Latest news with #ThomasIrwin
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Remains Found in Colorado National Park Identified as Man, 73, Who Disappeared Over 1 Year Ago
The remains of a 73-year-old Indianapolis man who went missing more than a year ago while hiking in Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park have been located, officials said. The National Park Service said that Thomas Irwin's remains were found in the park on Friday, Feb. 28, in a Tuesday, March 4, news release. According to the park officials, Irwin was last seen on Jan. 15, 2024, while hiking the Petroglyph Point Trail. His family contacted the park the following day, and a search and rescue operation commenced. However, searchers were unable to locate Irwin after 10 days. Related: Mom Who Vanished on Hike After Leaving Purse and Keys Behind Is Found Dead 7 Months Later The agency added that the search for the missing 73-year-old man continued throughout the past year. Park officials later discovered the remains in the original search area using a human remains detection canine during an off-trail grid search. "We sincerely appreciate and recognize the dedication of the Mesa Verde Resource and Visitor Protection Team and other park staff who continued the search for Mr. Irwin,' Mesa Verde Superintendent Kayci Cook said in the news release. 'We are glad this provides some closure for his family.' The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System said that Irwin did a solo road trip from Los Angeles en route to his home in Indiana on Jan. 13, 2024. The next day, he arrived in Cortez, Colorado. Related: Remains of Idaho Hiker Found 7 Years After He Disappeared: 'Nobody Had Any Idea He Was Off the Trail Like That' Then on Jan. 15, 2024, he entered Mesa Verde National Park, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. That same day, his vehicle was found parked in the headquarters area of the park. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'A subsequent investigation believes that Irwin hiked the Petroglyph Point Trail in Mesa Verde National Park on January 15, 2024,' the database said. Related: Mummified Remains of Missing American Mountaineer Found 22 Years After He Vanished in Peru The Indianapolis Star reported that Irwin had cognitive impairment issues and required medications, which he may not have had with him around the time of his disappearance. Irwin was described as 6-foot tall, weighing 200 lbs. at the time, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System reported, adding that he wore jeans and a fleece shirt covered with flannel. PEOPLE reached out to the NPS for additional information on Thursday, March 6. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remains of missing Indiana man found after 13 months in Mesa Verde National Park
DENVER (KDVR) — The remains of an Indiana man last seen 13 months ago were located in Mesa Verde National Park. On Feb. 28, the National Park Service said rangers located the remains of Thomas Irwin of Indianapolis, Indiana. According to the National Park Service, Irwin was last seen over a year ago on Jan. 15, 2024. He was reportedly hiking the Petroglyph Point Trail. Denver man reported missing at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, last seen Feb. 13 According to the park, the Petroglyph Point Trail is a 2.4-mile loop. The trail is narrow, rugged, and rocky, with several steep drop-offs along the canyon. Once hikers reach the petroglyph panel, they are required to scramble up a large stone staircase using their hands and feet. The park said the trail is rated moderately strenuous to strenuous, and hikers must register at the trailhead or the museum ahead of their trip. The next day on Jan. 16, 2024, Irwin's family contacted the park, and a search and rescue operation began. NPS said that during the initial 10-day search, Irwin was not located. During 2024, park officials said they continued to search, ultimately locating Irwin's remains on Friday. 'We sincerely appreciate and recognize the dedication of the Mesa Verde Resource and Visitor Protection Team and other park staff who continued the search for Mr. Irwin,' said Mesa Verde Superintendent Kayci Cook. 'We are glad this provides some closure for his family.' FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox NPS said search and rescue crews used a human remains detection canine to locate Irwin in the original search area during what park officials called an off-trail grid search. Mesa Verde National Park is located in southwest Colorado and is known for its preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Tragic Update on National Park Hiker Who Went Missing Last Year
Authorities on Tuesday announced that the remains of 73-year-old hiker Thomas Irwin were located during an off-trail grid search at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado following an exhaustive search and rescue operation that began more than a year ago. According to the National Park Services, the Indianapolis, IN., man set off to hike the famed Petroglyph Point Trail on Jan. 15, 2024. The trail is near the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum, and it's a 2.4-mile loop that takes approximately two hours to complete. The hike is said to follow "a foot-worn trail of the Ancestral Pueblo people into the forested Spruce Canyon landscape and along a sometimes steep, rocky path to the canyon's rim." The trail is also described as "narrow, rugged, and rocky, with several steep drop-offs along the canyon wall on the way to the petroglyph panel." When he didn't return from his hike the next day, Irwin's family contacted park rangers, who launched a search and rescue operation. Though his cell phone was reportedly found and turned over to authorities, Irwin could not be located following an extensive, initial 10-day officials say they didn't let up in their search efforts over the last year, which led to the Feb. 28 discovery of Irwin's remains . Officials say the discovery came with the help of a human remains detection dog. Irwin's remains were located within the original search area during an off-trail grid search, officials say. "We sincerely appreciate and recognize the dedication of the Mesa Verde Resource and Visitor Protection Team and other park staff who continued the search for Mr. Irwin," said Mesa Verde Superintendent Kayci Cook. "We are glad this provides some closure for his family." The National Park Service warns those visiting the famed trail to "remain on the trail and avoid walking alongside unstable cliff edges," remain hydrated, and avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day.
