DEPUTIES HUNT PARK FOR HIKING COLLEAGUE.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer

Sheriff's rescue teams spent Friday searching for one of their own deputies from the Lancaster station who didn't return from a hike in Devil's Punchbowl Park.

As he left his Palmdale home Thursday morning, Jon Aujay, 38, assigned to the canine unit at the Lancaster station, told his wife he was going to the Devil's Punchbowl - a park noted for its spectacular rock formations along the San Andreas fault line, said Sgt. John Hargraves of the Palmdale sheriff's station.

Hargraves, a friend of Aujay's, called his colleague a seasoned hiker who often runs races of 50 to 100 miles. He has been with the department 15 years, Hargraves said.

``He's an ultra-marathoner. He's used to being out in rough conditions,'' Hargraves said. ``But when he's training, he likes to push himself. . . . He's a friendly guy and very independent and well-prepared. He was an Army paratrooper and he's into being in elite condition.''

Los Angeles County sheriff's search and rescue teams began canvassing the park and beyond at about 9 a.m. Friday, finding Aujay's vehicle parked in the popular hiking area's lot, just south of the town of Pearblossom, Hargraves said.

When he left his home, he told his wife he was going to do some hiking or running, Hargraves said. His wife reported him missing at about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Authorities said they were not clear on what sort of equipment and clothing the 5-foot-10, 160-pound man may have been carrying with him, but that he had a history of being well-prepared for the outdoors.

Co-workers remained optimistic that the physically fit deputy would be found as up to 60 deputies combed the Angeles National Forest on Friday with the help of four police dogs and helicopters.

Aujay's athletic ability to traverse long stretches of land made it difficult for searchers to isolate where he may have traveled, sheriff's officials said.

Hiking within the Devil's Punchbowl leads to hundreds of miles of trails within the Angeles National Forest and elevations as high as about 10,000 feet.

On Friday afternoon, deputies found a fresh set of footprints in the snow at the 9,000-foot level that were no more than 24 hours old, Hargraves said. Searchers concentrated on this area, but as of 9 p.m. Friday, had not located the man.

Snow levels were expected to drop to the 9,000-foot level overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures at the 7,000-foot level were expected to drop to the mid-30s.

Some searchers will set up base camps around trails overnight, Hargraves said.

``We're concerned for his welfare and hoping that he hasn't been injured,'' Fredericks said. ``There was no indication that he was going to be up there for this period of time.''

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Photo

PHOTO Deputy Jon Aujay, who has been missing in the Angeles National Forest since Thursday, works with his K-9 unit partner in this January 1996 photo.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News