Search yields no clues about missing 16-year-old hiker

By Rich Coleman

Monday, Sept. 27, 2010 | 10:20 p.m.

The search for a missing 16-year-old Henderson boy that entered its third day has yielded no clues to the teen's whereabouts.

The National Park Service suspended Monday’s search for Shane McNeil, who disappeared in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Saturday.

The search operation is set to resume at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. It will include two helicopters from Metro Police Search and Rescue, one helicopter from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, one helicopter and a search and rescue team from the U.S. Air Force 58th Rescue Squadron and a search and rescue team from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials say he was hiking somewhere in the area between Gold Strike Canyon and White Rock Canyon east of Boulder City and south of Hoover Dam. Verizon Wireless provided the Park Service with the last known location of McNeil's cell phone, which was a point along the Colorado River about 3.7 miles southeast of the Hoover Dam.

McNeil's mother told authorities her son hiked from their Henderson home near the Interstate 215 and U.S. 95 interchange through Boulder City to the Lake Mead area. He had been keeping in touch with his mother through text messages. His last text message was just after 7 p.m. Saturday telling her he could see the Colorado River and he was near Hoover Dam.

She drove to pick him up at their prearranged meeting point at the Hoover Dam Visitor Center at 7:45 p.m., but when McNeil didn't arrive by 9:30 p.m., his mother reported him missing.

The area that rangers believe McNeil may be in is a popular hiking destination that includes sheer cliff faces and loose rocks off the trail.

McNeil is white, 6-feet tall and 150 pounds with short blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and white sunglasses while carrying a black backpack. He had bottled water and was carrying a couple of Bibles with him.

Anyone with information about McNeil's whereabouts is being asked to contact the Park Service at (702) 293-8998 or (800) 680-5851.