Authorities in El Dorado County are searching for a 60-year-old hiker who was reported missing after entering the Desolation Wilderness from the Fallen Leaf Lake area near South Lake Tahoe, the sheriff’s office said.
Jason Coughran was last heard from about 4 p.m. Monday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Search and rescue crews were looking for him in the wilderness area.
Coughran was described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and about 150 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes and an athletic build. The sheriff’s office said he may have been wearing khaki shorts, though his full clothing description was not known.
A missing-person flyer shared with the sheriff’s office post said Coughran was believed to have been near Angora Peak about 11 a.m. Monday.
The sheriff’s office asked anyone who was hiking in the area and may have seen Coughran to call 530-621-6600 or the sheriff’s dispatch line at 530-573-3051.
Desolation Wilderness spans 63,960 acres west of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The Glen Alpine Trailhead near Fallen Leaf Lake is a popular gateway into the wilderness, with routes leading toward Lake Aloha, Gilmore Lake and Mount Tallac.
The weather in the area shifted quickly after Coughran was last heard from. Conditions near South Lake Tahoe were mostly clear and mild Monday, but turned windy, colder and unsettled Tuesday. South Lake Tahoe Airport recorded gusts above 40 mph overnight, and light snow and fog by Tuesday afternoon.
Conditions in the wilderness, including around Angora Peak, may have been colder and more severe than at the airport because of the higher elevation.
In a Reddit post seeking help from Tahoe-area hikers, a person identifying herself as Coughran’s friend said that he was an avid hiker on a day hike and that his exact route was unclear. The post asked people who may have been hiking near Echo Lake, Aloha Lake or Fallen Leaf Lake to report any possible sightings to authorities.
The El Dorado County sheriff’s search and rescue program includes ground, canine, drone and Tahoe-area search teams. The agency also urged people heading into high-elevation wilderness areas to prepare for unpredictable weather.