Deceased/Not Found CO - David Lunde, 29, didn't return from a run, Durango, La Plata Canyon, 2 Oct 2022

[GuyfromCanada]

For the third day Tuesday, La Plata County Search and Rescue looked for a 29-year-old Durango man who went missing Sunday while on a run in La Plata Canyon.

Family members notified central dispatch of David Lunde’s disappearance about 7:50 a.m. Sunday. He remained missing as of Tuesday afternoon.

La Plata County, Montezuma County and Colorado search and rescue agencies searched the canyon using all-terrain vehicles and air support Sunday and were continuing their efforts Monday and Tuesday. The team was searching a Strava GPS route Lunde was taking called the “La Plata Enchilada,” said Sgt. Steve Reiter, with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.

More at Durango runner reported missing in La Plata Canyon still not found

The Durango Herald reported that Lunde anticipated the run to only last a few hours, but he did not return. The newspaper said a friend called Lunde’s parents early Sunday to express his concerns, as Lunde was supposed to move cattle Saturday evening and never did. Lunde’s parents contacted the police and flew to Colorado soon after this phone call.

Man with North Dakota ties missing after going for run in Colorado

He went for a run at the La Playa Canyon on Saturday morning, Oct. 1 and has not been heard from since.

www.grandforksherald.com

 

[Eli9]

He arrived at the trailhead to Madden Peak sometime before 7 a.m. His plan: Run a portion of the La Plata Enchilada, a 20- to 40-mile loop that navigates around the summits of Madden, Gibbs and Parrott peaks.

Then he disappeared.

“He fueled himself up with lots of food,” his father, Nathan Lunde said. “He had peanut butter. He had yogurt and water. There’s things in his car that showed us he ate well. And then he probably just had some running shorts and a T-shirt and his shoes.”
.....
“And then I think the rain, or the weather hit at approximately 10:30 a.m. And at that time, we don’t know where he was,” Nathan said.

“And then we heard snow,” Marybeth said.

Parents of runner missing northwest of Durango remain hopeful after five days

LA PLATA MOUNTAINS – Runner David Lunde left his apartment on the James Ranch, where he worked with cattle, at six in the morning on Saturday and drove into the mountains of the San Juan National Fore...

www.durangoherald.com

David sounds like an incredible guy! There is a moving text message included at the bottom of the article that he sent his parents maybe sometime this year.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

La Plata Canyon info.

La Plata Canyon – Durango Trails

www.durangotrails.org

 

[GraceG]

Here's the weather for the month for the general Durango area. Down in the 40's at night. Even without precip hypothermia would be a severe risk without cold weather gear. The accuweather below doesn't say what the weather was supposed to be, just the temps. If any of you live in the area - was the rain/snow forecast? https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/durango/81301/october-weather/332198

 

[Eli9]

There really hasn't been many updates. I wonder if they are still searching.

 

[GraceG]

This article is a few days old but it has some detail (and a photo) of the weather and some of the trail conditions as they search for him. No new updates. Parents of runner missing northwest of Durango remain hopeful after five days

 

[WingsOverTX]

Update posted Saturday by DL's sister on the search page

David Lunde’s Prayer Warriors | To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search | Facebook

To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search. The searches have included experienced climbers, runners, ATVs, and dogs. The SAR has over 200 hours of drone footage...

www.facebook.com

To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search. The searches have included experienced climbers, runners, ATVs, and dogs. The SAR has over 200 hours of drone footage that they are looking through and over 1,000 miles have been put on in flights. Search parties have searched on high ridges and low in the valleys and ravines. But unfortunately, they still they’ve found no trace of David. They plan to hit the trail at 7 a.m. tomorrow to continue the search!

As I talked with my mom tonight, we shared what a man of character David is. He has accomplished some amazing feats: running a marathon with my sister, a friend, and I at 14 years old, then running two others, recovering from a life altering motorcycle accident, running his first half marathon in August, becoming an all state runner, playing on the basketball team, being named one of six distinguished students in all of ND, shooting hundreds of free throws, climbing many 14ers, developing his skiing skills as he skied the mountains of CO and MT with my dad, exploring the mountains of Sri Lanka, learning the French language as he studied abroad in France and Tunisia, being a part of a discipleship group for many years, and so many more!

David is humble, gentle, and thoughtful! He draws people to him with calm warmth. As he has met thousands of my friends over the year, he still manages to make each one feel loved and special because he knows they are important to me. We are so thankful for his life!

 

[Seni]

Update posted Saturday by DL's sister on the search page

David Lunde’s Prayer Warriors | To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search | Facebook

To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search. The searches have included experienced climbers, runners, ATVs, and dogs. The SAR has over 200 hours of drone footage...

www.facebook.com

To recap the last two days, more teams have been called in to join in the search. The searches have included experienced climbers, runners, ATVs, and dogs. The SAR has over 200 hours of drone footage that they are looking through and over 1,000 miles have been put on in flights. Search parties have searched on high ridges and low in the valleys and ravines. But unfortunately, they still they’ve found no trace of David. They plan to hit the trail at 7 a.m. tomorrow to continue the search!

As I talked with my mom tonight, we shared what a man of character David is. He has accomplished some amazing feats: running a marathon with my sister, a friend, and I at 14 years old, then running two others, recovering from a life altering motorcycle accident, running his first half marathon in August, becoming an all state runner, playing on the basketball team, being named one of six distinguished students in all of ND, shooting hundreds of free throws, climbing many 14ers, developing his skiing skills as he skied the mountains of CO and MT with my dad, exploring the mountains of Sri Lanka, learning the French language as he studied abroad in France and Tunisia, being a part of a discipleship group for many years, and so many more!

David is humble, gentle, and thoughtful! He draws people to him with calm warmth. As he has met thousands of my friends over the year, he still manages to make each one feel loved and special because he knows they are important to me. We are so thankful for his life!

Let him be found soon!

 

[WingsOverTX]

Let him be found soon!

Amen.

This is so sad. Such an accomplished young man. Sounds like he got caught out in bad weather & may have had a fall or succumbed to hypothermia.

I hope they can find him. It's a pretty rugged trail!

 

[Eli9]

Thank you all for the updates and posting the snippet from the FB search page. Praying for Davids family.

 

[shefner]

I was checking in this morning and hoping for an update that David had been located.
What a nice, young man he seems to be.
Thinking of his family today.

 

[charminglane]

It's good to see him so loved!

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Search nears two weeks for trail runner missing near Durango

A group of searchers made up of mostly volunteers is spending Saturday looking for 29-year-old David Lunde in the La Plata County backcountry.

www.cbsnews.com

A group of searchers made up of mostly volunteers is spending Saturday looking for 29-year-old David Lunde in the La Plata County backcountry.

If they don't find him, official search operations will be called off Sunday, an official told CBS4.

Saturday is the 13th day of looking for Lunde. Lunde intended to run a portion of the "La Plata Enchilada" -- a 20- to 40-mile traverse (depending on your chosen route and endurance) across several peaks of the La Plata Mountains -- on Oct. 1.

 

[Eli9]

I don't know when this was written but I feel compelled to include it in David's thread. It really illustrates what type of person he is/was. I feel incredibly bad for David's friends and family and will include them in my prayers.

Text from David to his parents​

“Today marks one year since I moved to Durango and started work for the James Ranch. What a year filled with so much to be grateful for. I live and work at a place that awes me with its beauty on a daily basis. My bosses Joe and Jen are incredibly kind and encouraging. They labor alongside me every day in the nitty-gritty of ranch work. I’m doing what I love stewarding creations bounty of cattle and pasture. Durango provides an environment and culture that spurs me to be active and enjoy the great outdoors. There’s an endless amount of adventure waiting around every trail. I’ve taken up running and exploring the mountains with rad friends. I’m having a blast with volleyball. I’ve taken a stab at salsa dancing. Heck, I even bought a mountain bike though it’s still a hobby in progress. Today I spoke at a holistic management conference teaching about our pasture and grazing management at the ranch. The opportunity to share struck me as a particularly fitting cap to my first year as it was an opportunity to take a holistic management class that eventually led me to the James Ranch. A plant flourishes in healthy soil. And here in Durango, I feel like I’m blossoming.”

Parents of runner missing northwest of Durango remain hopeful after five days

LA PLATA MOUNTAINS – Runner David Lunde left his apartment on the James Ranch, where he worked with cattle, at six in the morning on Saturday and drove into the mountains of the San Juan National Fore...

www.durangoherald.com

 

[GraceG]

From everything I've read online from friends and family looking for him and praying for him - David is truly an exceptional young man. Our family is keeping them all in our prayers as well.

 

[Seni]

Missing runner's family raising money for new South Dakota ministry

An avid runner has been missing in Durango, Colorado for three weeks now, while the search efforts are still underway, this weekend friends and family of North Dakota native David Lunde are working…

www.keloland.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — An avid runner has been missing in Durango, Colorado for three weeks now. While the search efforts are still underway, this weekend friends and family of North Dakota native David Lunde are working to raise awareness and funds for a new ministry in South Dakota.

“He grew up on a farm, we have the Lunde centennial farm near Cooperstown, it been around for 100 years,” Lunde’s sister Kaia Berggren said.

David Lunde was born in a French-speaking country in Africa, but his time spent on his family’s farm in North Dakota created his deepest roots.

“He really felt connected to the land,” Berggren said.

He spent the last year working on a farm near Durango, Colorado, where he also renewed his other passion for running.

“My brother ran high school cross country and track,” Berggren said. “In the last year started running again.”

He ran mountain trails just about every weekend with the Durango Running Club.

“He was running this pretty intense trail called La Plata Enchilada and was supposed to check in with a friend when he was done, but he never checked in,” Berggren said.

This Sunday marks three weeks since he went missing.

“Search and rescue crews said they’ve never had a search go on this long,” Berggren said. “They’ve done a really thorough job, we still don’t have answers, we haven’t found my brother’s body, that’s really hard.”

Even though this impossible situation, Lunde’s family and friends are coming together to complete a mission he had planned to do on his 30th birthday this Sunday.

“He said I’m going to run this seven summits course, 60 or 61 miles, and I’m going to try to raise money for this organization,” Bergreen said. “So he started telling me more about Rockside, they’re based out of California, but they’re opening a new location in South Dakota. And what they really do is help men get their life back on track.”

“It is a working ranch where young men can go for life restoration,” Gordon Decker with Rockside Ranch South Dakota said.

For the past year, Lunde has been a strong supporter of Rockside Ranch and its work to open a ranch in New Underwood, South Dakota.



(...)

 

[Eli9]

Missing runner's family raising money for new South Dakota ministry

An avid runner has been missing in Durango, Colorado for three weeks now, while the search efforts are still underway, this weekend friends and family of North Dakota native David Lunde are working…

www.keloland.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — An avid runner has been missing in Durango, Colorado for three weeks now. While the search efforts are still underway, this weekend friends and family of North Dakota native David Lunde are working to raise awareness and funds for a new ministry in South Dakota.

“He grew up on a farm, we have the Lunde centennial farm near Cooperstown, it been around for 100 years,” Lunde’s sister Kaia Berggren said.

David Lunde was born in a French-speaking country in Africa, but his time spent on his family’s farm in North Dakota created his deepest roots.

“He really felt connected to the land,” Berggren said.

He spent the last year working on a farm near Durango, Colorado, where he also renewed his other passion for running.

“My brother ran high school cross country and track,” Berggren said. “In the last year started running again.”

He ran mountain trails just about every weekend with the Durango Running Club.

“He was running this pretty intense trail called La Plata Enchilada and was supposed to check in with a friend when he was done, but he never checked in,” Berggren said.

This Sunday marks three weeks since he went missing.

“Search and rescue crews said they’ve never had a search go on this long,” Berggren said. “They’ve done a really thorough job, we still don’t have answers, we haven’t found my brother’s body, that’s really hard.”

Even though this impossible situation, Lunde’s family and friends are coming together to complete a mission he had planned to do on his 30th birthday this Sunday.

“He said I’m going to run this seven summits course, 60 or 61 miles, and I’m going to try to raise money for this organization,” Bergreen said. “So he started telling me more about Rockside, they’re based out of California, but they’re opening a new location in South Dakota. And what they really do is help men get their life back on track.”

“It is a working ranch where young men can go for life restoration,” Gordon Decker with Rockside Ranch South Dakota said.

For the past year, Lunde has been a strong supporter of Rockside Ranch and its work to open a ranch in New Underwood, South Dakota.



(...)

Thank you for the update. It's obvious that David had an incredible upbringing and grew to be a remarkable man. What a fitting honor they are planning for him.

 

[Howl]

I just came across this. It's heart breaking.

I'm currently living west of the La Plata Mtns for another week and can see at least one of the peaks referenced on Lunde's run (Parrot Peak) from the street in front of my house.

Most of October has been stellar weather but there has been snow on the higher peaks in the La Platas for several weeks and the weather is going to get much, much colder over the next few days. Even here in town at 6,200' low temps will be in the teens over the coming nights.

Here's a current article (Oct. 19) about Lunde and another missing runner in the Durango Herald:
Fitness is not enough to stay safe in remote areas where risks are amplified
As noted in the article, personal locator beacons (SPOT and Garmin InReach are two of the major ones) are life savers.

What is a personal locator beacon (PLB)?

A personal locator beacon (PLB) uses the COSPAS-SARSAT global satellite system to send out an S.O.S alert. These devices use a frequency — 406MHz — reserved explicitly for distress calls. The best analogy for the PLB signal is it's like a 911 call you don't need phone service to use.

PLBs can often be linked to a cell phone to provide specific messages along with the emergency/distress call.

 

[Seni]

Search suspended for missing Colorado man with North Dakota ties

He went missing on Oct. 1 after going for a run in the mountains.

www.grandforksherald.com

October 24, 2022 05:08 PM

DURANGO, Colo. — The search for a Colorado man with North Dakota ties in the La Plata Mountains was formally suspended by the La Plata County Emergency Management.

David Lunde, 29, went missing on Saturday, Oct. 1, after going for a run in the mountains that was anticipated to last only a few hours.

According to The Durango Herald , Lunde’s vehicle was found parked outside the trail to Madden Peak. Many groups have contributed to the search for Lunde.

“Searchers recently suspended daily ground missions trying to find him,” The Durango Herald reported .

 

[YaYa_521]

Celebration of life held for missing Durango runner David Lunde

A celebration of life was held Oct. 30 for missing runner David Lunde who seemingly vanished after going for an early morning run Oct. 1 in the San Juan Mountains above La Plata Canyon. Hundreds of pe...

www.durangoherald.com

Nov. 4, 2022

SBM
Family and friends gathered Oct. 30 at Gospel Church in Durango to celebrate Lunde’s life through prayer and praise, song, memories, hugs, laughter and food.