An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | July 6, 2011

Colorado Army National Guard discovers, recovers missing hikers

By Air Force Maj. Elena O’Bryan Colorado National Guard

CENTENNIAL, Colo. - A Colorado Army National Guard helicopter aircrew found two bodies on Missouri Mountain, Colo., at approximately 9:30 a.m. Saturday while assisting the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office search for a missing father and daughter.

While flying a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter along a ridgeline after transporting search and rescue personnel to a landing zone on the mountain, Army Col. Joel Best and Army Maj. Josh Day saw a body in a snowfield.

The aircrew picked up ground search team members and transported them closer to the body, which was at an elevation of 12,000 feet, about 500 feet above the main trail. The aircrew then noticed a second body about 200 yards above the first and directed the searchers to that location.

The Colorado Army National Guard helicopter airlifted the bodies to the field command post, where they were transferred to the custody of the county coroner, who identified them as Robert Michael Von Gortler, 53, and Makana Von Gortler, 20, both of Boulder, reported missing June 28.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office notified their family.

The investigation into their deaths is continuing and is not expected to be completed for several days, Chaffee County officials said.

Army Sgt. Sean Browning was also among the aircrew. They are based at the High-altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (HAATS) in Gypsum, Colo.

“The extraordinary assistance provided by the pilots and crews of the aircraft participating in the search was crucial to the operation,” said Chaffee County Sheriff Pete Palmer.

The search area was on the outer edge of the HAATS training area.

Earlier in the week, an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter piloted by two instructor pilots from HAATS also assisted search crews by conducting aerial observation in hard to reach areas.

The Black Hawk crew meanwhile transported search and rescue personnel and dogs to drainages and slopes on Missouri Mountain, Mount Balfour and Mount Oxford. The aircrew’s highest landing was at an elevation of 14,000 feet.
.
The search, which began June 29, continued daily despite weather conditions involving rain, snow, and hail, producing poor visibility.

“It’s comfortable to fly with Soldiers experienced at managing power amidst the winds and weather in our backyard,” said Best, HAATS commander.

Best said the aircrews even contended with 40 mile per hour winds.

Palmer said the search involved about 180 volunteers from 18 search and rescue teams from across the state, many expert in mountain rescue.

HAATS performs a critical mission providing life-saving combat skills to American pilots serving in mountainous Afghanistan. The unit also supports civilian authorities with search and rescues in Colorado’s high country.

HAATS is located between Vail and Glenwood Springs, Colo.

The school trains military rotary-wing pilots from around the world in power management, which gives pilots the knowledge and confidence to operate their aircraft routinely and safely at maximum gross weights in any environment and especially at high altitudes in a power-limited environment.

Rescue efforts are coordinated through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, which notifies the Colorado National Guard’s Joint Operations Center in Centennial, Colo. The AFRCC ties into the Federal Aviation Administration’s alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center.

 

 

Related Articles
President Santiago Peña, the President of the Republic of Paraguay, left, presents the Order of Merit
Paraguayan President Awards Top Honor to Massachusetts National Guard General
By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, | April 29, 2025
ASUNCION, Paraguay – U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been awarded the distinguished Order of Merit “Gral Div Bernardino Caballero” in the grade of “Gran Cross”...

A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle crew chief from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field assists an F-15 pilot with pre-flight gear checks during exercise Sentry Aloha at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, April 15, 2025. Maintenance crews during Sentry Aloha met and exceeded the line standards given during flight operations and took on additional duties which contributed to over 20 successful familiarization flights. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Daniel Reed)
Oregon Air Guard Participates in Sentry Aloha Exercise
By Master Sgt. Daniel Reed, | April 29, 2025
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Six F-15 Eagles and about 120 Airmen from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore., journeyed across the Pacific Ocean to Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam,...

Tech. Sgt. Megan Brasley, a deployed aircraft vehicle data operations specialist originally assigned to the 124th Maintenance Group, Idaho Air National Guard, FaceTimes with her family while deployed in support of overseas operations, April 7, 2025. As the Department of Defense celebrates the Month of the Military Child, the Idaho Air National Guard honors military children like Brasley’s sons, Ryker and Rhett, who demonstrate resilience through the challenges of military life. Programs and initiatives led by the Airman and Family Readiness Office aim to support military families year-round, recognizing the sacrifices and strength of these young heroes.
Honoring Military Children: The Resilience of Military Families
By Tech. Sgt. Mercedee Wilds, | April 29, 2025
BOISE, Idaho – April marks the Department of Defense’s annual observance of the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the unique challenges and enduring resilience of children of military members. With more than...