Kaitlin Kenney: Search scaled back for musician who vanished at Grand Canyon

Big photo below.

Update: Yesterday, we told you about the continuing search for 21-year-old Denver-area musician Kaitlin Kenney after she disappeared in the Grand Canyon, and her mom's sense that she lost her life; see our earlier post below.

Now, the National Park Service has announced that the search for Kenney is being scaled back.

The most recent NPS release features the following photo of Kenney, the 2011 young-adult winner at the Colorado Fiddle Championships, as well as a person who is said to have brightened the lives of everyone she encountered:

Kaitlin Kenney.

According to the NPS, Kenney was last seen on Friday "at a river camp located near Tapeats Creek, on the north side of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park."

After she was reported missing by the party with whom she was traveling on what was supposed to be a thirty-day trek through the park's abundant natural wonders, rangers deployed helicopters to search for any sign of her along the river corridor and trails in the vicinity -- an effort that spanned a couple of days. Additionally, search-and-rescue-team personnel working on the ground combed "accessible trails, beaches, drainages and backcountry areas in the vicinity."

Unfortunately, no hints about Kenney's whereabouts were found. So, the updated release continues, "the decision was made to scale the search back to a continuous but limited mode in which rangers and pilots will continue to search for clues when in the area."

Posters featuring Kenney's photo and description are also up at rafting launch sites and other areas where visitors and park staffers gather. Folks with information about Kenney are encouraged to photo the park's tip line, 928-638-7767. The NPS stresses that "any additional clues collected will guide future search efforts."

In the meantime, Linnea Kenney, Kaitlin's mom, has not posted anything on her Facebook page since Monday, when she wrote, "Please say a prayer for our family. Our sweet Kaitlin is with the angels. She was our balloon let loose in a room and lived life to it's fullest, always with a smile. We were blessed to have her in our lives."

Continue to read our previous coverage about the disappearance of Kaitlin Kenney, including photos and videos.