John Donovan

[Ed]

I ran across this article on the John Donovan case, which many people on this board may remember. Very interesting and moving.

https://www.backpacker.com/trips/trips-by-state/california-trails/lost-found/

[guest]

Hi Ed, that was a great, (long) read, Outside does seem to have some good writers. A bit of the info was not quite accurate, (but it's tough not having a deep knowledge of the area).
I've seen a few folks with a similar, willful, determined attitudes, and did my best to not hike or climb with them, (even if they were nice, friendly folk).
Those drainage's all along Long Valley & beyond are steep, and full of dead-fall and loose stuff.

I left Idyllwild too late (after the Jazz festival up there), to run back to the tram, (I was trail-running marathons back then), and found it very dark working my way up that final climb after Willow creek, (no headlamp, my bad). Assuming John was even at that spot, (& not climbing up before that, making it worse), it's a loose, rocky area that takes a good amount of energy. Then, I decided, (badly) to work my way down the short-cut from Hidden lake area, which dumps into southern Long Valley, where Catachahippee drainage, (aka Long Valley creek), dumps over the mountain. I'm amazed he, and that couple got that far down that chute, (article says 4,300 ft. I believe), and surprised they weren't cliffed-out before that, and a good thing that signal fire didn't start a big burn.

Sounds like they recently found the lost PCT thru-hikers remains who went missing a few years back, I believe quite a few miles up from Snow creek / DWA paved rd. scott

[Ed]

Yes, a few minor inaccuracies on the geography. Quite an odyssey for John Donovan. Across the Willow Creek area, up to Hidden Divide, down the Long Valley Creek drainage. All covered in snow, I assume, until he was well down Long Valley Creek. No trekking poles, and it does not sound like he was a strong hiker, despite his experience. About as wrong in direction as a PCT hiker can be. And he must have passed near the tram station. Sometimes I have looked down from the trail and think 'I know it is down there at my feet, but I can't see it through the trees.' It is amazingly easy to lose your way. I have even at times taken the wrong fork on the return part of a hike. Fortunately detecting and correcting my mistake in 15-20 minutes, but very humbled and disconcerted that it happened at all.

[Hikin_Jim]

Sounds like they recently found the lost PCT thru-hikers remains who went missing a few years back, I believe quite a few miles up from Snow creek / DWA paved rd. scott

Wait. What? Did they find David O'Sullivan?!!? That'd be something on the level of John Donovan.

Edit: A quick Google says that David O'Sullivan is still missing. See Fowler-O'Sullivan Foundation website: https://fofound.org/

Maybe they found someone else? I missed it; I guess. Who did they find?

HJ

[guest]

Hi Jim, I must have read of another lost hikers body being found, now I'm unable to locate that info, and it does look like O'Sullivan has not been found. Lots of folks on the PCT again this year, hopefully snow and rivers are too challenging. SS

[Hikin_Jim]

Hi, Mr. S

Perhaps it was one of these:

PCT hiker Hantae Kim found:
https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/ ... est-trail/

PCT hiker Robert Budinski ("Ambassador") found:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/body-long-di ... juk_RxrQt5

HJ

[Ed]

Another link on the Budinski case. Difficult to understand for so experienced a person.

https://idyllwildtowncrier.com/2024/09/19/hikers-discover-remains-of-missing-pct-hiker-robert-budinski/

[Hikin_Jim]

Speculation, but here goes: Perhaps he was trying to take a short cut? I obviously don't know in his case, but I grew frustrated once taking the "forever switchbacks" descending to Snow Creek. They're way too long. A bit steeper would have been a lot better. I cut down a drainage that bisects the switchbacks. See map: https://caltopo.com/m/1260 It was a lot rougher than anticipated both in terms of brush and rock. I ripped a good pair of hiking pants. I could easily see someone falling -- it happens to the best of us -- and if landing wrong perhaps being fatally injured.

But I get the sense that Mr. Budinski may have been higher up. Perhaps he was looking for water? Needed a potty stop? We may never know.

I fell recently on a trip in the Fish Creek drainage in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. It was just one loose rock; I was wearing a fairly heavy pack (30 lbs); down I went. God smiled on me, and I am still here. If you're considering a trip in the Fish Creek drainage in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, you might want to talk to me first. Hurricane Hilary really did a number on little Fish Creek. It's now a yawning boulder strewn wash 40 feet wide x 20 feet deep in places. It's a rough go.

HJ

[Ed]

I can certainly understand anybody being immobilized by one bad step. There was a time, not so far in the past, when that could result in a slow death for a solo hiker in a remote area. Today we have satellite-based SOS devices. I think every solo hiker should carry one, if not hiking on a busy well-maintained trail. I started carrying one in 2010. Fortunately, I have not had to use it, so far. Julian Sands would probably be alive if he had carried one on his fateful winter climb on Baldy in 2023.

[Hikin_Jim]

I also think it's really important for each group or soloist to have some kind of satellite emergency device. Supposedly, iPhones (14 and higher) can send satellite messages, but I don't think that's proven technology just yet.

HJ