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November 16, 2010
Tonto Rim Search and Rescue volunteers and Gila County Sheriff officers are currently searching for an overdue hiker.
The man, whose name has not been released, was last heard from nine days ago and is believed to be hiking near the Mt. Peeley trail or Sheep Mountain, off Forest Road 201, southwest of Payson.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office first received a call that the man was overdue Monday, Nov. 15 about 9 p.m.
“The hiker has not been heard from since Nov. 7 and frequents the Mazatzal Mountain Wilderness area,” according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
The missing hiker’s vehicle was located at the Mt. Peeley trailhead.
Six TRSAR volunteers are currently searching the ground. Earlier Tuesday, a Department of Public Safety Ranger helicopter did an aerial search of the area, but found no signs of the man
Dawn
--On the loose to climb a mountain, on the loose where I am free. On the loose to live my life the way I think my life should be...For we only have a moment and a whole world yet to see...I'll be looking for tomorrow on the loose. ---unknown--
oldguy wrote:An idea I had to search for Joe is to get high resolution pictures of the whole area. This should not be with a point-and-shoot camera but
rather a good quality SLR with a big sensor. It may take several flights to get optimal light for various areas; I think you would want
minimal shadows. The pictures would be big files so probably would have to be shared on DVDs but they could be shared with dozens
of people and all could zoom in and at least search the areas not covered by brush or trees. This could be a much more thorough search
than that done from an aircraft, even a slow moving helicopter. Perhaps this has already been done with no success.
Art, I think that would be great. At this point we are always looking for new thoughts in order to help us find Joe. It sure is frustrating not to have a shred of a clue where to look at this point. Will you be there Friday when a group of us will make another search? We'd love to have you join us, especially from the sound of it you must know that area very well.
oldguy wrote:I met Joe Domin for the first and only time on 23 November,2009. I was taking a break next to trail on my way out after clearing
and saw him walking back
oldguy wrote:He told me he was trying to get out to Sheep Mountain but I don't think he said anything about his all night bailout the previous week. That
I would have remembered.
Less than a week ago I confirmed from his files what route he was attempting on 11/23/09.. http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?QX=174 (the black GPS track), the red track was his horrid overnight bailout attempt (11/16-17/09) and was only one week prior. Gotta love him for his persistence and unyielding determination to summit his Sheep Mountain!
I wonder if we could change the name of the unnamed peak nearby to honor Joe...
"The only thing we did was wrong was staying in the wilderness to long...the only thing we did was right was the day we started to fight..."
-Old Spiritual
My book, The Marauders on Lulu and Amazon
Arizona has a department of of names (or something like that) - I think they and the USGS are in charge of place names. The Squaw/Piestewa peak change is my only experience with that...
"The only thing we did was wrong was staying in the wilderness to long...the only thing we did was right was the day we started to fight..."
-Old Spiritual
My book, The Marauders on Lulu and Amazon
If he didn't have a heart attack or fall into an unconsciousness state he may have headed for higher ground once in trouble. Especially if he was lost.
I could see getting lost coming off the north side but if he headed down the ridge the other way to Thicket Springs, I find it hard to imagine someone with his experience not knowing where to go. In most places its almost as simple as heading down with your compass until you hit the trail. After spending some time there, even as a novice at off-trail hiking, I think I'd be pretty comfortable finding that trail coming off the ridge if I had to (except for that crappy terrain). There must have been an injury or medical complication.
I could see getting lost coming off the north side but if he headed down the ridge the other way to Thicket Springs, I find it hard to imagine someone with his experience not knowing where to go. In most places its almost as simple as heading down with your compass until you hit the trail. After spending some time there, even as a novice at off-trail hiking, I think I'd be pretty comfortable finding that trail coming off the ridge if I had to (except for that crappy terrain). .
If he was coming down after dark he may have crossed the trail without knowing it and continued on down to where he is today. While searching for a missing Boy Scout on the Terrapin Trail one night in the rain I had one section of the trail that I missed three times and I knew that trail very very well. It can happen to the best of us in adverse conditions. Therefore do we need to search below a trail or trails that we think he may have crossed on the way down from where ever?
Just a thought from an old retired SAR guy.....
A man's body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and restless as ever.
- Garth McCann from the movie Second Hand Lions
If he didn't have a heart attack or fall into an unconsciousness state he may have headed for higher ground once in trouble. Especially if he was lost.
I just don't see that (lost) happening to Joe. He always has his GPS and carries spare batteries. He also has it on a retractable leash, same one as I, so it can never fall and be left behind. But, then again, it's anyone's guess at the moment...
SUN_HIKER wrote:I just don't see that (lost) happening to Joe. He always has his GPS and carries spare batteries. He also has it on a retractable leash, same one as I, so it can never fall and be left behind. But, then again, it's anyone's guess at the moment...
Which would lead me to believe it might have been a medical problem. I'm a few years short of Joe's age, but once you reach 60, it's definitely in your mind. Having heart or respiratory issues would certainly drive me to "the quickest way out" even if it meant leaving a trail or logical route to do so.
Just to be sure - can you reply when they got Joe's vehicle off the TH, his vehicle started, right...it didn't have a dead battery (or some other reason it wouldn't start?)
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, ankle-twisting, HAZmaster crushing ROCKS!!
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, shin-stabbing, skin-shredding plants!
Hike Arizona it is full of striking, biting, stabbing, venomous wildlife!
Just to be sure - can you reply when they got Joe's vehicle off the TH, his vehicle started, right...it didn't have a dead battery (or some other reason it wouldn't start?)
Started with no problem. Also Joe has one of these battery emergency starters that also inflates tires. He has that in his trunk.
SUN_HIKER wrote:Will you be there Friday when a group of us will make another search? We'd love to have you join us, especially from the sound of it you must know that area very well.
Indeed! I know that I have been thinking about my personal safety on the trail more often now over the past (almost) month.
"The only thing we did was wrong was staying in the wilderness to long...the only thing we did was right was the day we started to fight..."
-Old Spiritual
My book, The Marauders on Lulu and Amazon
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