Hi, Scott,
Thank you.
I'm actually pretty good recognizing P.O. in its leafless state. Ask me how I learned what it looks like.
I'll have to thread my way around any P.O., but there's not much above 5,000' elevation. P.O. typically grows below 5,000' -- although with Global Climate Shift, who knows?
I love to set the O'Sullivan's mind at ease, so I hope I find some clue (or better), but my mind keeps going back to Fuller Ridge. Unless the trail is well tracked, one is more actually more likely to get off track than to stay on the trail. If he got off course on the N side in the snow, where does he go? Well, given the impassable terrain to the east, he either goes through Camp Lackey trying to cut across to the PCT or he goes down the W Fork of Snow Creek. He could also have gone down the ridge immediately east of the W Fork, but even that ridge eventually forces him into the drainage.
Diagrammed map link:
https://caltopo.com/m/R680The light blue arrow drops straight into the W Fork from Fuller Ridge near Castle Rocks. He could have left the ridge sooner than Castle Rocks,
but I consider it unlikely that there would be any off course tracks to follow east of Castle Ridge because the terrain is so steep there.
The light green arrow goes through Camp Lackey to the water source near BM 6470. This water source is a known source to PCT through hikers (it's on the Halfmile Map, PCT water report, etc.). This is a possible objective if he were good with maps and good with navigation. I think it would be a little tricky to negotiate this area were one not fairly good with map and compass.
The light brown arrow drops in one drainage east of the drainage leading to Camp Lackey. If David got the wrong drainage which is very easy to do, he'd drop down this drainage thinking he were one drainage to the west. This drainage funnels him into the W Fork.
I'm curious how much the W Fork has been "cleared." I think Perry went up to check it out?
HJ