Authorities say Caroline Meister is described as a white female adult, 5'6", 150 pounds. She has long brown wavy hair that is likely pulled up. She was last seen wearing teal-colored boots and carrying a blue bag.
A massive search for a 30-year-old woman who has been missing since Monday and was last seen on a hike from California Zen Center has intensified, according to officials.
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center said that the missing hiker, Caroline Meister, is an employee and resident of the center who has worked there for a year-and-a-half and is in charge of guest services, KSBW reported.
Meister is described as a white woman and is 5 feet, 6 inches and weighs around 150 pounds and has long brown wavy hair that is likely pulled up. She was last seen wearing teal-colored boots and carrying a blue bag, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
"We really don't know what happened, so everything is just speculation. All we know is that she was going on a simple hike, and she has yet to return from that hike," Heather Larusso, director of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center told KSBW.
The Zen Center is located within Ventana Wilderness about 10 miles southeast of Big Sur.
“She stated she was going to hike a trail that loops back around to the Zen Center. There was also mention of hiking the Windcave Trail. She was only carrying snacks for the day and was not dressed or equipped for an overnight stay,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, Drone Team and a California Highway Patrol helicopter have been working collaboratively throughout the day to attempt to locate Meister.
"We know we have a lot of people that are hiking down in this area today, as the weather is beautiful down here," Monterey County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Andres Rosas told SFGATE. "We're hoping that somebody saw her. If anybody saw her, we want to know where you saw her, when you saw her. We want to find her and make sure that she's OK."
If Meister is seen, please contact the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office at 831-755-5111.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is asking persons who may have been hiking in the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center area on 3/18/24 who may have seen Caroline Meister to please contact them as well.
