The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office in California is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing hiker last seen in the Desolation Wilderness area of the Sierra Nevada.
Jason Coughran, 60, was reported overdue after hiking into Desolation Wilderness from Fallen Leaf Lake. He was last heard from at approximately 4 p.m. on May 25, 2026. Sheriff’s Office search and rescue teams are actively conducting a search for him.
Coughran is described as a white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and an athletic build. He is believed to have been wearing khaki shorts, though his full outfit has not been confirmed.
Anyone who was hiking in the Desolation Wilderness area around that time and may have encountered Coughran is urged to contact the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office at 530-621-6600 or 530-573-3051.
Authorities also took the opportunity to remind backcountry visitors that weather conditions in the Sierra Nevada high country can change rapidly and without warning. Anyone planning to venture into wilderness areas should prepare accordingly.
