Search efforts continue for 2 missing elk hunters in Colorado national forest

Search and rescue crews continue to comb the Rio Grande National Forest in southern Colorado on Thursday in search of two missing elk hunters The hunters -year-old Andrew Porter of Asheville N C and -year-old Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City were revealed missing last Friday after they failed to check in with their loved ones and their satellite device stopped functioning Bridget Murphy Porter s fianc e stated the Colorado Sun that Porter had been sending brief updates to her and his family every minimal hours until the afternoon of Sept The last ping came from near Stasko s car which was parked at the Rio de Los Pinos trailhead Other hunters spotted the hunters Friday morning on a trail neighboring the Rio de Los Pinos trail Murphy reported in a Wednesday update on Facebook More than search teams were in the field on Wednesday a mix of professionally trained search and rescue personnel and contributors according to a news release from the Conejos County Sheriff s Office Each group consisted of three to four people traveling on foot or horseback Assistants arrived in southern Colorado from numerous counties and even traveled in from other states including Texas Oklahoma Arkansas and Wyoming sheriff s executives commented in the release Drones and helicopters also searched the forest from above sheriff s agents mentioned Related Articles Massive search and rescue operation continues for missing elk hunters in southern Colorado -year-old boy stated missing from Greenwood Village revealed safe Aurora girl who disappeared in still missing FBI says Missing people in the Denver metro Missing Thornton man ascertained safe Texas floods leave at least dead girls missing as rescuers search devastated landscape We are praying every moment Murphy wrote on Facebook We know they re very strong and capable guys We just keep praying Murphy reported the families are offering a reward for the person who finds the two men and sought anyone with experience to join the search As of Thursday morning more than had been raised on GoFundMe for the search People interested in helping can call the Conejos County Sheriff s Office at - - for information This is a progressing story and may be updated Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter