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Search for Missing 79-Year-Old Hiker in Windy Hill Preserve Enters Fifth Day

Rescue teams and volunteers focus on unsearched areas using chainsaws and ATVs as rugged terrain and hazards complicate efforts.

Overview

  • Margaret Elaine McKinley, a 79-year-old with dementia, went missing on May 1 while hiking in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve.
  • The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office leads the rescue operation, which remains classified as a rescue mission rather than a recovery effort.
  • Search teams are targeting previously missed areas, using chainsaws to clear dense brush and planning ATV deployment at sunset for better coverage.
  • The challenging terrain includes poison oak, rattlesnakes, and difficult topography, with volunteers and drones covering extensive ground.
  • McKinley's family and community remain hopeful, with her partner urging continued searches near Skyline Boulevard based on recent insights.