Story of missing hiker in Joshua Tree NP

[drndr]

Otherhand, so we have your perspective of what is going on out there, I'm curious what all your search buddies think since they've also logged a lot of time and miles? If they had to say one place they think he is, what would they say?

[Hikin_Jim]

They all probably think Otherhand is crazy for still trying to go after Bill.

Of course the DV Germans' and Norman Cox's family and friends might disagree.

HJ

[OtherHand]

Otherhand, so we have your perspective of what is going on out there, I'm curious what all your search buddies think since they've also logged a lot of time and miles? If they had to say one place they think he is, what would they say?

Pretty much what Hikin_Jim said......

Do you really want the opinions of people I can talk into doing this foolishness??? Actually when I pitch these stupid trips to them, I usually have some pretty good reasons for going the places we go. It's only in hindsight we can see it's been a waste (other than excluding areas). Probably the one sentiment I've heard more than once and am coming around to it is that Bill got himself WAY outside the primary search area. Of course that doesn't do a lot to narrow it down.

But I'm sure they're sick of Joshua Tree. I certainly am.

[halhiker]

Let's say he went to Stubbe Spring and decided to loop back to the Juniper Springs trail. If he got in a wash and missed the trail he could have thought he could have gone over the ridge and then dropped back down to the Keys View Road. It seems all the tracks on the GPS log headed north before this point and while it's definitely farther than 10.6 miles from the cell tower it's closer than Ryan or Lost Horse and they might have contact.

I only bring it up because it seems like every other spot has been traipsed through multiple times. It seems feasible if he missed the trail he could have followed the wash and then gone up and over.

This puzzle makes me want to go out there and walk around. Of course, it's going to be quite hot this weekend and I wouldn't want to become the next missing hiker lost in the desert.

http://goo.gl/PYtCa

[OtherHand]

Interesting thought. If you set aside the cell phone ping it makes sense. And no one's been there. And Bill will likely be found in a place where no one's been (Cabo San Lucas has been suggested to me).

I believe the route between Keys View and Fan View (?) gets occasional cross country traffic, so that wouldn't be worth looking at, but the route you marked out probably doesn't. In looking at the Verizon coverage map your Point B gets very good cell coverage from the valley to the SW. It's interesting country, home to dead mylar balloons and possibly radiosondes.

As for the temperature, I was just NE of Stubbe Spring on Wednesday and it topped out in the low 80s with a very good breeze. I don't care for heat, and it was decent.

Tell you what, do the trip, send me the GPS tracks and you'll get your own JT number. And don't listen to anyone who says that's a disincentive.

[halhiker]

My calendar is killing me but hopefully I'll be able to get up there in a couple of weeks to check it out. I'd probably go up the north side since the area around Stubbe Spring has been covered repeatedly. I'll wait for a cooler week so I can spend more time and carry less water.

I have done the Stubbe Spring to Key's View hike with Fan Canyon View and I could see how if someone missed the trail they could go up the wash. My friend missed the trail when we went. The area's pretty rugged and there could be an area where the signal only heads north and not down toward the CV but who knows. I will certainly let you know when I go.

Here's a TR on my hike up there a few years ago. We started in 1000 Palms, hiked up to the CHRT, then to Stubbe Springs and on to Key's View. It was on June 6th but it was a very cool day for June.

http://hikeeveryday.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... d-way.html

[Hikin_Jim]

Probably the one sentiment I've heard more than once and am coming around to it is that Bill got himself WAY outside the primary search area. Of course that doesn't do a lot to narrow it down.

The one thing that really bugs me about all this is if Bill could get himself into all these oddball places, why the heck didn't he just walk back to his car? Sure seems easier to me to walk back to the trailhead than to try to exit to the north or go to Smith Water.

But I'm sure they're sick of Joshua Tree. I certainly am.

Yeah, well it's getting hot out there. Maybe it's time to put it aside for a while. Sometimes solutions come to me when I put things aside and let things percolate in my subconscious.

HJ

[thatoneguy]

Interesting thought. If you set aside the cell phone ping it makes sense. And no one's been there. And Bill will likely be found in a place where no one's been (Cabo San Lucas has been suggested to me).

My guess is he killed him self in a open mine shaft

[thatoneguy]

Attached to the narrative is an email, apparently from a JOSAR coordinator or leader, that mentions a "blue backpack." Do we know for sure that Bill's backpack was blue? I saw somewhere else that it might be black. Do we know anything else about what Bill was carrying? I believe Bill told Mary that he had not one but two compasses, yes?

HJ

Blue Backpack was a code word if a dead body was found.

[thatoneguy]

It appears most of the searches were in the vicinity of Quail Mountain and the areas north and west. But let's say he ran low on water and decided to head to Stubbie Spring. For there he could have headed toward the Fan Canyon overlook intending to get toward Key's View. He could have started down toward the lights of the desert. When people get into to trouble, they often go down, just like that guy who got lost near Eureka Peak and hiked almost all the way to DHS. Looking down from the Little San Bernardinos, the Coachella Valley doesn't seem that far. I'm wondering how many searches were done to the south?

The equestrian team took stubby spring down south quite a bit. My team took it down until we couldn't find any more foot tracks. The spring was covered 95%.