Missing hiker was likely hiking Triangle Peak in Pitkin County on Sunday

PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. — A woman was reported missing after hiking with her dog northwest of Aspen.

Just before 8:45 p.m. Sunday, a person told a Pitkin County Sheriff's Office deputy that a family member, Jennifer Hearn, 75, had been hiking on Triangle Peak near Upper River Road , Sunday around 11 a.m., but had not done so. yet returned. The person said Hearn brought with her her 3-year-old dog, a brown Irish setter named Tawny, according to the sheriff's office. The dog may be nervous.

His family said they didn't know Hearn's exact plans, but they knew his car was at the trailhead. They said she hikes the trail three to four times a week.

After the initial report, a team of volunteers from Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) went to the Triangle Peak trailhead to search the area. They concluded the search around 2:40 a.m. The search resumed at 8:17 a.m. Monday.

Thirty members of the MRA, a helicopter from Flight for Life, a multi-mission aircraft from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and a dog and its handler from Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States continued the search. Monday at 4:30 p.m., they were still on the ground.

Hearn may have worn denim shorts with a green T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt.

Authorities described her as a white woman, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds. She has brown eyes and shoulder-length gray hair.

“We understand and are extremely grateful for the public's desire to assist in the search efforts,” said Pitkin County Undersheriff Alex Burchetta. “We use specialized aircraft with equipment that can detect activity through thermal sensors. This equipment could record false positives that do not match the person we are looking for if we have unauthorized personnel in our area. “Our goal is to search for and find Jennifer. We want to prevent anyone else from being hurt and distracting our efforts from that goal.”

They asked the public to avoid the area. Anyone living in Triangle Peak is asked to check their outdoor surveillance cameras for possible images of Hearn.

The Triangle Peak drive from the highway is a little over 5 miles round trip, with the summit reaching about 9,200 feet. It is a steep trail in rocky terrain. The parking area is approximately 10 miles northwest of Aspen.

Anyone who sees Hearn or knows her whereabouts should call the sheriff's office at 970-920-5300 or submit information through this link.