Family Offers Massive Reward To Find Young Man Who Vanished

LAFAYETTE, Colo. (CBS4) - A family is making a desperate call for help seven months after their son vanished.

Ryder Johnson, 20, was last seen Jan. 17 leaving his job at Eldora Mountain Resort. CBS4's Howard Nathan spoke to Ryder Johnson's father, who is offering a large reward for any information in the case.

Ryder Johnson's father, Rick Johnson, believes his son went to Flagstaff Road in southwest Boulder County to watch the sunset after work at the Gross Reservoir. He hasn't been seen since.

"He was a wonderful kid. He was a caring, compassionate, humble, kind kid," Rick Johnson said.

Richard Johnson doesn't believe his son had any desire to leave his job at Eldora Mountain Resort, his girlfriend, or Colorado. Efforts to find him have been thorough.

"We've had everything from thermal detection planes to helicopters to drones. It's really been kind of a cutting-edge search effort … and search and rescue people have been fantastic as well," Richard Johnson said.

Richard Johnson has searched the hills above Boulder nearly every weekend since his son went missing. Now, an old-fashioned method is being applied -- money. Family and friends are offering $100,000 for clues to help them find Ryder.

"To keep his face out there in front of the public so that he's not forgotten," Richard Johnson said. "Somewhere in the mountains out west of Boulder there's an answer."

The reward money will expire on Jan. 17 2017, the one-year anniversary of Ryder's disappearance.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.