Missing in the Mountains 2

Join Steve as he discusses 10 more cases of people who went Missing in the Mountains.

Written by Nicole Stockton.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/steve-stockton-s-among-the-missing--5858804/support.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello friends, Steve Stockton here withyou. Welcome to our latest episode.
Now, Hiking and climbing in themountains is a fantastic way to enjoy the
benefits of nature. The albums canhelp us stay fit and or at least
tension. Sometimes, our daily routinecan be exhausting and discourages from going outdoors
Adultimately, advantages of exploring new pathsare too valuable to ignore. Hiking and

(00:25):
climbing can be therapeutic and affordable activities. However, hiking or climbing in the
mountains can quickly become perilous for severalreasons. Overconfidence, unforgiving terrain, catastrophic
falls, unpredictable inclement weather, altitude, sickness, exhaustion or dehydration, and

(00:46):
even using the wrong gear can leadto disastrous consequences. In this video,
we'll discuss more cases of individuals whowent missing in the mountains while hiking or
climbing. Some of these individuals havebeen found and some sadly remained missing.
Join me, let's walk and see. First we have Rich Moore Blackhead Peak,

(01:10):
Colorado on August nineteenth, twenty twentythree. Seventy three year old Rich
Moore Pegosa Springs, Colorado, leftwith a planned a summit Blackhead Peak,
a twelve five hundred foot peak inthe San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado,
with Finnie, his white Jack Russellterrier. Outside Magazine said Rich's wife,

(01:32):
Dana Holby, was in Montana visitingher sister. Rich had previously hiked Blackhead
Peak with his friend Bill Milner intwenty twenty one and talked frequently about going
back, according to Outside Magazine.Outside also reported that Blackhead Peak is the
highest viewpoint on the eastern horizon fromPagosa Springs. From the starting point,

(01:53):
the hike to Blackhead Peak gains twentyone hundred and fifty feet in elevation.
Told Dana over the phone that heplanned to hike the peak with Finny,
and Dana asked him not to goalone, said Outside Magazine. When Urch
failed to check in that evening,Dana texted Bill Milner and her son Caesar.

(02:14):
A passerby reported that Rich's car wasparked at the Trailhead parking lot.
Caesar and a neighbor drove to thetrailhead that evening, and Bill Milner met
them there with supplies. They startedhiking at midnight, and I don't think
they got off the trail till threeam, Bill Milner told Outside Magazine.
Meanwhile, Dana drove through the nightto get back home. The following day,

(02:37):
the Archiletta County Sheriff's Office began asearch for Rich. In the ensuing
sixteen days, one hundred and seventysix people including climbers, helicopters, and
drones, searched the peak, anddog teams scoured the trails looking for any
signs of the duo. Ryan Foster, the Emergency Management commander of the Archiletta

(02:57):
County Sheriff's Office, told Outside magismagazine that the mission was one of the
largest in county history. You gotto get through some steep terrain to get
to the summit, which made thesearching pretty difficult. Foster said a lot
of teams had to be inserted withhelicopters. Search teams and personnel searched nearly
two thousand hours for Rich and Finny, the Archiletta County Sheriff's Office said.

(03:20):
Outside Magazine said the incident created alot of interest in Pagosa Springs. Volunteers
posted pictures of Rich and Finny aroundtown and hikers continued climbing Blackhead Peak,
helping to find them. According toOutside Magazine, on the afternoon of October
thirty, twenty twenty three, OfficerRobert Hill was in the Sheriff's office when

(03:40):
a message came through from a garmentin Reach. The messages from a hunter
on horseback who said he had foundhuman remains and a dog on a wooded
ridge on Blackhead Peak. He saidthe dog was alive and he was trying
to catch it but couldn't. Wewere shocked, Hill told Outside magazine.
Outside also said that Archiletta County Sheriff'sOffice arranged for helicopter transport to the area,

(04:04):
but the sun was already setting.They flew over the ridge where the
message had come from and saw nothing, but found a suitable landing spot.
The next day, Foster and anothercrew member were airlifted onto the ridge line
at about seven five hundred feet,according to Outside Magazine. After some searching,
they noticed Rich's remains, and besideRich was Finny, still alive.

(04:30):
She looked skinny, but she wasmoving well. Foster told Outside she was
very protective of Rich. CBS Newssaid Finney was reunited with her family after
examination and treatment at a local animalhospital. The Lynde of Vane Brighton with
Tawse Search and Rescue said Penny's magnificentstory of survival is a testament to her
dedication and loyalty to Moore. JackRussell's are pretty fierce. I have to

(04:54):
say they're tough little dogs. Sadly, Rich Moore succumbed to hypothermia exposer.
According to the Archiletta County Corner BradleyHunt, he was lost stranded on a
steep ridge on the eastern side ofthe peak, far from the trail.
He smashed his glasses and probably couldnot see where he was going. His
body was about five hundred yards fromthe farthest boundary of the search had said.

(05:18):
His wife, Dana Hoby, toldOutside Magazine it was kind of a
closure, I suppose, but Idon't think there's ever closure on someone you
love. Next Svetlana used Tomnco ColoradoMountains in the summer of twenty twenty three.
Fifty five year olds Svetlana used toMinko of Browd County, Florida,

(05:41):
had recently been diagnosed with the terminalillness. According to the Grand County Sheriff's
Office. As a means to copeSpentlana rented a vehicle, set off for
the mountains in Grand County, Colorado, and ultimately vanished. Her family later
reported her missing to officials in BrowardCounty. According to the Sheriff's office,
during the week of July thirty,the Grand County Sheriff's Office noticed a rental

(06:03):
car partd of the trailhead with theDead Horse Creek Trail, located off County
Road seventy three southwest of Fraser.Upon investigation, deputies and a US four
Service law enforcement officer discovered a whitetwenty twenty two Nissan CenTra with Louisiana license
plates that appeared to have been parkedthere for an extended period without use.

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According to the Sheriff's office, thecar was scheduled to be returned to the
rental car company on August ten.According to officials, officers started searching the
area around the location of the rentalcar on the evening of August eleven.
The search continued on August twelve andthirteen. On Friday, August eighteen,
Grand County Search and Rescue conducted athree hour small reconnoissance search. Then,

(06:48):
on Sunday, August twenty, theGrand County Sheriff's Office said in extensive searches
carried out with the help of GrandCounty Search and Rescue, front range rescue
dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs ofthe US or Sartis and Colorado Search and
Rescue, involving over twenty five individualsand six human remains detection dogs. Unfortunately,

(07:11):
no clues or signs of sweat Laanawere found. Grand County Search and
Rescue believes spet Lada was not inthe primary search area. The Grand County
Sheriff's Office said that despite the useof ground rescuers both on and off trail
and rugged terrain with steep slopes,dead falls, and thick brush, the
use of multiple dog teams, Sheriff'sOffice investigators covering train on horseback, and

(07:32):
drones on various days throughout the lastweek, they were unsuccessful in locating spit
Laana. Grand County Search and Rescueestimated that more than seven hundred hours between
volunteers and other law enforcement staff weredevoted to the search efforts. Until additional
clues or information services, the searchwas suspended by the Sheriff's office. Grand

(07:55):
County Search and Rescue said they mayconduct small scale operations in areas they may
determined to be of higher probability.The Sheriff's office added, sadly, the
family has shared that Spintlana had beendiagnosed to eterninal illness, was struggling as
she tried to cope, and wasattracted to the Colorado Mountains. The Grand
County Sheriff's Office said the trailhead Ortlana'srental car was found as commonly used by

(08:20):
hikers, mountain bikers, and otherrecreational enthusiasts. Although the official search was
called off, authorities are still investigatingand Spentlana remains missing. Anyone with any
information regarding Spatlana's disappearance dis asked tocontact the Grand County Sheriff's Office Dispatch at
nine seven zero seven two five threethree one three. Next. Eli Michelle

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and nafion A Wall the Nauli NationalPark and Preserve, Alaska. On Friday
May five, twenty twenty three,thirty four year old Elia Michelle of Columbia
City, Indiana, and thirty twoyear old Napia Wall of Seattle, Washington
started climbing the Moss Tooth Peak atthe Nauli National Park and Preserve. According
to the National Park Service, Eliand Naffian's last communication was at five am

(09:11):
on May five. They checked inwith a friend using an Indo each satellite
communication device. During the conversation,they mentioned their plan to climb the west
Ridge route of the Moss Tooth,a mountain nearly two miles tall. The
National Park Service describes the Moosa's Toothroute as a steep and technical one leading

(09:31):
to the peak. On Sunday,May seventh, twenty twenty three, Eli
and Nafian's friend reported that they hadnot returned as predicted and had not checked
in via in Reach. The NationalPark Service immediately executed a search. Search
members found Eli and Nafian's tent unattendedand subsequently discovered boot tracks leading to a
recent small slab avalanche. Temperatures whenthe pair went missing were between five and

(09:56):
twenty degrees fahrenheit at night. TheNational Park Service said. Several pieces of
the climber's equipment were also sighted alongthe thirty two hundred foot fall line,
including two ice axes and a climbinghelmet. Eli and Nafion were only supplied
for a single day in the wilderness. Their friends said the men planned to

(10:16):
climb the route in a single,long push. The Nauli National Park and
Preserved spokesperson Marine Guiltieri said, asis typical to minimize way to move fast,
they did not take over night gear, nor likely more than a day's
supply of food, water, andfuel. Mountaineering rangers found evidence that the
climbers were swept off their feet bya small slab avalanche Friday evening while high

(10:39):
on the west Ridge route. TheNational Park Service said rangers followed boot tracks
continuing up the west Ridge. Thetracks do disappear at the avalanche. Park
spokesperson Guiltieri said by Thursday May eleventh, twenty twenty three, search leaders determined
that survival is outside the window ofpossibility for the missing men. According to

(11:01):
the National Park Service, the searchwas ultimately scaled back, and subsequent intermittent
narrow searches of the area have yetto be successful in finding them. Park
spokesperson Marine Gultieri said in an emailto the Tribune, it is the park's
policy and intent to find and recoverthe remains, as long as the recovery
does not put the life of therescuers in a potentially life threatening situation.

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At the time of this recording,Eli and Napion remained missing. Next,
we have Kuwang Trong Than, SplitMountain, California. Quan Trong Than,
a sixty six year old resident ofNewport Beach, California, along with two
others, embarked on a climb tothe north slope of Split Mountain on the

(11:46):
Sierra Nevada Crest from the Red LakeTrailhead on Sunday, August twenty one,
twenty twenty two. The initial planwas to summit Split Mountain and returned via
Inyo National Forest on the same day. However, according to the Inyo County
Sheriff's Department, Klang separated from hisgroup and assided to return to the trailhead
instead of summoning the mountain. TheNational Park Service reported that he was not

(12:09):
carrying any overnight gear. Also,according to the National Park Service, Klang
was last seen on Sunday, Augusttwenty one, twenty twenty two, between
three and four pm near the peakof Split Mountain, close to the boundary
of King's Canyon National Park and InyoNational Forest, at an altitude of thirteen
thy two hundred feet. One partymember had waited sixty to ninety minutes for

(12:33):
Kwang and the other members to return. Wang had indicated that he would either
fall behind, wait for them there, or head down, but the Inyo
County Sheriff's Office said no specific planwas made. The other two members returned
to the vehicle around three thirty pm. Kwang had left his helmet and jacket
at Red Lake and had yet toreturn to pick him up. His companions

(12:54):
did not see him on their descent. On Monday, August twenty second,
the Inyo County Sheriff's apartment reported thatInyo Search and Rescue received a call for
a missing hiker at Red Lake SlashSplit Mountain. The California Highway Patrol searched
for Kuang using high powered optics.According to the statement from the Ineo County
Sheriff's Office, two Search and Rescuemembers visited the Red Lake trail and interviewed

(13:16):
the two hikers who were with Klaw. On Tuesday, August twenty three,
Sequoia King's National Park helicopters scanned thearea with high powered optics but found nothing.
The Inyo County Sheriff's Office reported thaton Wednesday, August twenty four,
four Inyo Search and Rescue members wereinserted via the California Highway Patrol. Two

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went to the point where Kwan waslast seen and two went to Red Lake.
The two inserted where Kwan was lastseen scoured the summit, the Red
Lake drainage, the Tin of Mahadrainage, and the lake under Myither Pass.
They searched the descent gully and spokewith a party of three who had
gotten funneled towards the wrong gully asthe other members of Quong's party did on

(13:58):
their descent. Parties were able toturn around and find the correct descent.
The Inyo County Sheriff's Office said thatthe California Highway Patrol spent the entire day
thoroughly surveying the area, but therewas no evidence of Quong. The Inyo
County Sheriff's Office said that the twoSearch and Rescue members at Red Lake also
scared the area with no trace ofKung. They spoke with one hiker coming

(14:20):
down and mentioned getting funneled towards theRaal gully. The high elevation of where
Kwang was last seen and the scorchingweather made it challenging for helicopter operations and
ground searchers. Despite extensive efforts spanningover ten days, Quong's whereabouts remained unknown
and the search was placed in limitedcontinuous mode. Quang's itinerary was highly challenging

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and few other hikers were in thearea when he went and missing. The
National Park Service said that simultaneous searcheswere led by Sequoia and King's Canyon National
Parks and the Inyo County Sheriff's Department, with the assistants of Inyo National Forest,
Inyo County Search and Rescue, CaliforniaNational Guard, Sierra Madre Search and
Rescue, the Air Force Rescue CoordinationCenter, Tilauri County and Los Angeles County

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Sheriff's Departments, Yosemite, Death Valleyand Pinnacles National Parks, the Civil Air
Patrol, California Governor's Office of EmergencyManagement, and California Highway Patrol Inland Division
air OPS. Any One hiking inthe area at the time of Quong's disappearance
with relevant information is asked to policecontact the Inyo County Sheriff's Dispatch at seven

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six zero eight seven eight zero threeeight three Option four next. Barbara Goldberg
Blueberry Mountain, Maine. On Friday, August sixth, twenty twenty one,
seventy eight year old Barbara Goldberg fromPotomac, Maryland, went solo hiking on
Blueberry Mountain in Stowe, Maine.According to Mark Laddie, spokes for the

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Main Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Barbara's partner, Stephen Plotkin, dropped
her off at the mountain around nineam and last communicated with her around eleven
AM by Milwaukee talkie. According tothe Portland Press Herald. Stephen missing after
she failed to return to the areawhere they planned to meet. According to
the Portland Press Herald, Stephen informedthe police that Barbara said she was almost

(16:07):
at the summit and told them shewould return to the stone House Road parking
lot by noon. However, Barbaradid not return to the agreed meeting place
by two thirty pm. At thatpoint, Stephen contacted the police and they
began searching for her. Around threepm that day, The Portland Press Herald
said main officials from various locations ofvolunteer crews from main search and rescue dogs

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come nearby trails and roads by landand air. During the search, one
of the main search and rescue dogsfound her walkie talkie near a ledge on
Blueberry Mountain. The wardens used Barbara'siPad to track her cell phone, and
the Portland Press Herald said that avolunteer calling her phone during the search heard
a ringing sound. This ultimately ledto the discovery of her remains at the
base of the ledges on Saturday,August seventh. The Main Department of Inland

(16:53):
Fisheries and Wildlife said Barbara's passing isnot suspicious, but did not release the
cause to the public. Next TatumMorrell Beartooth Mountains, Montana. Tatum Morrell,
a twenty three ye old skilled hikerfrom Idaho, began her hike from
the West Fork trailhead near Red Lodgeon Thursday, July one, twenty twenty
one. As reported by the CarbonCounty Sheriff's Office. She last contacted her

(17:17):
mother using a satellite communicator at eightpm the same day. Tatum had planned
to hike five mountain peaks in theBartooth Mountains, home to the highest forty
one peaks in Montana, over fivedays. According to Red Lodge Fire Rescue.
It's believed that Tatum departed from hercampsite at Shadow Lake on Friday,
July two to hike one of thepeaks in the area. However, she
did not return. Ground teams searchedthe routes Tatum may have taken on Wednesday,

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July seven, focusing on Sundance,Bowback Castle and Whitetail Mountains. From
Sunday night to Tuesday evening, helicoptercrews from the National Guard and two Bear
Air searched the area using infrared cameras, cell phone tracking, and reco tracking.
At the same time, Round Cruisesearched the area of her camp.
Red Lodge Search and Rescue and theCarbon County Sheriff's Office were joined by rescue

(18:04):
teams statewide and from Wyoming, includingthe Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, Galton County
Search and Rescue, Big Horn CountySearch and Rescue, Park County, Wyoming
Search and Rescue, US Fourth Service, three search dog teams, and three
helicopters. According to Red Lodge FireRescue, on Saturday, August twenty one,

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twenty twenty one, a group ofhikers located Tatum's remains in the White
Tail Peak area after noticing a pieceof hiking equipment on the trail. Carbon
County Sheriff Josh McQuillan said the hikerswere aware of the search efforts for Tatum,
and a closer look at the arearevealed her beneath what appeared to be
a rock slide in an area previouslysearched. Finding her, especially buried in

(18:45):
that rock slide, answered a lotof questions as the wire ground crews couldn't
find her, why helicopters couldn't findher, and even why search dogs couldn't
find her. That helps us alot with putting the pieces of the puzzle
together, said John Trapp, theassistant chief of Red Lodge Fire Rescue.
The hikers provided authorities with GPS coordinates, and Sheriff McQuillan said they confirmed the

(19:06):
location of the remains on the morningof August twenty two in a helicopter owned
by the Elstone County Sheriff's Office.Two Bear air transported Tatum's remains from the
mountains to the Red Lodge Airport.The Sheriff's office believes Tatum was climbing White
Tail Peak when she was caught ina significant rockslide and suffered catastrophic injuries.
The Carbon County Sheriff's office said,we could not be more grateful and thankful

(19:29):
to all the personnel and agencies thatwork together in this effort to hopefully bring
some peace enclosure to the Morrell familyand could not have carried out this effort
without all of their assistants. NextCassandra Bravo Mount Whitney. Cassandra Bravo,
a thirty four year old nurse andmother of two, went missing on Thursday,
November five, twenty twenty, whilehiking solo on Mount Whitney, which

(19:52):
is located on the boundary of SequoiaNational Park and Indian National Forest. According
to the National Park Service, MountWhitney is the most frequently climbed mountain peak
in Sierra Nevada. The shortest andmost popular route to the summit is from
Whitney Portal, which has an elevationof eight thousand, three hundred and sixty
feet at the trailhead and fourteen thousand, four hundred ninety four feet at the

(20:12):
summit. Cassandra only intended to hikefor the day. Later on Thursday,
Cassandra's friends and family were concerned afterthey had not heard from her. They
learned the Inyo County Sheriff's Office,which found her vehicle park at Mount Whitney
Portal in the Inyo National Forest.A gofund me page for Cassandra's children said
that her boyfriend, father, andseveral close friends began searching for her on

(20:36):
Friday, November sixth. They werejoined by the Inno County Search and Rescue
Team the following day. Cassandra wasfound alive down a steep slope of rock
on the morning of Saturday, Novemberseven, apparently having slipped and fallen approximately
one hundred feet and had managed tomake her way behind a large tree stump.
According to the gofundb page, Cassandraspent two nights in freezing cold temperatures.

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According to the Uania County Sheriff's office, she was wearing only a tank
top and leggings amid freezing temperatures anda windshill of minus twenty degree fahrenheit.
She was airlifted to a local hospital, but sadly succumbed her injuries. Those
of us that knew Cassandra knew shewas a fighter and strong. The gofund
me Pate said, we know shefought to stay alive. She was an
amazing nurse. She leaves behind hertwo beautiful children whom she lived for.

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She was an amazing person with ataker to leave it, personality that really
enjoyed life. The pate said.Next, we have Mitzi Siu Susan Clements
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. OnTuesday September twenty five, twenty eighteen,
fifty three year old Mitzi Siux SusanClements of Ohio went hiking with her daughter

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on the Forny Ridge Trail in theGreat Smoky Mountains National Park on the border
of Tennessee and North Carolina. Accordingto the National Park Service, she was
last seen around five pm that day. According to Julina Campbell, spokesman for
the National Park Service, who spoketo WATE TV Knoxville, the pair of
returning from Andrews Bald. The onepoint eight mile Andrews Bald trail is considered

(22:07):
to be moderate in difficulty, withan elevation change of around four hundred feet
from the parking lot up to thepoint where it descends to the Bald at
five eight hundred and sixty feet elevation. When they were about a quarter mile
from Andrews Bald, Mitsy's daughter walkedahead of her for a short while since
she was a faster hiker. Theymade plans to meet at the parking lot,
but Mitzi never returned and was reportedmissing. A search for Mitzy lasted

(22:32):
a week and involved one hundred andseventy five terrain personnel from five states and
some fifty organizations, helicopters, drones, and canine units. Any tracks,
any sense that the dogs could havepicked up were pretty much raised in those
first couple of days because of onand off rain, said spokesperson Campbell.
You can't see the person standing nextto you. It's that thick. Search
parties combed over five hundred miles oftrails and ten square miles of off trail

(22:56):
terrain to find Mitzi. Search Cruiseddiscovered Mitzi's remains on October two, twenty
eighteen. According to the National ParkService, The remains were found in a
dense foliage area down the steep HugginsCreek drainage in Swain County. The location
was approximately three fourths of a milesouth of the Appalachian Trail and two miles
west of the Cleveland's Dome parking area. The autopsy concluded Mitzi passed away from

(23:21):
complications of hypothermia due to exposure toadverse environmental conditions. The National Park Service
said she wore a light sweater,laggings, nylon workout pants, and a
clear rain pun show. Medical examiner'sreport also listed dehydration as a contributing factor.
Mitzi had no other signs of significanttrauma, and there were no signs

(23:41):
of foul play. We just don'tknow what happened, spokesman Campbell said.
Because it was in the middle ofnowhere, there aren't any trails nearby.
The closest trail to that would havebeen the Appalachian Trail. We don't know
if she was on that trail.In a statement, Mitzy's family said,
I want to specifically thank the NationalPark Service for their incredit efforts. The
cooperation shown between more than fifty agencieswas amazing, comforting, and very supportive.

(24:07):
Next, we have Eric Lewis MountRainier, Washington. On the morning
of July first, twenty ten,the American Alpine Club said Eric Lewis,
a fifty seven year old mountain climber, went missing while ascending the Gibraltar Ledges
route on Washington's Mount Rainier, themost glaciated peak in the contiguous US with
a three person team. The climbersencountered high wind and low visibility on their

(24:30):
journey, and Eric unclipped from theclimbing rope at some point. According to
the American Alpine Club, Donstorm Juniorled the team and was joined by the
second climber, Trevor Lane. Thepair stopped to wait for Eric to catch
up at thirteen thoy nine hundred feet. However, when they reeled the rope
in, the American Alpine Club saidthey found only a coil with a butterfly
knot. They saw Eric on therope moments before and immediately searched for him

(24:53):
on the below slope. After athorough local search, they proceeded to the
summit ridge and case Eric had invadedthem, The American Alpine Club said.
When they did not locate him onthe summit ridge, they returned to Camp
Muir and reported the incident to officials. Climbing ranger Tom Payne and two mountain
guides set off from Camp Muir tothe summit on Thursday, July one to

(25:14):
search Praier. Despite their efforts,they were unable to find any signs of
it. The American Alpine Club reportedthat the search team returned to Camp Muir
while more resources were sent to assistand provide support personnel. The American Alpine
Club said that the search expanded onFriday, July second, with more than
forty personnel involved. Round searchers includedNational Park Service climbing rangers, climbing guides

(25:37):
from ra Near Mountaineering Alpine Ascents,International International Mountain Guides, volunteers from Mountain
Rescue, and helicopters. The AmericanAlpine Club said later on July two,
one team of ground searchers located Eric'sbackpack at thirteen six hundred feet and then
a small snow cave about two hundredvertical feet above it. According to the
American Alpine Club, another search teamclimbed the Gibraltar Ledges route along with the

(26:02):
Upper Nisquali and Ingram glaciers. Athird search team concentrated efforts on the west
side of the East Crater Rim,looking in the steam caves when possible.
Another search team, consisting of rangersfrom Camp Sherman, climbed the Emmons route
to search the Summit Rim Steam Cavesand joined the alpine search effort in the
vicinity of the Ingram Glacier and theDisappointment Glever. On the third day of

(26:23):
the search, air and ground operationsresumed. The American Alpine Club reported that
rangers stationed at Camp Mrror continued theirground search operations by skiing down to the
base of Gibraltars Chute to look forany signs of area. They shifted their
focus to the Nisquali Glacier side incase Eric fell while climbing the Gibraltar Ledges
or the Gibraltar Shoot routes. Therangers thoroughly examined the terrain in the fall

(26:47):
line and explored the base of theNisquali Ice Fall and the Muret Rocks Ridge
leading up to the Gibraltar Chute.They climbed up to and into the Bergschrund
under the chute. The American AlpineClub said after searching the air very extensively
in and adjacent to Eric's last knownwhereabouts and finding no additional clothes, the
American Alpine Club said the likelihood offinding him alive diminished due to the frigid

(27:08):
and windy weather conditions at the timeof his disappearance and the fact that Eric
did not carry emergency gear, thechances of finding him alive became slim.
The weather forecast for the fourth daypredicted heavy wind and precipitation, which would
hinder air and ground search efforts.The American Alpine Club said, although the
weather conditions likely played a significant rolein Eric's disappearance, the contributing factors that

(27:32):
led to it may never be fullyunderstood. It's unclear why he detached himself
from his partner's rope, the AmericanAlpine Club said. Some theories suggests that
he may have done so to avoidslowing his group down to deal with a
personal problem, or due to exhaustion, hypothermia, or altitude sickness. How
long Eric survived before succumbing to thecold or falling is also uncertain, as

(27:52):
he had no sleeping bag, tintor extra clothing beyond what he was already
wearing. Sadly, Eric Lewis hasnever been found. Next Joe Halper,
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.Joe Halper, a twenty two year old
graduate student from Chicago, along withhis best friend's brother, Sam Garrick,

(28:12):
reached the summit of Flat Top Mountainin Rocky Mountain National Park on August fifteenth,
nineteen thirty three, as Errant Udellof the Colorado And reported the pair
Aroana Western road trip with Halfred's parents, Solomon and Fanny. Udel said they
traveled up through South Dakota before endingtheir trip with camping and hiking in Rocky
Mountain National Park. Udell writes saidafter Joe and Sam summoned Flat Top Mountain,

(28:36):
Joe wanted to continue hiking toward TaylorPeak. Sam decided to head back,
so they went their separate ways aroundtwo thirty pm and planned to meet
back at the Bear Lake trailhead.Udell said Sam got there at six thirty
pm and waited. Three hours passedwithout a sign of Joe, so he
called for a ranger. Udell saida search started that night around ten pm,
with rangers taking electric lights into thearea. Days went by without any

(29:00):
sign of Joe. According to Udell, Joe was last seen wearing a white
and blue striped shirt, khaki pants, and heavy boots. He carried a
small backpack containing a few sandwiches,fruit, and a nineteen thirty three guidebook
for motors visiting the Rocky Mountain NationalPark. The weather conditions that week included
forty degree nights, rain and windstorms. After six days of searching, Udell

(29:23):
said, Sam Garrick wrote a letterto his brother Isidore in Chicago. I've
got some tragic news. Joe Halperndisappeared in the mountains last Tuesday, and
nothing has been heard of him since. The last couple of days. Have
been miserable out here, with adeadly gloom prevailing. Miss Halperin cries all
night long. Udell said. Manytheories arose about what happened to Joe,

(29:45):
including he hit his head and sufferedfrom amnesia. Udell said an acquaintance claim
that he saw Joe in the winterof nineteen thirty three begging for meal outside
of Phoenix restaurant. According to theColorado Bureau of Investigation, unsubstantiated reports placed
Joe Arizona in December of nineteen thirtyfour, with the Lewis Brothers circus in
Michigan in the summer of nineteen thirtyfive, or traveling with the Civilian Conservation

(30:08):
Court near Alliance, Nebraska, inMay of nineteen thirty five. Sadly,
no conclusive trace of Joe was everfound, and his family believed he never
made it out of the mountains.Ronald Halpern, the son of Joe's brother
Bernard Halpern, told you though thatBernard never spoke much of his brother Joe,
but did say don't go hiking alone, because that's what happened to my

(30:30):
brother and he disappeared. No beforeyou go. If you plan to go
hiking or climb in the mountains,it's crucial to research herea beforehand. Then
sure your safety enhance your overall experience. Take the time to familiarize yourself with
the terrain, weather patterns, andpotential hazards. Keep yourself updated with the
weather forecast, and be prepared forsudden changes and conditions, especially in mountainous

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areas where unexpected storms can occur.And sure you have appropriate gear for your
activity and the conditions, like hikingboots, warm clothes, a first aid
kit, a map, and acompass is recommended. To always carry a
whistle and a flashlight with spare batteries. If you get lost or hurt.
These tools can be handy for callingout for help and signaling others for assistance.

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Inform someone about your destination and expectedreturn time. This way they can
take necessary actions to locate you incase of unforeseen circumstances. It's crucial to
recognize your capabilities and avoid exceeding yourlimits. If you feel unsafe, returning
and attempting the task another day isbest. Your safety should always be your

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top priority. Stay on designated trails, properly dispose of trash, and avoid
disturbing wildlife. In conclusion, thesestories of individuals have gone missing in the
mountains are a poignant reminder of theunpredictable and challenging nature of these environments.
The complexities of search and rescue operations, the harsh conditions of mountainous terrain,
and the myriad factors contributing to disappearancesince underscore the need for increased awareness,

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preparation irresponsible outdoor exploration. As wereflect on these cases, it becomes clear
that fostering and culture of safety,education and vigilance is essential for both seasoned
adventures and novices alike. By learningfrom the experiences of those who have encountered
the challenging trials of the mountains,we can strive to establish a safer and

(32:22):
more knowledgeable community of outdoor enthusiasts.Ultimately, our efforts to comprehend and prevent
potential dangers should be our top priorityto true that the mountains, despite their
breathtaking beauty and grandeur, are exploredwith the utmost respect and awareness of their
inherent risk. Well, friends,there you have it. What do you

(32:44):
think of these cases of people whowent missing the mountains? I look forward
to your comments, but please keepit friendly and respectful. Until we meet
again. Be good to yourselves andeach other. Stay safe out there.
As for me, I'll see alittle further on down the trail. I'm
Steve Stockton and I'll talk to younext time. And please tell your animals

(33:07):
I said hi.