Man missing in Gila spotted by rescuers

A Houston man who has been missing since Tuesday in the Gila Wilderness Area was spotted late Thursday afternoon by National Guard Search and Rescue crew members aboard an HO 58 helicopter. Ross Mason, 44, went into the Gila on about Nov. 5, and planned to do a solo hike of the Big Bear Loop, an approximately 25-mile round trip. But when he didn't check in with his friend, William Lidwell, back in Houston by noon on Tuesday, Mason's college buddy knew something was wrong. Gonzales said the region is so rugged that the only place to search was on the trails. The search team had dogs but didn't have a scent for the dogs to go on because it had been too long and they had no scent item to give the dogs. And, federal law prevents a helicopter from landing in the wilderness. At approximately 4 p.m. Thursday, Mason was spotted by members of the search and rescue team aboard the National Guard helicopter. A Forest Service employee had joined the team in the chopper to show them where the trails were. "They flew over White Creek Cabin, about 21 miles from the Cliff Dwellings up the West Fork," Gonzales said. Mason had spelled out S.O.S. in colored clothing on the ground and was spotted by the crew...read more