Young Hikers Missing in Joshua Tree Since Thursday [7/27/17]

[Wildhorse]

The Las Vegas sheriff said the investigators are flummoxed, referring to why the shooter in Las Vegas did what he did. It reminded me of the investigators in this case being unable to figure out the reason for the disappearance. And then I read this description in the NYT of Ishiguro's writing for which he won the Nobel.

"He creates worlds that are clear in a sentence-by-sentence way, but in which the big picture recedes against the horizon. His novels are about discovery and revelation, and how slowly they arrive even for the most meticulous observer."

His created worlds are like ours, and it is scary and unsettling.

[Perry]

This isn't quite as profound, but I looked up the temperatures for July 27. The high and low in 29 Palms that day was only 106°F/81°F:
https://www.wunderground.com/history/ai ... .wmo=99999
Subtracting about 8 degrees for 2,000 feet higher gives about 98°F/73°F near the car. Dew point (46°F) was probably similar in both places, so the weather wasn't that bad. A person could walk a long ways if they carried a lot of water and snacks, didn't try to jog, and walked slowly on the uphills. There was a little breeze most of the day except around 1pm.

[cynthia23]

Well ... a Perry-type person could walk a ways under those conditions. I'm not so sure about people who were only occasional hikers and from a temperate place, i.e. Orange County. I think you're right that a wily, well-prepared person could manage, but it's unclear if this does, or doesn't, describe Orbeso. Still, you make a very interesting point, Perry.

Wildhorse, so glad you bought up Ishiguro--I love his writing and was very glad to see him win the prize. Maybe we should send Ishiguro this story; it's his kind of tale and perhaps he'd write it for us. Its strangeness certainly deserves a great writer.

[zippetydude]

Well put. I am at a loss at this point. As strange as it may be, one of the most interesting themes at this get together, perhaps the most interesting theme, may be exactly what happened in this occurrence. I am seldom at a loss for a reasonable theory as to what occurs in the wilderness, but I am increasingly at a loss to understand this situation. I look forward to personal discussions as to what might have happened and where to look now.

z

[cynthia23]

Yes, it will definitely be a 'hot topic'! I happened to run into Wildhorse and his wife while we were both 'hunting and gathering' at our local thrift store, and this story had us talking for quite some time.

Right now, for whatever reason, I'm somehow leaning much more toward the 'natural causes' theories--if I were forced to guess, I'd say that they went on an ordinary hike, probably with some hallucinogens in hand, and perhaps as a result of those substances, made some bad, crazy decisions that ended with them getting lost, dehydrated, and stuck down some crevice or hole, where they died. I'm leaning away from the 'planned disappearance' theories, because everything we've learned about the two suggests neither possessed the kind of knowledge, fitness, or financial resources that would be required to carry off such a difficult scheme. It's true that the involvement of the US Marshals suggests 'planned disappearance', but I tend to think that it was more a matter of the NPS covering themselves against all possibilities, and that they asked the Marshals (whose area of expertise is finding people who don't want to be found) to make sure the couple are not outside the park.

That's my latest theory, at any rate. It could be different tomorrow--or by the time we meet up in Victoria Park.

[Perry]

One possibility is that the 6am phone call was significant. Just a thought, doesn't prove anything, but imagine how that conversation went.

I think there's a lot of people who can walk far in moderate heat. Lots of people on trails this morning, mid-morning, when it was in the 80's, and it probably broke 90 by the time some of them got back to their cars.

Zip and Cynthia, I sent messages to both of you.

[Florian]

Bodies found today near Maze Loop trail believed to be Orbeso and Nguyen .. http://www.kesq.com/news/top-stories/bo ... /638428207

[Myth]

Wow! Hats off to the searchers for not giving up. Orbeso's dad worked really hard to find his boy, too. Heartbreaking for them to get the confirmation no doubt.

I was aiming to search the area in early Nov, focusing on that "north canyon" which caught my attention initially. Instead I will probably focus on Bill.

[cynthia23]

So sad. But at least for the families, the ongoing horror of not knowing is over. Thanks for posting, Florian.

[Cy Kaicener]

The bodies of the missing hikers have been found
http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/15/2-bodie ... onal-park/