Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Use this forum to stay informed on missing persons alerts, active SAR's and unfortunate hiker accidents we can all hopefully learn from. Any information you may have on a missing person, including first hand weather related information or any other insight (however little) may prove to be critical information to Law Enforcement / SAR in locating the person in question.
User avatar
Vaca Russ
Topix Expert
Posts: 809
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:12 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: The Nut Tree

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Post by Vaca Russ »

I climbed Ritter on 8/11/16. As Eigenguy said, the only poster still around (kinda) is the one on the bridge over the San Joaquin.

I looks like a trail repair crew fixed the sign at the Shadow Creek / JMT North junction and remove the sign.
IMG_0005.JPG
IMG_0006.JPG
I did see this sign at the Iceberg Lake trail junction.
IMG_0007.JPG
IMG_0008.JPG
I don't remember seeing this back in July. :-k

Here are the relevant pages from the summit register:
IMG_0042.JPG
IMG_0043.JPG
IMG_0044.JPG
Nothing new to report. We will keep trying.

Thanks,

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11823
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Post by maverick »

Thank you for the photo's of the register Russ! :)
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
LAhiker
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:16 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Post by LAhiker »

Last month, Eigenguy said:
I hiked to Ediza yesterday. I was really hoping to get to Iceberg and/or Cecile, but I started too late on a dayhike and I was exhausted. I remember reading that Matthew's hiking pace was incredibly fast. This hike was BRUTAL for me!

Here is one thing I really don't get... I crossed easily 50 people on the way to Shadow Lake, and maybe another 20 on the way to/from Ediza. Each of them said hello, so I believe they would have had some recollection of me and vice/verse. I find it odd that nobody came forward to say they saw Matthew on the trail whether it was Shadow/Ediza or Devils Postpile/Minaret. But perhaps this is because of the time that passed between whatever happened and the realization that he was missing.
Eigenguy, I agree that that's a little strange; sometimes I wonder whether Matthew made it to the trailhead, or if he did whether he might have taken a different or more obscure route than what we've all been thinking. But in addition to anyone who might have seen him not knowing that he later went missing, there may have been fewer people on the trail when he went. You did your hike on a Sunday and Matt did his on a Wednesday. I would guess there are much fewer people on weekdays. Also, you imply you got a late start. Based on a text he received, Matthew may have been up unusually early that morning. (Of course, we don't know whether he actually left for his hike super-early or whether he went back to sleep.)

Russ, thanks for posting those pictures.

I hope those who are going out there tomorrow have a safe and fruitful search!
User avatar
AlmostThere
Topix Addict
Posts: 2724
Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:38 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

Post by AlmostThere »

Eigenguy wrote:I hiked to Ediza yesterday. I was really hoping to get to Iceberg and/or Cecile, but I started too late on a dayhike and I was exhausted. I remember reading that Matthew's hiking pace was incredibly fast. This hike was BRUTAL for me!

Here is one thing I really don't get... I crossed easily 50 people on the way to Shadow Lake, and maybe another 20 on the way to/from Ediza. Each of them said hello, so I believe they would have had some recollection of me and vice/verse. I find it odd that nobody came forward to say they saw Matthew on the trail whether it was Shadow/Ediza or Devils Postpile/Minaret. But perhaps this is because of the time that passed between whatever happened and the realization that he was missing.
That's actually really easy to explain. When I was SAR, one of the things we did was interview people we see on the trail, collecting information. It becomes obvious when one does this that people are really, really terrible reporters -- people never remember things right. NEVER. It's why all SAR professionals carry notebooks and write everything down.

In interviews, people get age, race, clothing, pretty much everything wrong -- I've been on searches for Hispanic subjects and been informed that a "bunch of white guys" went through, only to find out those were the subjects later. I'd place bets (and win) that if I were to question the people who talked to you, they would muck it up royally.

Chances are good a lot of people saw him, but you'll never get to talk to those people because they were too caught up in their own fun and paying no attention, so have no really clear memories of him.

One of the things I do now, after coming to this realization, is when I meet people on the trail who don't appear to be doing well or really clear headed or just give me a feeling (ever meet someone who just doesn't seem prepared enough?), I make notes of what they look like, talk to them and try to get names, destinations, schedule, etc. I ran into (for example) a guy in soaked jeans, flannel shirt, with a massive external frame, hiking up into a snow storm up Kibbie Ridge as we were hiking down to get out of the storm -- he seemed to me on the verge of hypothermia. I reported him to the ranger at Eleanor the following morning because he looked like he might be on his way to real trouble, if he wasn't already halfway there.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests