Search Begins For Steven Grunwald In Glacier Gorge Area Of Rocky Mountain National Park

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (CBS4)- Rangers in Rocky Mountain National Park are looking for a man who was last seen in August but was just reported missing on Thursday. Steven Grunwald was last in contact with family and friends on Aug. 28.

Grunwald, 24, was also seen in Boulder on the same day. He is from New York.

Rangers found his vehicle parked at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Thursday near Estes Park. They believe he may have been attempting the Glacier Gorge Traverse, a route with 11 peak summits and difficult terrain over roughly 19 miles.

Grunwald is described as 5-foot-6, 145 pounds, curly, medium length brown hair. He wears black rectangular glasses and is described as a fit trail runner, backpacker, and climber with backcountry experience. Clothing may include a brown beanie, yellow pants, a blue top layer and blue or red shoes. He may be wearing a green Camp climbing helmet.

Search crews encountered winter-like conditions with up to 10 inches of drifting snow on Friday. They say wind speeds of 50 mph made visibility nearly impossible.

Crews searched for Grunwald from the air on Saturday thanks to better weather, but were not successful.

If you have information that could help investigators, if you may have seen Steven Grunwald, or if you were in the upper Glacier Gorge area and/or ridge lines on surrounding peaks on Aug. 29 or Aug. 30, you're asked to call the National Park Service Investigative Services Bureau Tip Line 888-653-0009.