The search is still for an overdue hiker in the Ohlone Wilderness, who never showed up to his planned pick-up point after embarking on an outdoor trek through the East Bay Regional Parks this past Friday. Missing hiker Alex Stecher set off on the morning of May 17 from Sunol Regional Wilderness with plans to complete his hike at Del Valle Regional Park the following afternoon. When Stecher failed to arrive, local authorities launched a full-scale search operation.
According to a Facebook post from the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, which was first notified at about 8:23 pm on Saturday, various emergency services were involved in the search. These included the Police and Fire Departments from the East Bay Regional Park District, Alameda County Fire Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, CalFire, and the California Highway Patrol. Despite the cooperative efforts, Stecher remains missing.
In their public call for assistance, authorities have released a photograph of the hiker. Alex Stecher is shown dressed in the same attire he wore at the start of his hike. However, he swapped his initial headgear with a khaki-colored bucket hat the day he went missing. Also missing is his dog, Apollo, pictured with Alex in the provided photo. The department has extended thanks to the allied agencies involved in the ongoing search and requests that anyone with information on Stecher's whereabouts contact their dispatch center immediately at (510) 881-1833.
The multi-agency response underscores the gravity of Stecher's disappearance, and authorities are urging the public to come forward with any knowledge they may have.
