Rescuers searching for man lost on Eiseman Hut trip near Vail

Search and rescue crews were in the field all day Monday looking for an Indiana man missing since Friday evening in the area of the Eiseman Hut north of Vail.

According to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, a four-person party left on a hut trip to Eiseman at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday. They stopped for a break at 10 a.m,, and the missing man — identified as James McGrogan, of Chesterton, Ind. — decided to continue on alone.

When the three other members of his party reached the hut, McGrogan, 39, wasn’t there. One of the other members of the party reported him missing at about 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

McGrogan was carrying a large pack with food, water, basic medical supplies, a sleeping bag, avalanche beacon, GPS and warm clothing.

Search and rescue efforts by the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Vail Mountain Rescue Group, Colorado Army National Guard High Altitude Aviation Training Site, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Alpine Rescue Group, Larimer County Search and Rescue Group, Summit County Rescue Group, Grand County Search and Rescue Group and the Salvation Army have been under way since Friday evening.

More than 50 search and rescue crew members and two Army National Guard helicopters actively worked to locate McGrogan with no success until Sunday evening. Search and rescue efforts resumed again Monday morning.

“Currently there are four search and rescue teams and one helicopter searching approximately 18 square miles near the Eiseman Hut north of Vail,” the sheriff’s office reported Monday afternoon. “Search and rescue crews have been searching for over 700 hours, with 24 hours of aviation search time by the Colorado Army National Guard HAATS, but have been unsuccessful in locating McGrogan. These efforts will continue into the evening.”

Anyone with any information about the location of McGrogan shold call the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 328-8500 or Eagle County Crime Stoppers at 970-328-7007, 1-800-972-TIPS, submit your tip online at www.tipsubmit.com, or text a tip from your cell phone by texting STOPCRIME plus your message to CRIMES (274637).