Search for missing Marine in Eldorado Canyon

Gary Gerhardt, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 30, 2006 at midnight

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An intensive ground search is under way in Eldorado Canyon State Park for a missing U.S. Marine who fell last night while hiking and may have suffered a head injury.

Boulder Sheriff’s Commander Phil West said Lance Hering, 21, from south Boulder, who is on leave from duty in Iraq, hasn’t been seen since about 4 a.m. when a buddy left him to go for help in the park five miles south of Boulder.

Hering was hiking with Steve Powers, 20, when they started to free-climb a rock face near the trail that runs between Eldorado Canyon and Walker Ranch, siad West. "Hering fell about 15 feet and then rolled down a steep slope another 30 feet, injuring his head," West said.

Powers stayed with him until he regained consciousness and then went to get help.

"He called our office shortly after 5 a.m. and we were up there relatively fast, but when the deputies went to where Powers left him, Hering was gone," West said.

About 40 searchers, including three dogs and a mounted patrol, are looking through the rugged terrain in the area where he disappeared.

CBS News 4’s helicopter did fly-overs in the area but didn’t spot him from the air.

Local residents have been alerted, as have area hospitals.

Hering is a white male approximately 5-feet-8, and was last seen wearing long white pants and a torn black T-shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Boulder County sheriff at 303-441-4444.

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