Search and rescue teams are on the hunt for Brian Joseph Perri, 38, of Fort Collins. Perri was reported missing on Thursday after embarking on a day hike to the summit of Mount Meeker in Rocky Mountain National Park last Saturday. He successfully summited the mountain, having sent a photograph to a friend from the top, but has not been heard from since. He did not have camping equipment.

Perri’s car was found at the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead parking lot. Initial aerial searches did not yield any results. Ground search efforts started this morning. Perri was last seen wearing a tan full-brim hat, possibly a yellow jacket, and a red backpack. If you may have seen Perri or have other clues, please call 970-586-1204.

While Rocky Mountain National Park is well-trafficked, it spans a massive space of 265,461 acres. A majority of the visitors never make it to most mountain summits within the park, sticking to the roads and easier trails. Mount Meeker is a 13,916-foot peak with exposure. The main route to the top of Mount Meeker is 12 miles in length, gaining 5,536 feet of vertical feet over “ Difficult Class 2” terrain. Mount Meeker is often noted for it’s close proximity to Longs Peak, the only 14,000+ foot mountain in the National Park.