Air Force Academy seeks missing cadet candidate

The U.S. Air Force Academy is asking for the public’s help finding a cadet candidate who was last heard from on Friday.

Micah Tice was seen leaving his sponsor’s home in Colorado Springs, but his parents in Nevada spoke to him Friday evening. Tice told his parents he was going to possibly take a hike the following day, Saturday.

We spoke to his mom who lives in Nevada over Facetime in her first interview since Tice disappeared.

“It’s just a loving family wanting to see their son,” Janice Young Tice said.

Officials with Rocky Mountain National Park said late Monday that Tice’s car was found at the Longs Peak Trailhead, which is northwest of Denver. Park officials said weather conditions were especially treacherous on Sunday, with bitter cold, significant snow, and high winds.

Search and rescue teams are now focusing on lower sections of Longs Peak Trail after finding Tice’s car near the trailhead.

“What they’re saying is the winds are extremely high and the Blackhawk helicopter can’t stay up there for long because it was like 90-mile gusts,” she said.

Tice’s mom says they are hoping to find someone with a helicopter that has FLIR technology, which detects heat. It’s a tool the helicopter they’re currently using does not have.

The Rocky Mountain National Park has also set up a communications center for any information on Tice. The hotline is set up in hopes of finding anyone who went hiking near the trailhead on Saturday who may have seen or may have not seen Micah on the mountain.

Any information on what he was wearing that day can help crews locate him.

If you have information, contact the hotline at (970)586-1204 or Academy officials at 719-375-4111 or Colorado Springs police at 719-444-7000.