Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle has announced that the search for Patricia Wallace will be suspended.   After consulting with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and Wallace’s family a decision has been made to suspend the search.
On July 3, 2012, at approximately 4:00 p.m., members of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, and the Allenspark Fire Protection District responded to the area of Camp Dick, located near the 50 mile marker of the Peak to Peak Highway, west of Lyons, on the report of a lost hiker, Patricia Wallace, 74 years old, from Lafayette, Colorado.  Wallace was hiking in the area of Buchanan Pass Trail with a group of acquaintances, when she decided to take an alternate route which she believed to be less difficult.  She was not seen again.

Buchanan Pass

An extensive search of the area, both in Boulder and Grand counties, was conducted by the Boulder County and Grand County Sheriff’s Offices.  Also, assisting in the search were members of Rocky Mountain Rescue, Allenspark Fire Protection District, Larimer County Search and Rescue, Alpine Search and Rescue, Grand County Search and Rescue, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs of Colorado, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Search and Rescue, and air resources from Flight For Life and Buckley Air Force Base.
During the 13 day search effort nothing was ever found that belonged to Ms. Wallace or that would aid in establishing a track. A group of hikers contacted in the area on July 3rd indicated they had seen someone they believe to be Ms. Wallace approximately 200 feet from the summit of Buchanan Pass on the Continental Divide earlier that day. At that time, she was hiking in a westerly direction toward Grand County; that individual was never located.
At this time it is presumed that Ms. Wallace has likely perished from exposure or the lack of food and water. The search will be resumed if evidence is located that might indicate where she could be found.