[Patrick L]

Sad story. I'd like to think they're okay somehow, but with this heat, there's no way.

[jeffmacewen]

All I can say is that I'm glad the silly "Lost Iron Door Mine" story never took off like the Dutchman did. Our poor Sheriff and SAR group might have to setup a permanent base on the back side of Lemmon if it had...

[azbackpackr]

That legend was probably more well-known when Harold Bell Wright was still around, writing his Victorian novels. He lived in Tucson for a time, and there is still a neighborhood there, near where he lived, where all the streets are named after his books. Since during his lifetime he was a best-selling author (he was the first author in the history of publishing to sell a million copies of one book, The Shepherd of the Hills) that myth was probably perpetuated by his novel, The Mine with the Iron Door.

I have a small collection of first editions of his books, and a biography as well. They are very moralistic Victorian pulp fiction, with the hero rescuing the heroine. Interestingly, though, he described the landscape of Arizona and Southern California very well.

[Rob del Desierto]

Had a visitor today who was on the SAR team. He said he thought it was odd that no bodies have been found, and thinks someone might be disposing of the remains.

[Tough_Boots]

someone might be disposing of the remains

I just can't buy the whole foul play thing on this one. If the lost guys actually knew what they were doing, I might give it a second thought but the whole thing sounded like a train wreck waiting to happen from the start. There's plenty of spots off trail that I'm sure the cadaver sniffing dogs never got to. The bodies will be found this fall by someone exploring off trail.

[Jim Lyding]

I'm starting to think about the possibility of foul play as well. Don't forget about the guy from Colorado who's never been found.

[nonot]

Keep in mind the searchers and cadaver dogs couldn't find a dead guy 300 ft from his motorcycle at the trailhead. And they are trying to search a huge wilderness without a clue where these guys are.

Besides, you are all missing the obvious explanation: this is the work of bigfoot! The abominable yeti himself has come down to snatch ill prepared prospectors out of the desert into his secret lair.

[big_load]

Keep in mind the searchers and cadaver dogs couldn't find a dead guy 300 ft from his motorcycle at the trailhead. And they are trying to search a huge wilderness without a clue where these guys are.

Good point! I can think of many examples where the search area was much smaller and the interval to success was longer. While the effort it describes isn't in that category, "The Last Season" by Eric Blehm is a good example of how a persistently elusive a dead person can be.

[azbackpackr]

Oh, please. They are prospectors. There are many mine shafts back in there. They fell down a mine shaft or climbed down into one, and it collapsed over their heads. Same with the other guy, Jesse Capen. There is nothing weird about it in my book. And I don't think the bodies will ever be found. I am not sure about search dogs, how well they could detect something like that at a mine entrance. I guess it would depend on how deep the mine, how far back in was the collapse, etc.

[jeffmacewen]

If they got the rain up there that we got last night, most all sign and scent are probably gone...

[Tough_Boots]

They fell down a mine shaft or climbed down into one, and it collapsed over their heads.

this is the work of bigfoot! The abominable yeti himself has come down to snatch ill prepared prospectors out of the desert into his secret lair.

It must be one of these two! I can feel it.

[Jim Lyding]

I vote for bigfoot

[Alston Neal]

They fell down a mine shaft or climbed down into one, and it collapsed over their heads.

this is the work of bigfoot! The abominable yeti himself has come down to snatch ill prepared prospectors out of the desert into his secret lair.

It must be one of these two! I can feel it.

You forgot alien abduction....

Seriously, I can't imagine the hell the family is going thru. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[coanbru]

Search for hikers suspended 7/20/2010
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... d0720.html

[te-wa]

The abominable yeti himself has come down to snatch ill prepared prospectors out of the desert into his secret lair.

oh yeah? well maybe she's a female. and maybe she's hot. if, you can get past all of the body hair. (but, who hasn't dated an italian?)

[Tough_Boots]

(but, who hasn't dated an italian?)

ooooh... I'm in awe of how rude that was!
Nice one!

[Rob del Desierto]

(but, who hasn't dated an italian?)

Not me! An Indian, a Korean, a Dutch girl, an Irish girl, a German girl, and finally married a French/Mexican/Commanche girl! I'll take your word for it.
Whoa, that was way off topic...

[Tough_Boots]

An Indian, a Korean, a Dutch girl, an Irish girl, a German girl, and finally married a French/Mexican/Commanche girl!

Wow! I thought you were about to bust into that Jay-Z track!

[Rob del Desierto]

An Indian, a Korean, a Dutch girl, an Irish girl, a German girl, and finally married a French/Mexican/Commanche girl!

Wow! I thought you were about to bust into that Jay-Z track!

Haha. Actually today at work I made up a fishing song to the tune of "99 Problems"

"If you're having rod problems I feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one."
I got the whole song written out.

[jeffmacewen]

(but, who hasn't dated an italian?)

I dated a Greek girl once, that was...interesting...