Rich Moore, missing Colorado hiker found dead with his Jack Russell dog (still alive) by his side along Blackhead Peak along rugged terrain. No foul play suspected. Officials say hiker was ill prepared for trek.
A Colorado hiker who went missing in August was found dead last month on a rugged peak in the Rocky Mountains. Found alongside the deceased man was his companion dog, a Jack Russell terrier which miraculously survived, having stayed perched next to his owner’s body for months.
Rich Moore, 71, of Pagosa Spring, Colorado, had set out hiking up the 12,500-foot Blackhead Peak, on Aug. 19, but never returned home, according to 9News.
The hiking route to Blackhead’s 12,500-foot summit is approximately three miles with an elevation gain of 2,500 feet. The road to the peak is described as ‘rough, rocky, and steep, but the last stretch is an unmaintained ‘ social trail, The Mercury News reported.
2000 hours searching for missing hiker
Search-and-rescue crews dropped in by helicopter and combed through the forests just below the peak, then moved toward the trailhead, where they found his car.
But they couldn’t find the man — even though they spent more than 2,000 hours searching for him.
That was until about two weeks ago, on Oct. 30, when a hunter stumbled across Moore’s corpse more than two miles east of the summit — along with his 14 year old Jack Russell terrier, Finney.
Somehow, Finney had survived for more than two months in the wilderness — and didn’t leave his owner’s side. It’s likely that the Jack Russell survived by relying on capturing small prey — as the canine continued to stay by Moore’s side.
Ill prepared for rugged trek
According to Chaffee County Search and Rescue North, Moore was unprepared when he made it to the summit of a 13,000-foot peak in the area of Cottonwood Lake, near Buena Vista, the Denver Gazette reported.
Moore was wearing only a cotton hooded sweatshirt, with no water or food left.
Investigators haven’t figured out how the man died, but they don’t suspect any foul play. Moore’s remains were brought off the mountain on October 31.
The terrain where Moore was found was so steep that rescuers — including a certified K9 — were inserted onto the mountaintop by helicopter.
Finney was reunited with her family after examination and treatment at a local animal hospital.
Moore’s family, for their part, was ‘glad they were able to gain some closure, as well as bring their dog back home,’ the Taos Search and Rescue team stated on Facebook.
