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On September 18, 2025, the intensive search for two missing elk hunters in southern Colorado concluded tragically. Andrew Porter (25, of Asheville, North Carolina) and Ian Stasko (25, of Salt Lake City, Utah) were found deceased near the Rio de Los Pinos Trailhead in the Rio Grande National Forest, Conejos County. Porter\u2019s aunt, Lynne Runkle, confirmed the news on a GoFundMe page established to support search efforts, writing,\u00a0\u201cIt is with a broken heart and through tears that I give you this update\u2026 Their bodies were discovered earlier today by Colorado Search and Rescue\u201d<\/em>. The Conejos County Sheriff\u2019s Office recovered two unidentified males approximately two miles from the trailhead at 11:00 a.m. local time, though formal identification is pending.<\/p>\n Last Contact<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Porter and Stasko were last heard from on\u00a0September 11<\/strong>\u00a0at around 2:45 p.m., when Porter shared his location via a Garmin InReach satellite device with his fianc\u00e9e, Bridget Murphy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The last ping originated near their vehicle parked at the Rio de Los Pinos Trailhead.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Overdue Report and Initial Findings<\/strong>:<\/p>\n The hunters were reported overdue on\u00a0September 12<\/strong>\u00a0after failing to check in with family.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Law enforcement located their vehicle at the trailhead, containing camping gear, backpacks, and wet clothing\u2014but critical hunting equipment (bows, game bags, binoculars) was missing, suggesting they had returned to hunt after changing clothes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Confirmed Sighting<\/strong>:<\/p>\n On\u00a0September 12<\/strong>, fellow hunters reported seeing Porter and Stasko alive at the Spruce Hole Trailhead around 10:00 a.m. The men mentioned spotting a large bull elk and planned to track it. Their vehicle was later moved back to the Rio de Los Pinos Trailhead.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Severe Weather Complications<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Violent storms hit the area on September 11\u201312, bringing heavy rain, lightning, thick fog, and freezing temperatures. Murphy noted these conditions persisted until September 14, likely disorienting the hunters and exacerbating risks like hypothermia.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Search Operations<\/strong>:<\/p>\n A multi-agency effort launched on\u00a0September 13<\/strong>, involving:<\/p>\n Air operations, drone teams, K-9 units, and ground searchers from multiple counties.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Over 54 professional and volunteer teams scouring rugged terrain between the Rio de Los Pinos and Spruce Hole trailheads.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Families offered a\u00a0$10,000 reward<\/strong>\u00a0for information and raised over $78,000 via GoFundMe to support resources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Location<\/strong>: The hunters were in\u00a0Game Management Unit 81<\/strong>, a remote area characterized by extreme ruggedness, dense timber, and high elevations near the New Mexico border.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Weather<\/strong>: Sudden storms and hypothermia risks were significant concerns. Murphy emphasized that while both men were \u201csavvy outdoorsmen\u201d with experience building shelters and backcountry hunting, the conditions could have led to disorientation or panic.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Gear Left Behind<\/strong>: The absence of survival gear in their vehicle\u2014including sat phones that later went unresponsive\u2014left them vulnerable to extended exposure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Bridget Murphy<\/strong>, Porter\u2019s fianc\u00e9e, tirelessly coordinated search efforts via social media, pleading for experienced volunteers and resources:\u00a0\u201cIf you are qualified\/experienced\u2026 please, I beg of you, come to the trailhead to help search on foot\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lori Meistrell<\/strong>, Porter\u2019s aunt, expressed gratitude to law enforcement, SAR teams, and volunteers:\u00a0\u201cThe family is heartbroken but thanks everyone for their hard work and support\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Saguache County Search and Rescue team officially ended operations following the recovery.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Cause of Death<\/strong>: Authorities have not released details pending autopsy and family notification.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Movement Between Trailheads<\/strong>: Why the men moved their vehicle from Spruce Hole to Rio de Los Pinos remains unclear.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Impact of Weather<\/strong>: Whether hypothermia, falls, or other weather-related accidents occurred is under investigation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Both men were originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, and alumni of James Madison University. Described as resourceful and passionate hunters, they had previously embarked on month-long backcountry trips in Montana. Porter was engaged to be married in the coming months. Their families emphasize their expertise but acknowledge the unpredictability of wilderness risks.<\/p>\n Weather Preparedness<\/strong>: Even experienced outdoorsmen can be caught off-guard by rapidly changing conditions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Gear Redundancy<\/strong>: Critical survival gear (e.g., communication devices, insulation) should always be carried, even on short excursions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Communication Plans<\/strong>: Establish rigid check-in protocols with multiple contacts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Community Support<\/strong>: The massive volunteer response highlights the outdoor community\u2019s solidarity in crises.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Final Thoughts<\/strong> On September 18, 2025, the intensive search for two missing elk hunters in southern Colorado concluded tragically. Andrew Porter (25, of Asheville, North Carolina) and Ian Stasko (25, of Salt Lake City, Utah) were found deceased near the Rio de Los Pinos Trailhead in the Rio Grande National Forest, Conejos County. Porter\u2019s aunt, Lynne Runkle, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/missing_elk_hunters.jpg?quality=85","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[2750],"class_list":{"0":"post-52464","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-outdoor","8":"tag-missing-elk-hunters"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoptraveler.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u00a0Timeline of Disappearance and Search Efforts<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Challenges of the Terrain and Conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Community and Family Response<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Ongoing Questions and Investigation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Remembering Andrew and Ian<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n\u00a0Lessons for the Outdoor Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nAs families mourn this devastating loss, the incident underscores the inherent dangers of wilderness pursuits and the critical role of coordinated search efforts. Our condolences to the loved ones of Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"