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Strong Winds Keep Crews Below 12,000 Feet In Search For Air Force Academy Cadet Candidate

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (CBS4)- Search crews will once again search the Longs Peak area on Wednesday for a missing Air Force Academy cadet candidate. Micah Tice was last heard from on Friday.

Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members will search in areas in and around Longs Peak Trail, East Longs Peak Trail, Granite Pass, and Jim's Grove area. Search teams are also in the Estes Cone area, the Boulder Brook Trail area, the Storm Pass area and the Roaring Fork Drainage.

micah tice
Micah Tice (credit: U.S. Air Force Academy)

Because of strong winds, searchers will stay below 12,000 feet elevation on Wednesday. The strong winds are also keeping air operations grounded. The Larimer County Search and Rescue Dog Team will assist the search crews.

Cadet Candidate Micah Tice was last seen Thanksgiving night. Tice is described as a 20-year-old white man, about 5-foot-11 with dark hair and brown eyes.

Ledge on Keyhole Route looking toward Keyhole November 27 2018 Courtesy Rocky Mountain National Park
Ledge on Keyhole Route (credit: Rocky Mountain National Park)

Officials say Tice told his sponsor family he was going to work on homework on Thursday night and maybe take a hike on Friday. Tice also called his parents, who live in Nevada, on Friday. Investigators tracked his phone signal near Woodman Avenue and Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs.

Tice's vehicle was found at the Longs Peak Trailhead Monday afternoon. His planned destination or route are unknown.

Searching in lower elevation Longs Peak area November 27, 2018 Courtesy Rocky Mountain National Park
Lower elevation Longs Peak area (credit: Rocky Mountain National Park)

Weather conditions on Longs Peak on Saturday included blizzard conditions, extremely high winds, bitter cold temperatures and snow accumulation.

Park rangers would like to hear from anyone who has been in the Longs Peak area since Saturday morning, November 24, or who may have had contact with Tice regarding his planned route on Longs Peak. Please call Rocky Mountain National Park at (970) 586-1204.

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