A Colorado hiker, missing since August, was discovered deceased with his dog still by his side, Fox News reported Monday.
Rich Moore, 71, of Pagosa Springs, ventured on a hike with his dog, Finney, up Blackhead Peak on August 19 and failed to return, according to Fox News.
Despite extensive search efforts, including a team inserted by helicopter near the mountain peak and scouring the area toward the trailhead where Moore’s car was parked, he remained unlocated for over two months, the outlet noted.
Colorado hiker missing for months found dead, his dog still alive by his side https://t.co/n1yUtDoXqB
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 14, 2023
On October 30, a hunter in the Rio Blanco drainage, approximately 2.5 miles east of Blackhead Peak, found Moore’s body. Moore’s white Jack Russell terrier, Finney, was alive, staying beside his owner, per Fox News. (RELATED: Helicopter Rescues Hiker With ‘Traumatic Injury’ Hours After Friends Abandoned Him, Officials Say)
The cause of Moore’s death is still pending determination but no foul play is suspected. Following the discovery, Finney received veterinary care and was later reunited with Moore’s family.
Blackhead Peak, where the tragic incident occurred, stands at an elevation of 12,500 feet and forms part of the South San Juan Wilderness’s western boundary in Archuleta County, Colorado.