Story Archive

Finishing the Job

Hikers in the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in southern Colorado found a body. Rescue crews were hampered by snow, but recovered the corpse in mountainous terrain. The deceased was identified as Bryan Skilinski, 40, of Phoenix, N.Y. Rangers had been looking for Skilinski after finding his car in a parking lot nearly two months before; he had not obtained a hiking permit, or told anyone where he was going. Rangers were already familiar with Skilinski after rescuing him in February, after he set off on foot in deep snow, and then couldn’t find his way back to his car. At that time, Skilinski was in fairly good condition, “considering he had spent five nights out in the elements” without a tent or sleeping bag — or even food, a park spokesman said. All he had was a breakfast bar and a snack pack of Oreos. At the time, Skilinski told a reporter that he was going through a mid-life crisis, and “was trying to find motivation for the next 40 years of my life.” (RC/Denver Post, KCNC Denver) ...Or the next four months, as the case may be.