Two elk hunters found dead after going missing in Colorado rugged terrain
Identities confirmed by a GoFundMe page; a multi-state search recovered the bodies in the San Juan Wilderness.
Two elk hunters were found dead in rugged Colorado terrain after going missing during an elk-hunting trip, authorities said. The two men were identified as Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Their identities were confirmed by Lynee Runkle on a GoFundMe page she said is linked to Porter’s family. Runkle is Porter’s aunt.
Porter and Stasko were reported missing to the Conejos County Sheriff's Office on Sept. 13, after last contacting family on Sept. 11. They were elk hunting in the San Juan Wilderness Area west of Trujillo Meadows Reservoir. The vehicle they drove to the Los Pinos trailhead was located, with camping gear and backpacks found inside, prompting deputies to become concerned due to heavy rain and deteriorating weather. Runkle said their satellite communication device was not functioning.
Colorado Search and Rescue teams from multiple states and counties joined the effort, with more than 54 professionally trained personnel and volunteers conducting searches on foot, on horseback and with all-terrain vehicles. Drones, dogs and a privately owned Black Hawk helicopter were also used in the operation, according to the Conejos County Sheriff's Office. The agency noted the scale of the mission and the cooperation among agencies as a testament to the community's dedication to locating missing hunters.
The search focused on the San Juan Wilderness Area, west of the Trujillo Meadows Reservoir, where the men were last known to be in the area around the Los Pinos trailhead. Deputies said the vehicle and camping gear were found near the trailhead, and heavy rain and poor weather complicated the search.
CCSO credited the cooperative effort and the dedication of volunteers and agencies involved in the search. Investigators have not publicly disclosed a cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing as of the latest update.
Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Conejos County Sheriff's Office or the incident command center handling the case.