Authorities call off field operations in Aldrich case

The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office is discontinuing its on-the-ground search of missing Snowmass Village transplant George Aldrich who seemingly vanished into thin air one month after moving here.

Local authorities spent a dozen days scouring the Roaring Fork Valley for the missing 28-year-old man who hails from Rhode Island. They organized search parties who fanned out into fields and onto mountainsides looking for any sign of Aldrich, a college graduate who had done some acting. They took to the air, utilizing planes and helicopters as they sought answers to his mysterious disappearance. They walked up and down riverbanks. A remote-controlled vehicle was deployed into a pond near where Aldrich might have gone missing.

“The decision to discontinue the field operations was a joint decision made by the Incident Management Team and agency heads,” reads a statement the sheriff's office released Friday evening. “This decision was made after reviewing all search operations to date, current leads and information obtained from the public. The Incident Management Team will continue to focus their efforts on investigations, as they have been for the past 13 days. The investigations team will focus their attention on leads from the public, both old and new. As leads are investigated, field operations may start again, as needed.”

On Nov. 27, Aldrich wrapped up working as an Aspen Skiing Company lift operator, cleaned up at his Club Commons apartment and took a bus into Aspen to catch the free Blind Melon concert in gondola plaza. He mingled with a few friends at Eric's Bar afterward. Aldrich then caught a bus home but apparently got off at the wrong stop — Truscott instead of Snowmass Village — and began searching for a ride home. He never made it back to Club Commons.

A bloodhound Georgia tracked his scent from Truscott to the bus stop at the Aspen Country Inn. The dog's handler, Jefferson County investigator Al Nelson, believes Aldrich must have climbed into a vehicle.

Did another bus pick him up? Did he hitchhike? Try to walk home?

Those questions have so far gone unanswered.

Police believe his cell phone is with him but the battery is either dead or turned off. His snowboard and valuables remain at his apartment. When he was last seen, Aldrich was wearing a snowboard jacket and dressed for winter.

Could he be out in the woods somewhere, trying to survive? Has he met an unfortunate fate?

Where could he be?

Again, no answers.

There has, however, been a groundswell of support for the Aldrich family. Dozens of residents joined official search efforts yesterday and countless others have searched on their own. Missing person flyers have been posted up and down the valley in grocery stores, coffeshops and boutiques. Even stoners are on the look out: Aldrich flyers are getting passed around and posted on walls in the valley's burgeoning medical marijuana dispensary business.

While an outpouring of support is happening locally, interest in the case is growing nationally as well.

CNN Headline News aired a piece on Thursday night with commentary from Aldrich's father and a Pitkin County sheriff's deputy. A Facebook page the family has set up is growing by the thousands.

Many residents say they will continue to look for Aldrich despite the suspension of official field operations.

“The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and Aspen and Snowmass Police Departments continue to seek assistance from the public,” tonight's statement said. “We urge residents to search their property, including outbuildings, shelters and other structures for any signs or clues of George Aldrich. Any information obtained by the public should be given to the Incident Management Team’s investigations unit by calling (970) 315-2103.”

The Aldrich's family released the following statement Friday night:

"The Aspen PD, rescue teams & community have been amazing in the search for our brother. At this time they feel they have exhausted search efforts & until new leads come in this case will be better served as an Investigation. We ask you continue to search for Georgie and pray for his safe return. We are not giving up and hope you don't either!"

River Name / Location	Stream flow, ft3/s	Gage height ft
Gore Creek
At Upper Station, Near I-70 Twin Bridges	n/a	4 ft
Booth Creek	n/a	4 ft
Abv Red Sandstone Creek At Vail	190	6 ft
At Mouth Near Minturn	223	7 ft
Beaver Creek
At Avon	21	2 ft
Lake Creek
Near Edwards	79	1 ft
Cross Creek
Near Minturn	100	4 ft
Homestake Creek
At Gold Park	127	5 ft
Eagle River
East Fork Eagle River Near Climax	n/a	2 ft
At Red Cliff	30	3 ft
Near Minturn	234	4 ft
Wastewater Treatment Plant At Avon	671	5 ft
Below Gypsum	826	5 ft
Colorado River
Near Kremmling	404	4 ft
Near Dotsero	1,630	3 ft
Below Glenwood Springs	3,140	5 ft
Near Cameo	3,740	6 ft
Below Grand Valley Div Nr Palisade	2,080	5 ft
Near Colorado-utah State Line	4,120	4 ft
Near Cisco, Ut	4,060	3 ft
At Lees Ferry, Az	12,100	9 ft
Near Grand Canyon, Az	12,200	9 ft
Yuma Main Canal Ww At Yuma, Az	987	10 ft
Roaring Fork River
Abv Lost Man Cr Near Aspen	n/a	n/a ft
Ab Difficult C Nr Aspen	53	1 ft
Near Aspen	78	1 ft
Near Emma	476	6 ft
At Glenwood Springs	1,160	3 ft
Hunter Creek
Near Aspen	56	2 ft
At Aspen	47	4 ft
Frying Pan River
Near Ruedi	113	2 ft
Crystal River
Abv Avalanche Crk, Near Redstone	540	2 ft
Arkansas River
Ef Arkansas R At Us Highway 24, Nr Leadville	47	3 ft
Near Leadville	86	5 ft
Below Empire Gulch Near Malta	156	3 ft
Below Granite	453	4 ft
Near Nathrop	451	4 ft
At Parkdale	464	3 ft