Colorado hiker found dead after missing for months, with his live dog still by his side: report

A Colorado hiker who went missing in August was found dead last month on a rugged peak in the Rocky Mountains — but his Jack Russell terrier miraculously survived, and stayed perched next to his deceased owner’s body for months.

Rich Moore, 71, of Pagosa Spring, Colorado, had been hiking up the 12,500-foot mountain on Aug. 19, but never returned home, according to Fox News.

Search-and-rescue crews dropped in by helicopter and combed through the forests just below the peak, then moved toward the trailhead, where they found his car, the outlet reported.

But they couldn’t find the man — even though they spent more than 2,000 hours searching for him, reports said.

That was until about two weeks ago, on Oct. 30, when a hunter stumbled across Moore’s corpse more than two miles east of the summit — along with his Jack Russell terrier, Finney.

Somehow, Finney had survived for more than two months in the wilderness — and didn’t leave his owner’s side.

Investigators haven’t figured out how the man died, but they don’t suspect any foul play, People reported. Moore’s remains were brought off the mountain on Halloween.

Finney was brought to the vet, and then reunited with his family.

The family, for their part, was “glad they were able to gain some closure, as well as bring their dog back home,” the Taos Search and Rescue team said on Facebook.