhat of a mystery,” Joshua Tree Park spokesman George Land said.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) – Trackers with dogs are combing part of Joshua Tree National Park in search of a Canadian man missing since heading out for a hike Friday morning.

The National Park Service says Miller departed for the hike at 9 a.m. Friday and his wife reported him overdue at noon. His car was found at the 49 Palms Oasis trailhead.

Summertime temperatures can surpass 100 degrees in the park.

UPDATE: 7/16/18 2pm by Craige Campbell

Search for lost hiker enters its fourth day. 

A search is currently underway for a 51-year-old Canadian man who went missing, hiking in 49 Palms Oasis Friday morning. As of Monday, 90 people are participating in the search for Miller. That’s up from the 35 searchers from Saturday .

Missing Hiker in Joshua Tree National Park[1]

Paul Miller, 51, was last seen by his wife at around 9 a.m. Friday when he left to hike to 49 Palms Oasis, Joshua Tree Park spokesman George Land said.

His wife notified park rangers about noon that he was missing and a search was started about 12:30. Miller’s vehicle was located in the 49 Palms Oasis parking lot.

Rain that hit the park before the disappearance may make a difference in his ultimate survival. “It does give us a little more hope,” Joshua Tree spokesman George Land said. “Obviously, every day that passes it becomes more urgent to find this gentleman.”

The trail is accessible from the southern end of Canyon Road, which intersects with Highway 62 about four miles west of 29-Palms. It’s a three-mile round trip with a 300-foot elevation gain and takes about two to three hours for hikers to complete, according to the National Parks Service.

“It’s not a real difficult trail. You go in and come out the same way,” Land said. “However, it is a little bit of a rigorous trail.”

 

UPDATE: 7/15/18 2pm by Craige Campbell

Joshua Tree National Park – Search and rescue efforts are continuing, after the wife of a 51-year old Canadian man reported her husband missing while hiking at Joshua Tree National Park on Friday.

“We’ve had anywhere between 30 and 40 searchers on the ground out there we’ve been augmented by San Bernardino Sheriff Department helicopter also their search and rescue group as well as canine units, said” George Land, the Public Information Officer for Joshua Tree National Park.

Miller’s vehicle was found parked at the 49 Palm Oasis trailhead. The trail remains closed as search efforts continue.

“We’re hoping that we find him in good health and we’re able to return him to his loved ones, said” Land

As originally reported By Craige Campbell / CoachellaValley.com / July 14th, 2018

A search is currently unerway for a 51-year-old Canadian man who went missing, hiking in 49 Palms Oasis Friday morning

Paul Miller, 51, was last seen by his wife at around 9 a.m. Friday when he left to hike to 49 Palms Oasis, park spokesman George Land said.

His wife notified park rangers about noon that he was missing and a search was started about 12:30. Miller’s vehicle was located in the 49 Palms Oasis parking lot.

About 35 searchers from the Joshua Tree National Park Search and Rescue as well as a K-9 search team and a helicopter from the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department are participating in the search.

Miller is described as caucasian man, 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds.

Anyone who may have seen Miller or knows of his whereabouts is asked to call (909) 383-5651.

UPDATES WILL BE FOUND HERE: https://coachellavalley.com/search-begins-hiker-missing-joshua-tree-national-park/

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://coachellavalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/37054903_10160610746845181_8676004765949231104_n.jpg

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