Searchers call off effort to find Twin Cities father and son missing in Colorado

Authorities have ended the search for a Twin Cities father and son who remain missing more than a week after they walked into the snow-covered Colorado wilderness.

The decision, an emotionally wrenching development for the family and searchers, was made Wednesday because rescue workers have found no sign of Damian McManus, 51, of St. Louis Park, and his 18-year-old son, Evan, who haven't been heard from since last Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, the family expressed its "deep gratitude" to the search teams. "They have done all they can and they believe that they could not have survived," they posted.

"The die was cast in this case long before we were alerted to the situation," said Steve Wilson, spokesman for the Alpine Rescue Team. "We weren't called about this until Sunday, and by then they already had been out there four or five nights."

No one knew the two were missing until they didn't return to Minnesota on Saturday as expected. Their car was found Sunday in a parking lot near Echo Lake, about two hours west of Denver.

"There's no telling what could have happened to them," Wilson said. "All we know is that last Wednesday they were in this general area. Where they went from there and what they did is all a mystery. … It's hard to say if they're dead or alive, or they're there or somewhere else. We just don't know."

The father and son had gone to Colorado for a spur-of-the-moment spring break trip. They were last heard from when Evan sent a message on Wednesday to his girlfriend.

"Unfortunately, over the last four days, we haven't found any signs of them at all," Wilson said. "We're out of ideas. We're out of clues. We have nothing to go on at this point. There's really no other choice at this point."

A scent dog, a helicopter and dozens of trained search volunteers on skis and snowshoes scoured the wilderness. Deep snow, high winds and clouds hampered the search.

For much of the week that Damian and Evan have been missing overnight temperatures dropped below freezing.

Authorities also searched an area where avalanches have occurred but found no signs of recent slides or the McManuses. Searchers also checked a steep area where they might have fallen, Wilson said.

Ending a search without rescuing someone or finding a body is difficult decision, he said.