Authorities searched the East County wilderness east of Palomar Mountain for a second day Wednesday in hopes of finding a man who disappeared during a hiking trek.
Chris Sylvia, 28, was reported missing Tuesday after he failed to arrive as planned at his final destination of Campo, according to sheriff’s officials. Other hikers subsequently found his identification and some hiking gear believed to belong to him about 12 miles off State Route 79, north of Warner Springs.
Sylvia had started his hike in Anza-Borrego on Feb. 12. He was supposed to meet a friend in Lost Valley five days later to get provisions before continuing on with him but never arrived. The other hiker simply assumed that Sylvia had decided not to stop.
Search-and-rescue personnel resumed looking for Sylvia — described as a 5-foot-8-inch, roughly 155-pound white man with brown hair and hazel eyes — at daybreak Wednesday morning. Assisting deputies in the effort were Border Patrol agents and the Civil Air Patrol.
Anyone who might be able to help find Sylvia was asked to call the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200.
—City News Service
