Authorities search for missing hiker, 79, at Zion National Park

Authorities in Utah were searching Friday for a 79-year-old hiker missing at Zion National Park.

The National Park Service said authorities were trying to find John Fiske Burg. He was last seen at 7 a.m. Tuesday leaving a La Quinta hotel in Kanab, Utah.

Burg was staying there with a group of 50 hikers and “stated he may hike the Canyon Overlook trail” at Zion, the Park Service said in a statement Friday.

“Burg’s vehicle was found at the trailhead of the Canyon Overlook Trail,” the statement said. “It is unknown at this time when Burg arrived at the trailhead.”

Search and rescue operations by the Park Service and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were ongoing, causing closure of the Canyon Overlook Trail and Pine Creek Canyon.

Burg is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. Authorities did not immediately identify his place of residence.

He has brown hair, brown eyes and may be wearing a light yellow shirt, shorts, black over light red Salomon ankle-high hiking shoes, and a white visor hat with neck guard. His backpack is a dark, older backpack with a two-way radio hanging from the left shoulder strap.

“Mr. Burg is also known to use two trekking poles black over silver,” the Park Service statement said.

A tip line is set up at 888-653-0009. Tips may be submitted online at http://go.nps.gov/SubmitATip or by email at nps_isb@nps.gov.

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.