(Saturday March 31, 1:30am) - It has been a long day at the Gila National Forest and every possible effort is being deployed to find Micah. So far, all attempts have failed to locate him.Here is the latest from various on-site sources :
- There are currently 32 ground teams, 5 equestrian teams, 3 canine search teams, helicopters and airplanes, both high and low altitude, at work in the area.
- Many volunteers, including several teams of Mas Locos, are deployed and helping in the search. More are on the way.
- Search and rescue teams include Grant County Search and Rescue, Luna County Search and Rescue, Dona Ana County Search and Rescue, Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue, Organ Mountain Technical Rescue Squad, Southern New Mexico Search and Rescue, BORSTAR, Alamogordo Search and Rescue, White Mountain Search and Rescue, Cibola Search and Rescue, New Mexico Mountain Search and Rescue, Chaves County Search and Rescue, the Forest and Park services, the National Guard and Civil Air Patrol.
- The search area has been expanded to cover a wider radius, while the first area of research has been covered a second time to ensure every clue, track or possible location is thoroughly investigated.
- Many promising leads were followed today, including some items discovered on the trails. However, it was later confirmed that the items did not belong to Micah.
- The ground search has been interrupted for the night and will resume in the first hours of the morning, tomorrow.
- Continued support, prayers and wishes from fans and friends have been fueling the efforts. Everyone is determined to find Micah and to bring him home.
Are the authorities 100% sure he ever made it out to the trails? Is it possible something happened before he started his run? This just seems so unbelievable that he hasn't been found yet. Thank you for the updates.
ReplyDeleteEvery lead points in that direction, yes. Micah specified to his hosts that he was going running. Other elements make it very implausible that he would have gone anywhere or done anything else.
ReplyDeleteYou have to understand the Gila area is large and wild, with varied terrain that makes S&R all the more tedious. But there is every reason to keep hoping at this point; the best of the best are out looking for him, with every possible means at their disposal.
Thank you for your continuing efforts to find our friend and for the updates. Still plenty of hope!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the updates.
ReplyDeleteStill praying for a safe return of Micah into Maria's loving arms...
Your friend, his family and all the search teams are in my prayers, mon ami. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update. This seems to I've information not found elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteHope they find Micah soon...
OK, I work as a psychologist, so I just gotta put this out there. Are there people on hand who ran with Micah on a regular basis, and can describe his running habits and other behavior for purposes of developing a psychological scenario of Tuesday? Was he basically a consistent "on trail" runner or did he hop off the trail on a regular basis? If the latter is true, can the features or attractants that would normally prompt Micah to hop off the trail be identified and narrowed down so as to determine his most probable routes based on info concerning his running habits and preferences? I'm up here in Minnesota thinking he must have jumped off the trail or he would have been found by now. So, if someone knows Micah's habits and preferences, and where (or what features) usually prompt him to jump off the trail (e.g. he likes running down riverbeds, or crossing country toward peaks, etc.), it might help identify highly probable routes and locations.
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me share this with you, as it's kept me up all night on this end. Of course prayers and wishes to Micah, his friends and family, and to the S & R teams!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your insights. Indeed, most of the Mas Locos on site helping with the S&R are intimate friends who know Micah very well. We are lucky that they are present and can provide those insights you talk about.
One huge relief right now is that great champions and true professionals are on the lookout for him, we couldn't hope for a better dedicated team.
Continuing positive thought's that Micah be found soon and that he is OK.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Flint - for these updates.
Flint, Mas Locos, and all of the search and rescue folks - thank you for your hard work. Micah is a special guy. Maria we are thinking about you and hope you are finding support in the vast outpouring of help and love. Flint thanks for keeping your site up to date. Every update helps.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for providing us with detailed updates, and thank you very much to everyone involved in the search operation.
ReplyDeleteUpdates so appreciated Flint - many thanks. Our Canadian contingent should be down there by now, we all send our prayers that he will be found soon.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder if his dog which he left at the lodge has been used in the search, afterall he would know Micah's scent better than anyone?
ReplyDeleteYes, this has been attempted several times, including some where Micah's scent was used to stimulate the dog. Sadly, to no avail so far.
ReplyDelete