CO Rich Moore, 71, Hiker missing since 19 August 2023, found dead

[Richard]

Rich Moore, 71, went missing while on a hike with his dog 19 August 2023, has been found dead. His dog, a Jack Russel Terrier was found, alive, by his side.

Hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive by his side
By STEPHEN SMITH
November 13, 2023 at 6:45 AM​

A hiker missing since August has been found dead in Colorado with his dog still alive next to his body, authorities said.
The body of 71-year-old Rich Moore of Pagosa Springs, who had been missing since Aug. 19, was found on Oct. 30, according to a Facebook post last week by Taos Search and Rescue. Moore's dog was found alive by his side.
The Denver Gazette, citing the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office, reported Moore and his dog had gone missing after planning to summit Blackhead Peak, which is about 20 miles east of Pagosa Springs...

LINK:

Hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive by his side

A hunter found Rich Moore's body and his white Jack Russell terrier was next to the body, the sheriff's office said.

www.aol.com

 

[charminglane]

Rich Moore, 71, went missing while on a hike with his dog 19 August 2023, has been found dead. His dog, a Jack Russel Terrier was found, alive, by his side.

Hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive by his side​

By STEPHEN SMITH​

November 13, 2023 at 6:45 AM​

A hiker missing since August has been found dead in Colorado with his dog still alive next to his body, authorities said.
The body of 71-year-old Rich Moore of Pagosa Springs, who had been missing since Aug. 19, was found on Oct. 30, according to a Facebook post last week by Taos Search and Rescue. Moore's dog was found alive by his side.
The Denver Gazette, citing the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office, reported Moore and his dog had gone missing after planning to summit Blackhead Peak, which is about 20 miles east of Pagosa Springs...

LINK:

Hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive by his side

A hunter found Rich Moore's body and his white Jack Russell terrier was next to the body, the sheriff's office said.

www.aol.com

Loyalty knows no bounds.
Rest easy Rich.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

The dog is called Finney. I had to know how she fared after this long as her person's side. I live animal rescue so this brings tears. It is somehow comforting to know Finney was with Rich the whole time. Sad for those who knew and loved Rich. We sometimes say "well, he died doing what he loved" which IMO we say for ourselves. It brings us comfort. I hope Finney is in loving arms now too.

From the article:

Finney was transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment and has since been reunited with her family, officials said.
. . . .
This marks at least the third time a dog has been found alive next to a hiker's body since last year. In May 2022, a Labrador was found lying next to the body of a 74-year-old Arizona man who had died during a hike.

The month before that, a missing 29-year-old hiker was found dead in Los Angeles' Griffith Park with his dog by his side. Family members said it appeared the dog hadn't left his side for two weeks.

 

[Seattle1]

Hiker missing since August found dead and dog still alive next to body

A 71-year-old hiker missing since August was found dead in the Colorado mountains as his loyal dog - who didn't leave his owners side - miraculously survived.

www.dailymail.co.uk

11/13/23

• Rich Moore and his dog, Finney, had set out for a hike on August 19 to Blackhead Peak located in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado
• A local hunter discovered Moore's body on October 30
• Moore's Jack Russell terrier survived and waited at her owner's side

 

[Seattle1]

Colorado hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive next to his body

This marks at least the third time a dog has been found alive next to a hiker's body since last year.

www.wltx.com

Lower Blanco drainage basin

The sheriff's office said that Moore's body was found on Oct. 30 by a hunter in the Lower Blanco drainage basin, which is in a valley southeast of Blackhead Peak's summit, the Gazette reported. His white Jack Russell terrier, Finney, was next to the body, the sheriff's office said.
[..]

"We searched from just under the peak-top and directly west, searching down the mountain toward where his car was located," Vanne-Brightyn wrote. "He was found 2.5 miles east of the mountain-top beneath where we were inserted [by helicopter]."

 

[Seattle1]

U.S.

Colorado hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive next to his body​

BY STEPHEN SMITH
NOVEMBER 13, 2023 / 6:45 AM EST / CBS NEWS
A hiker missing since August has been found dead in Colorado with his dog still alive next to his body, authorities said.

The body of 71-year-old Rich Moore of Pagosa Springs, who had been missing since Aug. 19, was found on Oct. 30, according to a Facebook post last week by Taos Search and Rescue. Moore's dog was found alive by his side.

The Denver Gazette, citing the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office, reported Moore and his dog had gone missing after planning to summit Blackhead Peak, which is about 20 miles east of Pagosa Springs.

[..]

Officials did not release Moore's cause of death, but said that foul play is not suspected.

Colorado hiker missing since August found dead, his dog found alive next to his body

A hunter found Rich Moore's body and his white Jack Russell terrier was next to the body, the sheriff's office said.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Seattle1]

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[Seattle1]

Missing Colorado Hiker Discovered Dead, His Faithful Dog Survived Beside His Body

Rich Moore, a Colorado hiker who went missing in August, was found dead on a mountain with his loyal dog still alive at his side.

people.com

11/13/23

Blackhead Peak is located in the San Juan National Forest in the southwest portion of Colorado.

Crews spent nearly 2,000 hours searching for Moore and Finney before the hunter’s discovery, more than two months after they were reported missing, according to the ACSO.

Moore’s body was found more than two miles east of the peak he was attempting to summit, according to TSAR member Delinda Vanne-Brightyn.

Vanne-Brightyn said she and her certified K9 AkioYodasan “searched just under the peak-top and directly West” while looking for Moore. The duo was inserted into the area by a helicopter because “it was so steep,” she added.

 

[Seattle1]

Very unfortunate for the victim and his companion. He lived nearby and I understand the hike was only about 3 miles (one-way). He was ultimately located by a hunter, and I'm not certain why the rescue worker and her search dog took such a rough route to the trail and/or search area (i.e., helicopter drop). JMO

Blackhead Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Blackhead Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering

www.summitpost.org

 

[Seattle1]

Blanco River Trail No. 573 - Pagosa Springs Area Trails

Trail Update 07/13/23. Trail cleared of down trees 3 miles from trailhead. Please share trail update info in comment section below. Blanco River Trail Map Length: 8.9-miles (one-way) Elevation Stats: Starting elevation 8,252', ending elevation 11,825' (net gain in elevation of 3,573') Trailhead...

pagosatrails.org

Getting there:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Vern]

Just wow. A tragic story, but I am very thankful that Finney has made it through and will be loved.

 

[LadyL]

how did the dog survive for 3 months?

 

[Lonicera]

how did the dog survive for 3 months?

The Jack Russell Terrier breed has its origins in 19th century England. It was created by the Reverend John (called «Jack») Russell, an English pastor passionate about hunting and renowned as a Fox Terrier breeder. His goal was to find a dog capable of running fast, but also to go underground to dislodge foxes and game in burrows. Very popular with hunters and riders since the end of the 2 World Wars. Two breeds were formed: the Parson Russell Terrier and the Jack Russell Terrier. The breed standard was established in 2000.

They are very intelligent dogs and appreciated by hunters.
Finney had to feed by looking in burrows or catching rodents. That’s just my guess.

 

[ch_13]

"He was found 2.5 miles east of the mountain-top beneath where we were inserted [by helicopter]."

Curious that he would be so far away from the mountain. 2.5 miles is too far a distance to have fallen off the peak. I suppose his body could have been carried away by running water, although that raises the question of how was Finney able to keep up with him.

I think it's most likely that he didn't ascend the mountain and took another path instead, somehow meeting with an accident.

He was ultimately located by a hunter, and I'm not certain why the rescue worker and her search dog took such a rough route to the trail and/or search area (i.e., helicopter drop). JMO

It's possible the hunter was able to sight him from afar, but there was no way to get close enough to recover the body without using a helicopter.

 

[Seattle1]

Curious that he would be so far away from the mountain. 2.5 miles is too far a distance to have fallen off the peak. I suppose his body could have been carried away by running water, although that raises the question of how was Finney able to keep up with him.

I think it's most likely that he didn't ascend the mountain and took another path instead, somehow meeting with an accident.


It's possible the hunter was able to sight him from afar, but there was no way to get close enough to recover the body without using a helicopter.

Actually, the TSAR and her dog that were dropped in by helicopter was one of the initial searchers that never located him. The hunter followed TSAR and located the body. I think Moore was 2.5 miles from his car and not the mountain. This explains why his dog was still with him. I think the inserted comments by the TSAR worker confused the recovery reporting here. JMO

An opening in the cliffs on the north side of the peak, allows access to the uppers parts. Once you go above the cliffs, you will find yourself on a large sloped grassy area that leads you to the summit.

An abandoned dirt road takes you to an elevation of 10350 ft at the western base of Blackhead Peak. You can then follow a beaten path up the forest, by a spectacular waterfall to reach the saddle between Blackhead Peak and Nipple Mountain where you can go through the opening in the cliffs to reach the top. (See link at post #9).

 

[ch_13]

Actually, the TSAR and her dog that were dropped in by helicopter was one of the initial searchers that never located him. The hunter followed TSAR and located the body. I think Moore was 2.5 miles from his car and not the mountain. This explains why his dog was still with him. I think the inserted comments by the TSAR worker confused the recovery reporting here. JMO

I see. Yeah, that was written in a pretty confusing way.

 

[Richard]

The story about the search dog and handler being dropped into rough terrain to commence a search is typical of how many agencies view the use of search dogs. It would have been much more sensible for someone with a good tracking dog to have started at his home, with his known scent (like from a pillow or unwashed clothing) and for them to have tracked over his exact path.

I have trained tracking dogs and have been placed in the same situation where the search coordinators fail to understand the abilities of a good tracking dog team and simply put them with a bunch of well meaning folks in a grid sector hoping for the best - without any kind of target scent for the dog.

There IS a time and place for grid sector searching, such as when a building collapses, or when there is a large disaster area. But when you are looking for a specific person and have both a good starting point and known scent, dropping the team into the wilderness is not the way to go.

Just my opinion on the matter...

 

[Seattle1]

The story about the search dog and handler being dropped into rough terrain to commence a search is typical of how many agencies view the use of search dogs. It would have been much more sensible for someone with a good tracking dog to have started at his home, with his known scent (like from a pillow or unwashed clothing) and for them to have tracked over his exact path.

I have trained tracking dogs and have been placed in the same situation where the search coordinators fail to understand the abilities of a good tracking dog team and simply put them with a bunch of well meaning folks in a grid sector hoping for the best - without any kind of target scent for the dog.

There IS a time and place for grid sector searching, such as when a building collapses, or when there is a large disaster area. But when you are looking for a specific person and have both a good starting point and known scent, dropping the team into the wilderness is not the way to go.

Just my opinion on the matter...

@Richard, thanks for confirming what seemed off to me after studying the trail and the fact the hiker drove to the trail location with his dog.

 

[Richard]

@Richard, thanks for confirming what seemed off to me after studying the trail and the fact the hiker drove to the trail location with his dog.

If Rich Moore drove to the trail in his vehicle, then that is where they should have started the tracking dog and handler.

Dogs are truly remarkable when it comes to scenting. Their noses and brains are unlike even the best human made computers in this ability. Every individual person has a very unique scent to a dog. A good tracking dog, who has been well trained, can follow the track of a given individual, even after a stretch of time and even if many other humans have walked over that track. They know instinctively even what direction the track goes.

Giving the dog a target scent, coupled with a known starting point are key elements in any successful tracking scenario. Dropping the team into the wilderness "with nothing but a Swiss Army Knife", and expecting results brings to mind the saying "Given nothing, do everything."

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

And Rich may have been alive for longer than he was reported missing of course, sadly. Perhaps he had food for himself and/or food for Finney that Finney was able to forage also. I can only imagine that having Finney back after such a tragedy is really comforting. We take comfort where we can get it after such suffering IMO. As a hiker, a dog lover (that phrase doesn't come close to how I feel about dogs really), and I'm over 50 now, Rich's (and Finney's) story - however little we know of it - is haunting me. I hate to personalize but sometimes things hit closer, we all know it.

Glad he was found and his loved ones are not stuck in limbo, wondering what happened to both of them. Love to them.