Family of Missing Hiker Remains Hopeful

Family of Missing Hiker Remains Hopeful


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Family members of a Utah man who never returned from a July 15 hike in an Idaho mountain say they remained hopeful.

Sunday's search revealed no sign of Jon Francis, 24, director of youth ministry for the Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisville, Utah.

The Bible camp counselor, a native of Stillwater, Minn., never got back after leaving to climb Grand Mogul peak in the Sawtooths. Searchers think he made it to the top but they don't know what happened to him on the way down.

Francis' sister Robin Francis said family members believe the 24-year-old is still alive.

"We're pretty sure he's still alive," she said from the Sawtooth Mountains. "We just can't find him."

After days of scouring the eastern side of Grand Mogul, family members and other searchers shifted their focus Sunday to the southwest side of the peak that Francis apparently climbed more than a week ago.

Idaho authorities called off their official search as the sun set Friday and it was not likely to resume, a spokesman for Idaho Gov. Jim Risch said.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty sent two Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents to Idaho on Saturday to help with the search efforts.

Jon Francis is the son of David Francis, a Democratic candidate for the Minnesota Senate seat being vacated by Republican Michele Bachmann, who's running for the U.S. House.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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