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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--
I'm trying to collect my thoughts -has anyone been down Joe's actual bail-out route? I think HAZ and SAR have collectively covered most of the ravines and ridges, except that one?
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!
I'm trying to collect my thoughts -has anyone been down Joe's actual bail-out route? I think HAZ and SAR have collectively covered most of the ravines and ridges, except that one?
Thanks for asking and NO this very difficult #7 Ravine has still not been search-hiked cleared as far as I know.
(some of the ridge above this ravine has been hiked)
Aside from insignificant patches of snow there was little evidence of any moisture last week. It's probably getting some now. Nevertheless that would be low on my concerned list as the area seems to drain well.
If anyone is capable of searching though upper Sheep Creek as a dayhike and can provide transportation from the valley please contact me via PM (please do not post or respond in this thread) It's 18-20+mi and will take a full day. Available after this Mon minus Saturdays.
If nobody has cleared ravine #7 I may be able to get in there next Sunday the 17th. If anyone else would have interest in that let me know and I will confirm by mid week if I can make it.
When we went to the Mormon Grove TH yesterday, FR25 was pretty muddy from the campers and ATV'ers. The mud was about 4 inches deep. FR25A was perfect (no wet or snow at all). There was 1~2 inches of snow from 4,200 to 5,500 feet. As we left 98% of the snow was melted on the trails and there was patches of it on the MNTs. Sheep Creek & Peely looked like there snow had melted on them as well. On he drive out FR25a was pretty dry, but a huge RV camper left some semi-deep ruts. The creek are running about 2~4 inches
"Everywhere is walking distance...If you have the time"
-Stephen Wright
I just wanted to summarize again and bring up to the front of this forum thread some know history as some of us continue planning our individual and group search efforts for GPSjoe's remains (It is my hopes that something stated here might bring forth some additional thoughts and ideas regarding GPSjoe's disappearance, to help aid in our continuing search-hiking efforts):
Grasshopper wrote:by Grasshopper » Apr 05 2011 6:50 pm Just to recap some history: GPSjoe's last hike (in from the Mt. Peeley TH) was on Mon-11/8/10. Gabriele and I determined something was wrong one week later on Mon-11/15pm and Joe's white Toyota 4Runner was located at the Mount Peeley TH Parking ~12:am on 11/16 (our only found GPSjoe clue to date). The "official" TRSAR efforts started on Tues-11/16/10 and continued through Sat-11/20 with Maricopa County Sheriff Mountain Rescue in charge.
Joe and I last hiked together on Mon-11/1/10 survey tape marking and completing the Davey Gowan Loop Hike. After this 11/1 hike and before Fri-11/5, Gabriele and Joe hiked together a long loop in the Pinal Mtns (~Six Shooter TR/Ice House Cyn Tr). From my discussions with Gabriele, GPSjoe appeared very dehydrated after completing this loop hike and was extremely slow returning back to the TH Start. I had lunch out with GPSjoe on Sat-11/6 to finalize our Montana lodging plans for a two week trip to Glacier NP in July'11. In our 11/6 lunch meeting and time together I noticed nothing of concern regarding Joe's physical self. We had no discussions regarding his upcoming hiking plans for two days later on Mon-11/8/10.
GPSjoe had previously completed hiking "all" the official trails in from FR25- the Mormon Grove TH, and FR201- in from the Mount Peeley TH. To my knowledge, the only hike attraction still open for him in this Mazatzal Wilderness area was a strong desire to successfully summit "Sheep Mountain Peak-6996ft".
From GPSjoe's personal computer GPS track files, we confirmed he unsuccessfully completed this Sheep Mtn Summit effort two times (11/16/09 * & 11/23/09) in from the Mt. Peeley TH over Mt. Peeley to the Ridgeline route and an additional know two more times (12/04/09 & 4/27/10) in from the Mt. Peeley TH via the entire Ridgeline route and an additional one more time (11/05/10) scouting trip via the MDT23 and then off trail via the north side in (this one became know to us as the "Last Chance Route") and then the last time (on Mon-11/8/10) in from the Mt. Peeley TH via a chosen route to where we know not..
* = This one became known to us as the overnight "bail-out" route via Ravine#7 to connect with the Cornucopia TR back to the Peeley TH mid-morning of 11/17/09;
Bob and I searched ravine #7 this weekend. Hank will be hiking...probably part of the ridgeline?...on Monday and heading home Tuesday (I think). The wind is cold once the sun goes down, but otherwise the weather is nice.
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!
What a great group out there....its good to know there is searching going on that we didn't know about. Thanks to all who made it out there and those who are helping in many ways behind the scenes.
has he been found yet? i realize this is really late in the game....also, just to clear things up, he could have in no way been anywhere near cathedral rock, right? i'm not exactly a hiker, nor familiar with the terrain of the area yet. but some time in my life i do plan heading out that way from florida! fell in love with the state, always liked to climb.
No, not found yet. Thank you for your concerns. You can follow our ongoing efforts via this forum thread. FYI- here are some pics of our AZ rugged wilderness area where he disappeared on Mon-11/8/10--> http://www.hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=15301
I want to pass along my sincere thanks and gratitude for your ongoing efforts to find my father. Following the reports from in and around Camp Grasshopper and seeing the updated routes searched has been comforting. Despite the fact that no new clues (besides the original finding of his truck) have been found, getting an even better written, cartographic, and visual understanding of what you all have been up against has been supportive to our family’s understanding of the realities of the situation.
You all are great friends to my Dad and your labors continue to be nothing short of heroic and kind. Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts.
There are still folks out there bushwhacking for Joe. This Monday/Tuesday, we are going to hike through McFarland Canyon, the West Fork, and then check the headwaters of Deer Creek. The weather has been unseasonably mild lately; best to get these hikes in before the Heat comes in earnest.
@Outlander
Thank you for your continuing search efforts! If anyone ran a GPS track of your search areas today we would appreciate if it could be uploaded on HAZ as generic title: "GPSjoe search hike" so we can add it to our main map for routes searched--> http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?QX=724
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