Missing hiker search July 19

[FIGHT ON]

Anybody here ever been to Kern River?

http://www.kget.com/mostpopular/story/K ... J6NoQ.cspx

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If I saw a sign showing the number of deaths like that on skyline, I would think more than twice before I took another step!

[Cy Kaicener]

I heard of a guy Eric M of the OCHBG who did Skyline on July 16 starting at 4.00 am and used up his four and a half litres of water before he got to Long Valley. Thankfully he made it up there but why risk it in this weather.

[FIGHT ON]

I think it's a good thing to post all trip reports on skyline with as much info as possible. With the idea of showing how much preparation was taken to do it. The more info the better.
This way people can see what is needed. And they have something to ask questions about. Ultimately people make their own choice in the end. Nothing better than sharing personal experiences so others have something to ask questions about.
Now on the other hand posting trs about snow creek w/o doing a superman route is something I think is a bad thing. normalizing breaking the law I believe tends to encourage others to do the same.

How many warnings, reports of deaths and rescues, are on here and other sites already? There are warnings about doing Skyline in the summer and winter all over the internet, that people researching the route almost certainly have seen. Yet, people still think they can make it. In my opinion the more TRs of summer hikes, the more likely some who are not prepared will think they can make it.

Trip reports filled with detailed information would be good for people who want to do it. That goes for any hike. The more personal information about preparations and what happened on the hike the better. People read that stuff!

[halhiker]

I'm against hiking Skyline in the summer as a general rule and have stated this in the past. As far as TRs on these trips, if you're a regular, maybe just let it pass and act like you've been there before.

[Al Bouche]

From one of the victim's friends:

"Dr. Liebler was my thesis advisor, my mentor for 10 years, and someone I cared about very much.

He was a very good guy, who went home thinking about his students, and rooted for them every day. He always wanted to especially help the people who were most swimming upstream in their math classes: women, minorities, people with personal issues to overcome who were trying anyhow - he gave them all a real chance, and would spend as much time with them as needed to help them. He loved his family, his dog, a little house he was building in the mountains, and being able to hike at last after spending years having trouble getting around.

I will miss him for a very long time to come, and be sorry that I lost him years before it would have seemed remotely "fair." But he was a loss to all of us, whether you knew him or not; he spent his life teaching, thinking and working in ways that have benefitted us all. His measure should be in how he lived his life, and not the way he died."

[Cy Kaicener]

Here is an interesting guide to hiking in the desert
http://www.toddshikingguide.com/Warning/Warning.htm

[AlanK]

Article about victim from his local paper

July 22, 2009

CSU math professor dies on hike in California

BY BOBBY MAGILL
BobbyMagill@coloradoan.com

Robert Liebler, a CSU mathematics professor, died over the weekend reportedly while hiking in the San Jacinto Mountains near Palm Springs, Calif.

Palm Springs television station KPSP reported Tuesday that Liebler's ex-wife, Barbara Liebler, said his body was found in the mountains Sunday after he was reported missing Saturday. He had become separated from the group of people with whom he was hiking, the station reported.

Barbara Liebler declined to comment Tuesday. His daughter, Carolyn Liebler, also declined to comment.

The Riverside County, Calif., Coroner's Office had not officially identified the body Tuesday, and an investigation is ongoing, said Dalyn Backes, Riverside County Coroner supervising office assistant.

"He enjoyed hiking a great deal in the last two years," said Ben Manvel, a retired Colorado State University math professor and current Fort Collins City Council member. "He was doing something he loved a couple of days ago. He was a very smart, energetic, competent person - certainly a great friend."

Liebler had taught mathematics at CSU since 1971 and had recently been working in California on a summer project for the National Security Agency, Manvel said.

"Bob was highly regarded both nationally and internationally for his deep mathematical contributions," said Simon Tavener, CSU Mathematics Depart-ment chair. "He cared greatly for the teaching and communication of mathematics, and he was a dedicated and passionate member of the CSU benefits committee. He will be sorely missed."

The CSU community also will miss Liebler, university spokesman Dell Rae Moellenberg said in a statement. "Our condolences go out to his family and friends, and our thoughts are with him at this time," Moellenberg said.

[Cy Kaicener]

The body of the second man might be Palm Springs resident Bill Carroll
http://knewsradio.com/node/11174

Here is a blog by someone who did things that I would not recommend -
He hiked alone as a first timer in mid July
http://ericmersch.blogspot.com

[Cy Kaicener]

A dead hiker was found in the Grand Canyon He started on July 18
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 419D57.DTL

[Cy Kaicener]

Here is a hiker that has been following our message board as well as the Coachella Valley hiking club - see the links also
http://hiking.forsbergville.com/2009/07/