Weather suspends search for missing Sierra hiker

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INCLINE VILLAGE - Regional emergency crews have temporarily suspended a search for a missing hiker due to concerns over visibility and avalanche potential, officials said Tuesday.

"As soon as conditions permit, we will resume the search," said Washoe County Sheriff's Office spokesman Armando Avina in a 5 p.m. phone interview.

Should conditions get better, Avina confirmed rescue workers will search through the night to find Rick Gentry - described as 6 foot 2, 172 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes - who has been missing since Sunday after going hiking in the Galena Creek Park area of Washoe County.

Temperatures were expected to drop below 10 degrees Tuesday night.

The search party is concentrating on a "high probability area" where they expect to find Gentry, Avina said on Tuesday morning.

On Monday evening, at approximately 7 p.m., rescue workers located a snowshoe, a fanny pack and a black glove believed to have belonged to Gentry, Avina said. The discarded equipment is a symptom that Gentry may be suffering from hypothermia.

Gentry was last seen Sunday afternoon in a red windbreaker and blue jeans, Avina said.

Gentry phoned law enforcement around 5 p.m. Sunday, Avina said, saying he was lost and not dressed for the extreme cold.

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