Search for missing 79-year-old hiker to be scaled back Tuesday

PORTOLA VALLEY — The ongoing search for a 79-year-old woman who disappeared while hiking was set to be downgraded to a limited continuous search on Tuesday at sunset, the sixth day of searching, according to a press release from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Margaret “Elaine” McKinley, a resident of Redwood City who has dementia, went missing Thursday after being separated from her family on a  hike along the Lost Trail. She was last seen around noon that day, and she was wearing a red jacket and black pants.

The search will continue in the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve and surrounding areas, authorities said. The move to a limited continuous search is part of the search and rescue best practices, the sheriff’s office added. This phase of searching involves scaled down resources compared to the initial intense search phase and will continue indefinitely or until McKinley is located.

“I am proud of the enormous collaborative efforts by Sheriff’s Office personnel and volunteers, along with specialized search and rescue personnel from around the state to search for Elaine,” said Sheriff Christina Corpus in the press release.

Since McKinley’s disappearance, more than 500 search and rescue volunteers have searched for her with the sheriff’s department and its partner agencies, authorities said. During the search, there have been no confirmed sightings of McKinley.

The sheriff’s office and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District urge anyone to report any information about or sightings of McKinley to 911.

On Tuesday, 80 search and rescue personnel from several counties assisted San Mateo County with the search, which has utilized planes, dogs, horses, drones, off-road bikes and motorcycles and mapping software, authorities said. More than 12 community members allowed the sheriff’s office to review their security footage, and officials have reviewed footage from more than 25 cameras on public and private property and on hiking trails.

The sheriff’s office is continuing to ask residents who live near the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve to check their security and doorbell cameras and submit information to an online form.