High Sierra Topix

All:

I'm forwarding the note below from Brad Ferlinger, Park Ranger & lead investigator for an ongoing overdue hiker SAR in Kings Canyon National Park. Please read and, if you were in the area of the missing person's route, call the Incident Command whether you saw him or not. Negative information is as important as a positive sighting.

We'll keep you updated on status.

Thanks!

George Durkee
NPS Kings Canyon

****************************

I am a Park Ranger who is working on the SAR of John Williams, if you have any information that might help us locate him or if you were hiking in the same areas during the same time we would like to talk to you and find out any information you might have. You can call the SAR investigations office of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park at 559-565-3762. Thank you for your help.


Entry date: Sept. 17, 2011
Exit date: Sept. 23, 2011
Emergency date: Monday, noon, Sept. 26, 2011

Itinerary:
Over Bishop Pass.
1. CAMP: Dusy Basin.

Descend to LeConte Canyon.
South on John Muir Trail.
Cross Palisade Creek (always difficult).
Continue south along Middle Fork of Kings River.
2. CAMP: Simpson Meadow or
between Palisade Creek and Simpson Meadow.

Cross Middle Fork of Kings River at Simpson Meadow.
Continue south along Middle Fork of Kings River.
3. CAMP: Tehipite.

Head north and into Blue Canyon.
4. CAMP: Blue Canyon.

Cross-country north through Blue Canyon.
Exit Blue Canyon over Reinstein Pass.
5. CAMP: Martha Lake.

North down Goddard Canyon.
Then south on Jonh Muir Trail.
6. CAMP: Between junction with JMT &
the Evolution Creek crossing.

Cross Evolution Creek.
Continue south on JMT.
7. Camp: Evolution Lake.

Continue south over Muir Pass.
8. Camp: Either LeConte Canyon
or Dusy Basin.

Exit over Bishop Pass.

orange jacket (sometimes), blue backpack, gray tent.

Thanks again,
Brad




Hmmm. The photo doesn't seem to embed -- go to the link! Thanks...

George...did you read Tom's post on Blue Canyon? He mentions seeing one guy in the Blue Canyon area.

"...Cross Middle Fork of Kings River at Simpson Meadow."

Big water. Full unimpaired runoff on CDEC shows Kings River at 150% to 200% of normal during that period.

"...Cross-country north through Blue Canyon. Exit Blue Canyon over Reinstein Pass."

a talented topo user?

There's a picture of him on two other forums. Maybe this is the person Tom ran into in Blue Canyon?

http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... #Post18870" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... #Post87380" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OK. Everyone can stand down. John Williams hiked out to his home last night (10/1) and is OK. Many thanks to everyone for reading and spreading the word!

George

Wow, he was a little behind schedule. Glad to hear he made it out safely!

Yep, apparently so. Though when I looked at his proposed route, I thought it was pretty ambitious and even getting out by a couple of days ago wouldn't have been out of the question. There's been no debriefing yet, if there's useful information, I'll post it.

thanks,

g.

Wow, a week over due. Good example of the importance of leaving someone your itinerary. I guess he didn't have a cell phone, or it died.

Take the battery out when you go into the backcountry and then put it in only if needed.