Missing Pleasanton Hiker Either Incapacitated Or Gone: Officials

PLEASANTON, CA — Officials are unsure of whether they'll be able to locate missing hiker Philip Kreycik as they prepare for a fifth day of combing Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park trails in search of the 37-year-old Berkeley resident, husband and father of two young children.

But hours after that announcement, search volunteers said they received a call from a Sunol family that "heard a cry for help from a canyon." Seven people headed to the area but it was too dark for search and rescue efforts. Volunteers moved swiftly overnight to recruit hikers to comb the area.

Officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about this development.

On Tuesday afternoon officials said they believed the ultramarathon runner is either incapacitated within search parameters or left the area, said Ron Seitz, volunteer chief of Alameda County Search and Rescue, during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The search has been difficult and unprecedented in Alameda County, where missing people are generally found within a day, Seitz said. It's especially unusual since Pleasanton Ridge is such a heavily trafficked park and it's likely that a passerby could have offered help.

"It's very hard to get lost here," Seitz said.

Officials acknowledged there are mountain lions in the area and people could easily slip off of the ridge, but noted the route Kreycik apparently planned to take was not along rugged terrain. There are places along the main trails where he could have found water, including livestock troughs.

Kreycik's wife reported him missing Saturday afternoon, hours after he failed to return from an 8-mile run amid an excessive heat warning.

A person can generally live 100 hours without water, but less with exposure to direct sunlight, Dr. Claude Piantadosi of Duke University told NBC News.

Search and Rescue Day 4 for #PhilipKreycik in Pleasanton. 100 search and rescue personnel and 200 community volunteers. We will do a detailed search 100m off trails in 50 square mile area. Community support is outstanding. pic.twitter.com/nH1zg8dJeG
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) July 13, 2021

Kreycik is a fit and friendly hiker and runner, a legendary outdoorsman who's well-known in the Bay Area and Harvard community for his "huge, jaw-dropping adventures," said Tom Wooten, an organizer of the volunteer search and Kreycik's former college classmate. He works as a strategic analyst of clean energy transportation at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., according to his LinkedIn profile.

The search for Kreycik has been exhaustive, officials said. Teams — including members of a dozen law enforcement agencies in the region — braved difficult terrain and rattlesnakes in hopes to find him.

About 200 volunteers and 120 search and rescue team members convened in Pleasanton Tuesday to look for Kreycik. Drones, planes, off-road vehicles, K-9s, e-bikes and heat-detecting devices were among the tools that searchers have used.

Searchers have looked so hard for him that they've found watches, sunglasses and a bloody rock, which was tested and ultimately turned out to be from an animal, said Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly.

"That's the level of detail and sophistication that we've gone into," he said.

Officials will now begin winding down search efforts.

Wednesday's search efforts will likely not be to the same degree as Tuesday's, Kelly said. When officials eventually call off the search, the sheriff's office, county search and rescue team and Pleasanton Police Department will reach a consensus on the matter, but community volunteers will not be discouraged from continuing to search for Kreycik.

“This was not an easy decision to make, and our focus is to continue supporting the Kreycik family,” said Pleasanton Police Lt. Erik Silacci in a news release. “We thank all of the search and rescue crews as well as the hundreds of volunteers who rallied together and remain committed to locating Philip.”

As the sun goes down, we are above Pleasanton in our ALCO2 airplane searching for Philip Kreycik. We hope our thermal technology will assist in locating him. pic.twitter.com/hy319pDXHS
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) July 13, 2021

Anyone who wished to volunteer in the search, drop off supplies or get the latest updates can get more details in the Facebook group set up by volunteer search organizers.

Pleasanton Ridge remains open to visitors.

Kreycik was described as white with a thin build and brown hair and eyes. He is an avid runner with no known health conditions and is presumed to be wearing running attire. Anybody who saw Kreycik in the hours before his disappearance or has information about his location was asked to contact the Pleasanton Police Department at 925-931-5100.

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