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Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 2:18 pm
by maverick
Fellow Climbers, Backpackers, and Hikers,


We have spent the past several months investigating the disappearance of Matthew Greene, who vanished on 7.17.13, while possibly out on a climb in the Minarets. Our findings will not be shared in the open forums, as we wish to continue to work amicably with the agencies involved, and our investigation is still on-going.


Back in Nov 2014, I requested the assistance of George Durkee (SEKI), and John Dill (YOSAR) in this investigation, their help has been invaluable.Their input, suggestions, and connections, have allowed us to uncover facets of the investigation,that was not available at the time of the original investigation, and has given Tiffany (Matt's sister), who we have been working with, a better insight of the original one.


From the evidence that has been gathered, it seems Matthew may have been heading into the Banner/Ritter region via the Shadow Creek Trail, up past Lake Ediza, and used either the Ritter/Banner Saddle or the Southeast Glacier route to access Ritter and/or Banner.


If evidence can be established, which puts Matt on the trail, or on one of these climbing routes, then Mono and Madera SAR could be persuaded to conduct an official training mission, in conjunction with other MRA's in the area.This would be something similar to what was done during the disappearance of Larry Conn, where SEKI, Inyo, Sierra Madre SAR conducted training missions in the Taboose Pass area, which subsequently led to the discovery of Larry Conn’s remains



We are requesting the outdoor communities help in trying to place Matthew on the trail, heading into the Minarets, climbing one of the above mentioned routes, or possible another route in the Minarets.

The link below is to an inter-active map that was developed by George Durkee and Paul Doherty, on which we are requesting climbers, backpackers, and hikers, who were in the Minarets at the time of Matthew’s disappearance, to add their route information, include a short write-up, and supply their contact information. Instructions on how to use the map is included, and we ask everyone to please read, and follow them.

This information can also be used by hikers, backpackers, or climbers heading into the Minarets area, so they can keep an eye out for any evidence, and report back on which routes were taken.

We thank Eric for allowing us to post this thread here, and to use HST to further conduct the Greene search.


http://bit.do/MattGreeneSearch


Thank you for your help!

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 3:50 pm
by gdurkee
Campers:

This interactive map is also a proof-of-concept to see if we can crowdsource people's previous routes to help determine areas to search. If an area receives a lot of use by the public and no clues are reported, that might suggest future search efforts be directed to lesser used areas.

I'd really appreciate comments and suggestions for improvement using the map: instructions; tools; ease of use or confusion etc. Also send any thoughts or ideas on how such an interactive map could be used elsewhere in emergency response. Send me a note at:
SARMaps@sonic.net.

Incidentally, Peter's done an outstanding job of putting this effort together and coordinating everything. Thanks also to the GIS software folks at ESRI who have made available an ArcGIS Online (AGOL) site that will be dedicated to search and rescue.

Thanks!

George

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:46 am
by Eigenguy
Thanks for the map. I've been following everything going on in the Supertopo forum for some time. I live in Mammoth, love the wilderness and have taught Math, so I feel a connection.

A few things:

1) There was talk early on about the cell tower on Mammoth Mountain being used to determine approximately direction. I recently got lost in the forest and this cell tower kept saying that I was in a bunch of random spots a distance from Mammoth Mountain, sometimes on the mountain itself. I don't think this tower reliably indicates location for whatever reason.

2) There is no public transit from Shady Rest. He either had to walk to the Village to get a trolley to Mammoth Mountain to catch the Reds Meadow Shuttle or get a ride.

3) Has it been established where Matt entered the wilderness? Devil's Postpile? Agnew Meadows? From somewhere outside Reds Meadow Valley?

I plan on doing a lot more hiking throughout this summer and fall before the snow. I always keep my eyes peeled.

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:56 pm
by maverick
3) Has it been established where Matt entered the wilderness? Devil's Postpile? Agnew Meadows? From somewhere outside Reds Meadow Valley?
No, only conversations with others, before 7/17, at Shady Rest Campground, and on the DPP Shuttle, that point to the most likely location Matt may have entered, and to what his objective was for that day, which we believe to be the Ritter/Banner area.
I plan on doing a lot more hiking throughout this summer and fall before the snow. I always keep my eyes peeled.
Thank you for your willingness to look, any and all help is appreciated, bringing closure for the family is everyone's goal!

Please check you PM. Thanks

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:25 am
by Scouter9
While in the River Trail/TI/Banner area on July 12-19, we saw Matthew Greene posters in locations at Agnew Meadows (High Trail trailhead) and at the junction of PCT/River Trail.

On July 16th, we passed by again and the poster at PCT/River had been removed. On July 18th, we exited at the High Trail and that poster had been removed.

FWIW.

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 12:12 pm
by maverick
Thanks for that information, will pass it on.

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 3:17 pm
by gdurkee
1) There was talk early on about the cell tower on Mammoth Mountain being used to determine approximately direction. I recently got lost in the forest and this cell tower kept saying that I was in a bunch of random spots a distance from Mammoth Mountain, sometimes on the mountain itself. I don't think this tower reliably indicates location for whatever reason.
Maybe too much information, but being able to find location from cell phone data is a very difficult process. Your experience is not uncommon in that, especially when only one tower is involved, you get a wide scatterplot of solutions from the cell phone carrier. With a non-911 call, they base the location on Round Trip Distance of the phone signal. Some towers and phone types will give a rough direction; others will only give a distance based on RTD. Worse, if you're in mountainous terrain, you'll get signals bouncing off cliffs or hillsides, increasing the distance and giving a false solution and there's no way to adjust for those errors. A GIS/cell phone wizard can map the signal zones within a tower's service area. If a ping was received and an RTD circle projected, you can narrow a search area where it crosses areas of cell signal strength. None of this is ideal though it definitely helps narrow the search area.

If you're within cell phone range, the best thing to do is call 911. With a modern smart phone, that invokes one of two technologies to better locate the phone. There can be a lot of error involved there, but it's a little more accurate. Ideally, you both call 911 AND text your GPS location to someone who you know is going to receive the text in real-time. Another solution is, if your phone's camera is set to record GPS location, send a photo of your surroundings. The GPS location would then be embedded in the header information of the photo. Both texting and MMS work better than voice where the signal is weak, so those can be good ways of getting someone to find you.

But most of all, you should leave a detailed report of where you're going and when you expect to be out. Maverick has set up such a site and a new company in Canada will soon come out with an app to do this.

George

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:48 am
by Eigenguy
A pair of boots were found on Banner on 8/25/15. They appeared to be stuck. No remains were found inside. I am not sure if Matt was wearing boots (or something else like crampons).

The hiker that found them felt they were significant enough to contact PD. The area is very unstable which makes me wonder.

http://www.monosar.org/operations.html

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:30 pm
by rlown
I certainly appreciate their find. Did they take the other boot back for DNA testing? 3 years would be a stretch, but..

I read through the Mono SAR reports. I wish they would follow up on those they rescued with the actual patient results.

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:53 pm
by Mike M.
The report says they found the matching left foot boot too, not far away. They were hobnail boots, with high leather uppers, like what Norman Clyde and others of his generation used to hike in.
A further check of the area yielded discovery of another, matching boot (left) lying about 25 feet away on the glacier. The boot was an old leather high top boot with a delaminated rubber sole. It was roughly 11 inches long, with hobnails. It was very weathered with some of the leather and rubber sole missing due to animal activity or weather. The lace was present but not tied with some of the lace missing. It bore no trace of any human remains inside.
Mike