53-year-old camper 'discouraged from bringing phone on trip' missing in Colorado

Gina Chase, a 53-year-old woman, has gone missing during a camping trip near Norwood, according to the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office.

Chase was last seen on August 14 around 11 a.m. by the Wilson Mesa trailhead in the Lone Cone area outside Norwood. Eleven campers from an organized group out of Durango set out for solo adventures into the woods from the Wilson Mesa trailhead on the afternoon of August 14.

Members of the camping group were discouraged from bringing cell phones or any other electronics on their trip as part of a 'fast' in order to maximize a spiritual experience with nature.

The campers used a buddy system to confirm that everyone returned to their campsites, but Chase's "buddy" arrived at the main camp on August 15 and reported that she had not checked in. One of the group's guides searched Chase's campsite and found that her daypack was missing.

After searching for a few hours, guides called sheriff's dispatch around 2 p.m. on August 15. San Miguel County deputies and search and rescue responders searched, but Chase was not found. Responders continued efforts on Friday morning with more aircraft resources and K9 teams but still did not find her.

Rescue efforts continue today with more than three dozen San Miguel County staff and volunteer search and rescue members.

The San Miguel County Sheriff's Office asks the public to avoid the Lone Cone area so responders can search, as extra individuals in the area could interfere with the search.

Anyone with information about Chase's whereabouts should call sheriff's dispatch at 970-728-1911.