Blog: a web log
06/29/2003: "Search resumes for missing Lakewood Hiker in SW Colorado"
The Conejos County Sheriff's Office was notified Friday, June 27, 2003 of an overdue back country hiker who had not checked in with his family for about two weeks. The individual has been identified as Sean Michael Spinney (DOB - 12-4-1979) of Lakewood, Colorado. Spinney's camp was located at 8 pm Friday night by the Conejos County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team augmented by USFS Law Enforcement Officer Chris Ortiz and an air crew and UH60A Blackhawk helicopter from the Air National Guard based at Buckley. The initial search area was located about one mile south of Trail Lake and two miles east of Elk Creek in Conejos County.
Items were discovered at the camp site that confirmed it had been used by Spinney at least through June 16, 2003. Spinney was dropped off at the Cumbres Pass trailhead by his mother Judy Pottle on June 11, 2003 with at least 2 weeks worth of supplies for his hike. He had planned to spend a month in the mountains and indicated he would stop and get additional supplies as he needed them. According to family members who are staying in Antonio, Colorado as the second phase of the search was to began Saturday morning, Spinney was an experienced climber and outdoorsman.
More ground searchers looked for Spinney today. An airsearch using a Blackhawk helicopter was also used today from 8:30 am until 1 pm.
One ground search team from Conejos Search and Rescue was also dispatched to the area and will search through dusk Saturday night. Three teams using horses and motorized vehicles also searched near where Spinney's campsite.
Conejos County Sheriff Jose Taylor Jr. is leading the search efforts
