Body Found in Sunol Wilderness Believed to Be Missing Hiker

A body found in the Sunol Regional Wilderness this afternoon is believed to be a 70-year-old Palo Alto man who was reported missing after he never returned from a hike there on Wednesday, according to East Bay Regional Park District police.

The body, believed to be Irwin “Don” Meyers, was found just after 2 p.m. today in an area off the Maguire Peak Trail, where he had gone to hike Wednesday. It was spotted by a helicopter in an area beneath a rocky outcropping or cave. Investigators are still trying to determine whether he fell there or crawled there after being injured, but said there was no sign of foul play, East Bay Regional Park District spokeswoman Carolyn Jones said.

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• Missing Hiker in Sunol Wilderness

The Alameda County coroner’s bureau will determine his cause of death, Jones said. Meyers left his home at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to take a hike and planned to return for a late lunch, according to East Bay Regional Park District police. Meyers was reported missing by his partner at 6:50 p.m. after he never arrived home.

His car was found off of Welch Creek Road near the Upper Maguire Peak Trail entrance, police said. He was an experienced hiker in good shape. He knew the area, had hiked the trail before and was carrying water that day, Jones said. Search and rescue crews scoured the area until about 2 a.m. but were unable to find him.

They resumed the search today at daybreak. In addition to East Bay Regional Park District crews, the Alameda County Fire Department, San Francisco Water Department Rangers and the California Highway Patrol helped in the search. A total of 40-50 people were searching for Meyers, Jones said.

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy East Bay Regional Parks

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