Naked men roaming Garfield trails

By Dennis Webb
Friday, May 4, 2012

Recreationists who may have been hoping to see wildlife in the woods around Carbondale have been getting an eyeful of something else instead.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s office has taken multiple reports of naked men being spotted on hiking and biking trails in the mid-Roaring Fork Valley this spring.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Tanny McGinnis said the reports mark a continuation of similar sightings dating to 2008.

Recent reports include:

■ one on March 28, involving a suspect running on the Red Hill Trail near Carbondale, described as white with red hair, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an athletic build.

■ another April 29 involving another runner near the top of the same trail, and described as white with short brown hair, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a runner’s build.

■ an incident Wednesday, involving a man hiding behind a tree near the Lorax Trail, also outside Carbondale. He’s described as white, with brown hair, a beard, and about 5 feet 11 inches and 25 to 30 years old.

The sheriff’s office also took an April 22 report of a male masturbating in the brush just off the Rio Grande bike path near the Catherine Bridge trail head near Carbondale.

The suspect was described as white, with shoulder-length light or graying hair, about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and with a medium to thick build.

The Sheriff’s Department has taken 11 similar reports involving these same three trails starting in 2008. It also has received two reports of such incidents in Glenwood Canyon in recent years — one at the Grizzly Creek Rest Area and the other near the bike path at the No Name exit of Interstate 70.

“It is important that our citizens do not focus on one location, but practice safety and be aware of their surroundings no matter where they are,” Sheriff Lou Vallario said in a news release.

McGinnis said it can be hard for eyewitnesses to describe suspects entirely accurately, and investigators believe some descriptions are similar enough that the same man might be involved in numerous incidents. But they also believe more than one party is involved.

She is encouraging people to carry cellphones and call 911 to report any sightings immediately so authorities can respond more quickly.

Authorities also advise people to not travel alone.

The total number of indecent exposure reports in the unincorporated part of the county has gradually grown in recent years, from eight in 2008 to 21 last year, with six to date this year.

The calls can involve things such as urinating or masturbating in public.