Authorities Call For Volunteers

Authorities are organizing a walking search for a missing 72-year-old man from Rock Springs. Jean Baptiste Soule has been missing since Nov. 20. Soule had a regular hiking regimen and was last seen walking near his home. Previous searches haven't turned up anything.

Previous search efforts:

"The Rock Springs Police Department was the initial responding agency on the case, and they've been through the Soule home. And in addition, on a voluntary basis, gone through many nightly residences, most especially boats and campers."

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Detective Dick Blust says the Sweetwater Sheriff's Office is looking for volunteers to help scour an area of open ground about one-mile long this Saturday.

When pressed, Blust said this is not considered a search and rescue but a search and recovery, so volunteers should consider their emotional fitness as well as their physical fitness.

Physical demands of search:

"We want to stay away from children, and although it's not a particularly strenuous walk, it is a good mile walk over snow covered ground, a lot of dips, a lot of broken up territory. We're asking that people be very realistic with themselves in terms of their physical condition before they volunteer to come out and actually start with the search."

Volunteers will search an area where Soule usually hiked. Volunteers are asked to meet at 8 a.m. at the Sweetwater Trap Club just west of Rock Springs.

Blust says the search may last until some time in the afternoon. Volunteers will be given a meal and there will be a debriefing.