Search Updates
SEARCH MAP
La Plata County Search and Rescue has made the foot search traffic tracking map available indefinitely so that as anyone that is hiking the area where Jim went missing they can view previous tracks and if you have a GPS device we would greatly appreciate if you could send your tracks to be added to the Map as this allows our recovery efforts to be ongoing.
The map can be accessed here: https://sartopo.com/m/BBRS2. It is a BIG file so please be patient for it to come up.
Please send your GPS file after your hikes in the area to be included in the community map to shadid-tracks@lpcsar.com. Send .gpx, .kml, or .kmz files, not a picture or link requiring a login.
Update 1/13/2024
January 13th 2024 would have been Jim's 80th birthday and our family held a very special Celebration of Life. Starting with a ski tribute day at Purgatory on Friday with scarves reading "The Mountains are Calling," on the very mountain where somewhere where his body rests, followed by an afternoon celebration of life event on Saturday attended by over 100 folks with tears, laughter, sharing memories and more. Jim's life well-lived has been so sweetly honored and his memory will forever live on in the many hearts of those he touched.
We are lucky to have so many memories documented including the below to cherish Jim's life:
Update 9/26/23
Over this past weekend La Plata County Search and Rescue set up camp in a remote area to thoroughly search where the few potential clues were previously found, There were about 20 searchers, 4 dog teams and helicopters but sadly they did not find our Dad or any additional clues. Organized search efforts have now been concluded. They will follow up on any clues that come in but unfortunately there just haven't been many since the day Dad went missing on September 3rd. The community is still welcome to continue search efforts on their own in a safe manner and GPS tracks can be sent to shadid-tracks@lpcsar.com to be included in the Search Map.
For those not familiar with the Colorado wilderness it can be hard to fathom how they could not find him despite the very extensive search operations. The Mountains are so utterly vast and densely wooded that it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. We may never know what happened to our Dad and although our minds will always try to grasp at making sense of this tragic loss with so many unknowns, the one thing we know is that Papa will forever live on in our hearts and in the San Juan mountains. He lived a wonderful life, full of adventures on his own terms. The past three weeks have illuminated just how much love surrounded him and we trust that he feels that, wherever his Spirit may be.
The Shadid family is tentatively planning a Celebration of Life in Durango for our Dad on what would be his 80th birthday, January 13th. We extend our most heartfelt gratitude for the incredibly extensive search efforts and for the outpouring of love during this difficult time for our family.
Update 9/14/2023
Thank you Durango Herald and Wichita Eagle for the article on our Dad.
La Plata County Search and Rescue has created a community map showing search tracks by La Plata County SAR and volunteers who have contributed.
The community map can be accessed here: https://sartopo.com/m/BBRS2. This map will remain up indefinitely and anyone spending time in that area is encouraged to share tracks from their GPS which will allow search efforts to be ongoing.
Please send Tracks to be included in the community map to shadid-tracks@lpcsar.com. Please send .gpx, .kml, or .kmz files, not a picture or link requiring a login.
We are so grateful for the continued outpouring of love for our Dad and our family.
Update 9/11/23 12:30pm
After 8 days of tireless searching in the vast and dense San Juan Mountains via multiple advanced rescue helicopters, drones, horses, highly trained K9 dogs, many many volunteer hikers, motorcycles, ATVs and many prayers, La Plata county SAR will cease the daily Search and Rescue operations to find our Papa who went missing in the mountains on Sunday, September 3rd after what was supposed to be a short period of scouting for elk. There have been very few clues as to his whereabouts and what happened remains a mystery.
This is now a Search and Recovery mission and La Plata County Search and Rescue will continue to follow up on any and all clues that come to light. There is one area that a technical crew will backpack into this weekend that is very rugged and deep in the wilderness where the few clues were found. They will camp a couple of nights to thoroughly "sweep" the area.
A community search map will be shared as soon as we get it on findjimnow.com that will allow community members to upload any foot traffic they do in the area which will allow the search coverage to be ongoing. The map shows all of the tracks of the areas that have been searched and shows the absolutely incredible efforts of those who have been tirelessly searching.
As tragic as this unexpected event is, there is something so beautiful thinking of our Papa resting in the mountains that he so dearly loved. A place where he has spent the last 20 years hiking, skiing, hunting and backpacking. Through our mourning, we know in our hearts that Papa is in his happy place, somewhere up there, his body returning to the Earth.
Words can not express our eternal gratitude for the hundreds of people who put every effort into searching for him and supporting our family this past week. We are deeply touched by the compassion, the empathy, the technical skills, the determination to do everything possible to find him.
Papa loved bringing people to the mountains, and that he did this week!
Update 9/9/23 9:15pm
The Shadid family greatly appreciates all of the continued support from friends, family and the community.
Tomorrow's search, 9/10, will be in a highly technical area where volunteers will not be needed.
We wish we had more news to share and know everyone has been sending your thoughts and prayers.
Update 9/8/23 9:30pm
PLEASE SHARE: Search location for Saturday, 9/9 @ 9am:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/37%C2%B035'23.4%22N+107%C2%B051'15.5%22W/@37.589824,-107.8568879,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d37.589824!4d-107.854313?hl=en-US&entry=ttu
Today's search included several helicopters, dogs, and amazing volunteers. We have been narrowing the search area. Tomorrow, we will have a special helicopter that has the technology to find the walkie talkie and we will focus on areas where we have activity.
Thanks for your continued support of Papa Jim and our family.
Update 9/8/23 8:30am
Apologies for the delayed update. As you can imagine, the family is overwhelmed with all of your support + managing the search efforts. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
Search efforts will continue throughout the day today. Please only folks who are very experienced hikers at 10k elevation. Be self-reliant in terms of food, water, warm clothes, hat, etc and above all else take care of yourself.
Here is the search location for today:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/37%C2%B035'23.4%22N+107%C2%B051'15.5%22W/@37.589824,-107.8568879,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d37.589824!4d-107.854313?hl=en-US&entry=ttu
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTINUED LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR OUR PAPA JIM!!
Update 9/7/23 5pm
Search efforts continued throughout the day today with the Lifeline helicopter, multiple folks on horse and foot, two bloodhound dogs and hotshot firefighters searching different areas. Gunshots were reported around the time the helicopter was out and the area where they were reported to be heard is being checked out by the hotshot team. More bloodhound dogs are on their way to Durango.
Operations will continue tomorrow Fri 9/8 and we are looking for volunteer hikers to join the search and rescue efforts! Please reach out to Jim's daughter, Jamie, via the website. After Search and Rescue finalizes the plan they will send us a pin and meeting time at the end of the day around 9-10pm that we will send to volunteers.
Here is another article from our local newspaper on Jim:
https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/search-for-missing-durango-hiker-continues/?fbclid=IwAR2ZvSGRoK45jaQJtkTI7GFrBtFEEqUX9Eoa0aTyc44yloWXKDhqiaLI1zw
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTINUED LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR OUR PAPA JIM!!
Update 9/6/23 10pm
No signs of Jim today unfortunately. The search will continue for Day 4 tomorrow - we won't lose hope! For anyone able to go searching tomorrow, Search and Rescue (SAR) has sent us the meeting point for 9/7/23 at 9am. Follow this pin: https://goo.gl/maps/MX5fjBdZaz7vmJsa8
Please only folks who are very experienced hikers at 10k elevation. Be self-reliant in terms of food, water, warm clothes, hat, etc and above all else take care of yourself. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Update 9/6/23 12:20 pm
Day 3 of the search for Jim is underway. There are currrently 50-55 volunteers searching the area on foot. There are multiple helicopters, drones and a special bloodhound from Denver as well. They are allowing and wanting more volunteers to search additional areas. Volunteers MUST be self-sufficient, strong hikers accustomed to high elevations of 10k feet. NO dogs allowed. If you are interested in assisting, please text or call Monica at 970-779-9337 to get the exact rally location. Please bring water, food, warm layers, cell phone, etc.
We greatly appreciate all of the love and support that we are receiving from the community, our friends and family, La Plata County Search and Rescue and the La Plata County Sheriff's Department.
UPDATED TUES, 9/5 @1PM MT
Read Durango Herald Article with more information.
Jim Shadid, age 79-year old has been missing in the mountains outside of Durango (near Purgatory) since Sunday, September 3, 2022 at 4pm. Jim went out to scout for a hunting site, thinking he was only going for a short while so didn't bring anything with him (very unlike him as he is a very experienced outdoorsman). We think he got disoriented and never returned. Search and Rescue have been out with drones, helicopters, dogs and many folks on foot during daylight hours since Sunday but no signs of him yet.
Search and Rescue has just informed us they will accept volunteers who are VERY strong hikers and are highly experienced in the wilderness in rough terrain. We need to tell the search and rescue commander by 6pm on 9/5, you can sign up here.
We will coordinate donations and additional support as we have more info.