Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: A hiker who allegedly was attempting to hike to the MGIO from the Shannon Campground was found deceased.
By Jon Johnson
MOUNT GRAHAM – A man who possibly became lost while attempting to hike to the Mt. Graham International Observatory (MGIO) from the Shannon Campground was found deceased on Feb. 3. The area around the MGIO has a hefty amount of snow, and nighttime temperatures easily dip below freezing.
According to a news release from the Graham County Sheriff’s Office, Pierre Romelus, 49, of La Vergne, Tennessee, was found deceased by an Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger rescue crew.
Deputies and Search and Rescue with the Graham County Sheriff’s Office were initially dispatched the evening of Feb. 1, after Romelus’ wife called County Dispatch and advised her husband was missing. She said Romelus planned to hike to the MGIO and his last communication was a Facebook post from Feb. 1 at about 12 p.m. with a picture of Romelus on the mountain with the telescopes in the background.
Romelus’ wife called dispatch at about 7:39 p.m. that night. After locating Romelus’ truck in the Shannon Campground area, the SAR was called out at about 11 p.m. to begin a search, following a track and checking cabins and other areas.
The Ranger joined the search the following day, however, the flight time was limited due to inclement weather, which suspended air search operations. According to the release, Greenlee County Search and Rescue, the University of Arizona Police, and the U.S. Forest Service also assisted with the search.
After weather conditions improved on Feb. 3, the Ranger resumed his search from the air, and the team located a track. Rescue members descended from the helicopter and located items belonging to Romelus and then, ultimately, Romelus himself was found deceased in the Grant Creek area at about 4:39 p.m. An autopsy will be performed by the Pima County Office of Medical Examiner.
