Three missing Texans found in San Juans
Alan Gathrightand Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News
Published August 18, 2008 at 3:34 p.m.
Updated August 18, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.
A search team found three Texas college students Monday afternoon after one of the young men's parents made contact with the trio, who were backpacking in the rugged San Juan Mountains.
The trio, Derrick Bibb, 23, and buddies, Derek Ware and Adam Patterson, both 21, were found about 5 p.m. above the Archuleta Lake area by members of the Mineral County sheriff's search and rescue team, which was searching by foot, said Tamara Hosselkus, Mineral County dispatcher.
The rescue team and the three men were in the process of making the three-mile hike down to waiting authorities.
"There are no injuries and everybody's fine and they'll be taken back down to the Big Meadows Lake area by about 8 p.m.," Hosselkus said.
Deputies began searching for the three men after they failed to return home to Texas on Sunday from their regular outing in the Wolf Creek Pass area. They left Texas on Friday, though it was not known when their hike started.
Mineral County sheriff's spokesman Charles Downing said two search-and-rescue teams were mobilized after Archuleta County deputies found the men's vehicle about 10:30 a.m. Monday parked at the West Fork Trailhead in the Weminuche Wilderness area.
The three all attend Abilene Christian, said Brandon McAuliffe, a friend of Bibb's since they attended Abilene High School together.
Bibb played the line on the Abilene Christian football team for one year and made the dean's list in 2007.
He's also been president of the schools Sub T-16 social club.
Details of why they didn't return from their hiking trip were not available Monday evening.
However, Downing had said earlier that the three have been making the outing in the San Juans for about three years.
They usually have a base camp at Big Meadows Lake and backpack eight miles to Archuleta Lake. So, they might have changed their plans to hike from West Fork Trailhead, which has a 10-mile route to Archuleta Lake, he added.
"This is rugged country," Downing said of the San Juans. Archuleta Lake is at an elevation of 11,742 feet.
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August 18, 2008
7:40 p.m.
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mover2 writes:
Glad they were found, you know ther ain't no mountains in down here in TEXAS
August 18, 2008
8:38 p.m.
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hikingartist writes:
geez, Texans again?
August 18, 2008
10:56 p.m.
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EastVail writes:
Texans.
August 19, 2008
12:02 a.m.
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Jazzwoman53 writes:
Read the very first paragraph – "A search team found three Texas college students about 5 p.m. today after one of the young men’s parents reported THEY HAD returned from a backpacking trip in the rugged San Juan Mountains."
Now tell me – there are two writers working on this mini-story, plus I assume, an editor (of sorts), and somehow, the first paragraph is erroneous. Way to go RMN!
August 19, 2008
12:12 a.m.
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homeradam writes:
How come hunters and fisherman have to pay .25 cents on their licenses to rescue these people? I bet these lousy Texans never paid for their rescue! Screw the sportsman again!