Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

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.
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bkpkr
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Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by bkpkr »

A few words about jurisdictions:

Source: http://community.discovery.com/eve/foru ... 2351954909" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
· The first helicopter to respond to my location could not complete the evacuation because I was on the Sequoia side of the boundary! It comes as a shock to realize that the government agencies involved might jeopardize a life in defense of their territorial jurisdiction, but that is what seems to have happened in this case. How frequently might this happen in the Sierras? One would think that mutual assistance agreements between all government agencies adjoining the Sierras would be established in advance so that a rescue would not have to be delayed just because of a jurisdictional matter.
Hope these discrepancies have been resolved long time ago.
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BrianF
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Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by BrianF »

I am assuming that the NPS is in charge at this point. Inyo SAR started it out because the trailhead Is Inyo and did the intitial search up to Taboose pass, but the entire search area at this point is in SEKI boundaries
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maverick
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"Just so you know"

Post by maverick »

Did not want to distract from the search thread so I am making separate one and locking it so it will not spend much time on top of the board.

I will no longer be a Moderator on HST effective today, Eric has been notified. Shawn and Sparky, who will be taking time off from there work to check to eastern side of Taboose Pass over the weekend, I would like to thank you so very much for your commitment beyond just words.
These two yes only two have been the only ones to volunteer from HST!
With all the experience we have here, the not wanting to get involved beyond words is disgusting to me. :puke:
The other volunteers are folks who signed up to HST just so they could help with the effort without even knowing Larry or enjoy his many TR's and intel on conditions in the Sierra over the years that many here have enjoyed and benefited from.
I really believed we would come together as a Sierra loving community for one of our own, but I guess that was just my naive belief in my fellow human being.
Before I go would like to thank Shawn and Sparky again, also express my sincere gratitude to all of those who offered beta, intel, equipment behind the scenes! :thumbsup:
Will continue to work with the folks from SoCAl and try to get something off the ground for this weekend, and will keep in touch, updating those who kept it real in this effort.
What hurts the most is that if any other member would have been the one missing Larry would have been one of the first to volunteer. :tear:
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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.

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John Harper
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Re: Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by John Harper »

Been following this story since first reported. I think everyone is learning some valuable lessons about solo hiking. I do it a lot, although no where near as hardcore as most of you on this forum. I'm glad to hear some members have volunteered to help try and locate this man. I have none of the late season equipment required to even participate. I'm sure a lot of us are similar "summer" soldiers, not "winter" warriors.

I'm sure a lot more would love to help, but the pros are doing their best, and abandoning all to join an amateur expedition, although noble, seems likely an interference with our public safety professionals.

I realize there are a lot of emotions, and it is very sad that we have apparently lost a fine moderator over some of the moral and emotional issues involved. I just pray that the professional teams stay at it and successfully rescue our fellow forum member.

John Harper
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jessegooddog
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Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by jessegooddog »

Yes, sorry we are losing Maverick, but we are not an uncaring group. We are all frustrated - I live literally a stone's throw from Taboose, but have neither the experience, equipment or stamina to do a hike over that pass.
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mfassett
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Re: Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by mfassett »

Like many others here, I am watching this thread intently, but I've never done any winter backpacking and would be a liability to any search effort I fear. I wish I could help... it's very said, I hope he ends up being OK.
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Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by RoguePhotonic »

Yeah it's too bad Maverick left. He shouldn't think people don't want to help but sometimes we just can't. I'd love to be up there looking but I only have 10 dollars right now. Then throw in the fact that I do not drive means getting to and from Taboose is a problem.
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Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by gdurkee »

A brief note on jurisdiction. In most of the country, the county Sheriff has responsibility for search and rescue within their county. There's a couple of states which have a central SAR organization (I think). But in NPS areas, NPS has exclusive responsibility for SAR. So on a SAR that crosses an agency boundary, like this one, they're coordinated but Inyo Sheriff searches the east side and NPS Sequoia Park the west side. It's worked reasonably well for years. Don't know what happened on that 2007 Whitney thing. On the whole, neither agency can land a helicopter within the other's area without notification but I'm a little suspicious that it didn't have the ability to land that high.

Reading today's NPS notice, yes, ground teams have been taken out ahead of possible weather coming in. They'll continue the air search as they can. I'm sure if clues show up, they'll put ground teams back in but it appears the search has been scaled back.

Requiescat in pace.

g.
Last edited by gdurkee on Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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bkpkr
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Re: Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by bkpkr »

Thank you gdurkee for clarification.
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Re: Overdue Hiker - Do You Have Any Info?

Post by RichardCullip »

John Harper wrote:Been following this story since first reported. I think everyone is learning some valuable lessons about solo hiking. I do it a lot, although no where near as hardcore as most of you on this forum. I'm glad to hear some members have volunteered to help try and locate this man. I have none of the late season equipment required to even participate. I'm sure a lot of us are similar "summer" soldiers, not "winter" warriors.

I'm sure a lot more would love to help, but the pros are doing their best, and abandoning all to join an amateur expedition, although noble, seems likely an interference with our public safety professionals.

I realize there are a lot of emotions, and it is very sad that we have apparently lost a fine moderator over some of the moral and emotional issues involved. I just pray that the professional teams stay at it and successfully rescue our fellow forum member.

John Harper
Well said, John. You've captured my exact thoughts much better than I could have.
Life is good. Eternal Life is better!

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