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Parks in Brief: Rocky Mountain National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore

Sir Gruff grazing in an earlier photo. (Photo/NPS)

Sir Gruff grazing in an earlier photo. (Photo/NPS)

Search in Rocky Mountain National Park continues for Ryan Albert

ESTES PARK, Colo. — Search efforts continue today for Ryan Albert, 30, of Marlton, New Jersey. Rescue teams are searching both low elevation and technical terrain to look for Albert. Recently-received information indicates Albert intended on climbing Longs Peak via the Keyhole Route Oct. 4. His family reported him overdue Oct. 5.

Search teams have been met with extreme weather conditions, rime ice, verglas ice and pockets of deep snow in the higher elevation of the search area. Up to three inches of snow is predicted in the search area and the extended forecast includes cold temperatures and snow throughout next week.

Park rangers would like to hear from anyone who has been in the Longs Peak area since Thursday, October 4, or who may have had contact with Albert regarding his planned route on Longs Peak. Anyone with information is encouraged to call (970) 586-1204.

Assateague Island wild horse killed in vehicle accident

BERLIN, Md. — On Oct. 2 at around 7:30 p.m., an 18 year old solid bay stallion, nicknamed Sir Gruff, was struck and killed by a car. It is not known if speed was a factor.

A full investigation of this accident is underway. Sir Gruff and his band’s, (Ninka and Phoenix) normal range is in the vicinity of Tingles Island and Pine Tree backcountry sites, but they have spent the summer in the developed area.

Sir Gruff is the nineteenth horse to be killed on the Route 611 causeway since 1982; another six horses have been injured.

Information provided by NPS.


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