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After more than eight days of searching for missing Quebec hiker Leo DuFour in the Adirondacks, rangers have transitioned to searching for his body.
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“Despite continuous efforts using cellphone data analysis and expertise on Allen Mountain hikers, rangers have not located the subject. Given the harsh conditions, the search mission to locate DuFour has transitioned to a recovery,” Jeff Wernick from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wrote in a statement to The Gazette.
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DuFour, 22, left for a hiking trip on Allen Mountain on Friday, Nov. 29 and was expected back home in Vaudreuil the following evening. New York State Police reported him missing on Dec. 1 at 2:30 a.m.
“Allen Mountain is the most remote, high peak in the Adirondacks. It is extremely time- and effort-consuming to get crews into the actual viable search area,” said forest ranger Scott Sabo. On Dec. 4, Sabo reported four feet of snow and several wind events between 20 and 30 miles per hour that created whiteout conditions on Allen Mountain.
Police located DuFour’s car at the trailhead, covered in snow. Dozens of New York state forest rangers led the search efforts, facing rugged mountain terrain and harsh weather conditions. Rangers located one set of tracks in the trail leading from DuFour’s vehicle, but recent snowfall hampered tracking. Since Dec. 1, 59 forest rangers have searched nearly 400 miles by foot, Wernick wrote.
Forest rangers accessed information from DuFour’s cellphone with the assistance of the FBI and New York State Police on Dec. 1, according to Wernick.
Individuals should not attempt searching Allen Mountain, said Wernick. Anyone with information can contact New York State Police at 518-873-2778.
This story will be updated.
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