A search is underway for a Huntington Beach woman and her dog who were reported missing at the Grandview Campground, near the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains east of Bishop, officials said Sunday.
Sheryl Powell, 60, was reported missing at about 2 p.m. Friday by her husband, who said that his wife and their dog “vanished from the campground while he was re-positioning their vehicle,” the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.
The husband told authorities that Powell took the dog for a walk to relieve itself while he was moving their Jeep, and said he couldn’t find her when he got out.
He searched for an hour before calling law enforcement through his satellite device, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A search and rescue team responded with a California Highway Patrol helicopter with thermal imagining technology, and have been searching the area for more than two days.
Several rescue groups from different agencies joined the search for Powell Saturday.
Powell was described as an experienced hiker, standing at about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing about 120 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a purple top.
The dog was described as small Yorkie-poo, weighing about 5 pounds and has a red leash.
Powell’s daughter, Farrah Powell, said her parents were about a mile away from the campground in a secluded site when her mom vanished.
“My mom is the strongest and most incredible woman I know and I appreciate EVERYONES support and time,” Farrah Powell said on Facebook.
The daughter said Powell did not have food or water with her when she went missing.
The Grandview Campground is a secluded area nestled in low hills at a 8,600 foot elevation and has limited cellphone coverage.
“In addition to this being an active search and rescue, it is also an active investigation,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Anyone with information was asked to call the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office at 760-878-0383.