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Forecast Mormon Grove & Peeley

Crews looking for missing hiker
By Alexis Bechman

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

Please read these notes, especially if you are going to be volunteering over the weekend. I know others will be posting theirs as well, either here or in triplog reports.

This is the GPS of the route I took today: http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?GPS=9702. I was up there with Bob's group and there were five of us total. We all took slightly different routes in order to cover more ground, but stayed in the same general area with the main goal being Sheep Mtn. This area has been well-swept, and we'd encourage people to focus more on the areas before Sheep Mtn that Joe has hiked before, as these are the areas with the most dangerous terrain. Please be careful in these areas. Sheep Mtn itself is not a concern for us, as the terrain is safe and fairly clear of brush. As far as I understand, there will be a team of mountaineers taking care of the drainages going down to Thicket. Peeley also seems to have been well-searched.

What to expect: LOTS of bushwhacking. The manzanita and cacti here are out of control in most areas. Two in our group left with cuts significant enough to bleed through the fabric. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. The rocky terrain itself is not particularly dangerous in most sections, so long as you are on the ridgeline. While it seems more likely that Joe could be found in areas below the ridgeline, I encourage you to take great care if you decide to go that route. The terrain below the ridgeline is steep and drops off significantly in some places. Because of the brush, hiking is very slow-going. Be sure to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to get back to the trailhead before dark. Bring enough high-energy food and water to keep yourself going, as the hiking will also be very strenuous.

Joe was most likely wearing a tan shirt, pants, and hat, as well as a black jacket/coat. He has two cameras and one GPS unit on him. He may be hard to spot, and it's very difficult to see through all the brush up there. If you have binoculars, bring them. The weather may not cooperate, so take rain protection. If you have a GPS, take it and mark anything that may be a clue.

If you are not a strong hiker, or are not sure you are able to tackle a route such as this, PLEASE do not try to attempt this hike. I know the intentions of all are good, but we don't need anyone else being rescued from up there. It seems there is already going to be an overabundance of people through the weekend. After having been up there today (no SAR, etc), I tend to agree with the view that having so many people up there at once can lead to major confusion and dangerous situations. If you have any doubts, please find out if there is anything you can do to assist elsewhere. If you believe you are able enough for the challenges presented, then by all means lend your expertise. Only you are able to honestly judge your abilities. Having an organized plan is an excellent step in helping out, and I see you guys are forming a plan. Kudos, and good luck to anyone out there this weekend!

Someone mentioned earlier that the area is very low-visibility. Just want to reiterate that, as it does make everything more difficult. It is very hard to see in most areas, and I would agree with the "ten feet visibility" estimate.

In regard to shoe prints: the ground is extremely rocky and not conducive to holding footprints. I only saw a very few today, but they more closely resembled divots in the sand than actual prints, and may have been made by deer or other animals in the area.

I found I had cell service on Peeley, but lost it soon after. No cell service on Sheep. Bring radios/whistles/other means to notify as well.

Had heard the sad news about Joe before leaving for a hike in an area out of internet coverage. Got home this afternoon and nervously opened HAZ looking for the news that JOE had been found. So sad this has gone for so long. Best of luck to those who help out this weekend...be safe.

I went to the top of Mt Peeley today to see if there was a summit log, because I hadn't heard of anyone doing this yet, and to try to get some visibility on Sheep Mtn. I spent about half an hour with binoculars looking at the ridgelines on the northeast side of Sheep mountain, as well as just general looking around, but did not see anything significant to report. It is important to realize that in between the ridges are brushy drainages, which could hide a car, and easily a person. I plan to search a different area tomorrow.

There were a bunch of HAZ people out there today, thanks to everyone who spent the day helping to search for Joe!

Here's my track log so that we don't waste resources re-searching the exact same areas. http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?GPS=9703

One last definitive word on where to meet initially so there is no confusion. Please meet at 7:00 at the gravel/dirt turnoff at 1.2 miles in from 87. We will gather there and decide from there what is the best approach to handle the job ahead of us. God be with us all!

Not to put too fine a point on, but it sounds like MCSO doesn't want other people out there. They've been expressing it in increasingly less subtle terms, so please consider that the trained professionals don't really want other people wandering around out there. I want Joe found as much as anyone else - we just need to be mindful that what we are doing might feel good but might not help. Please don't throw something at me - being an expert on some things myself, I tend to listen when genuine experts speak up on their areas of expertise.

Someone gives SAR folks a merit badge and they consider themselves expert trackers, if SAR wanted to do all they could, then where was everyone from SAR today (Friday)? That trailhead seemed awfully devoid of SAR? Where were the dogs Wednesday when the scent was freshest?

I would ignore the chidings of power-mongering SAR folks.


This same nonsense plays out over and over again and frankly I'm sick of it, let's recall that a massive rainstorm came in and obliterated all evidence in the search for the lost hiker/gold hunter in the Supes. Yet SAR continued to play their trump card, to keep out because they are the experts, to what end? He is still missing too.

nonot wrote:

Xiled1 wrote:My wife and I hiked the Little Saddle Mtn trail last weekend in to Saddle Mtn trail and back. We did not come across anything to report.

From which trailhead did you start?

We went in at the Cross F Trailhead as an in and out. There was another large group out that day as well.

Someone gives SAR folks a merit badge and they consider themselves expert trackers, if SAR wanted to do all they could, then where was everyone from SAR today (Friday)? That trailhead seemed awfully devoid of SAR? Where were the dogs Wednesday when the scent was freshest?

The scent is FRESHEST when the dog smells the "subject". If you understood Search and Rescue in Arizona, you would know that very few are Search dogs here are trailing dogs. Instead, the vast majority are trained Wilderness Airscent dogs.

I would ignore the chidings of power-mongering SAR folks.

Wow.....such vitriol towards people who volunteer their free time and personal expenses to train and search for lost people they have never met.

If you are NOT trained in SaR there are plenty of specifics that you will not understand about a SEARCH. One of those specifics was what the SaR commander mentioned regarding the dog teams.

In Arizona, most search dogs are TRAINED AIR SCENT dogs.This means they are trained to cover VERY LARGE areas by "finding" and "alerting" on ANY human scent they find while covering the "grid" the dog team is sent to work. But these dogs are NOT robots. A "find" is their reward.

So........the more "finds" they have each time they come across "volunteers" instead of the real "missing person"......the less enthusiasm the dogs will have for searching a rugged area where they have already been rewarded for their "find".

What the commander was politely trying to explain was that having you in the area is likely to impede the work of his trained canine resources. Being there can can also make the dog "miss" the subject. Remember, the dog is taught to hunt down any human scent. Should it being getting more than one "hit" in the search at the same time, it will have to chose one. Do you want the dog to chose you instead of the subject?

(Once the dog gets the "reward" the game is over until the handler restarts the game.)......By that time, you are relying on possible shifts of wind conditions and other environmental factors as to whether the dog gets a new "hit" on the real "subject" once the game starts again.

Having trained search dog for seven years, I could give you plenty of other ugly scenarios but the basic gist of the situation is, should any of you end up in an area search dog is clearing, there are plenty of ways you will end up impeding the search efforts.

And as good as you may be.......a dog can cover an area in mere hours......that would take us humans (without dogs) DAYS to cover......and the dog typically will have searched the area more thoroughly than us humans.

So,the commander requesting that you not throw yourself into the search was not due to his big ego. If anything, it was out of concern for you, his subject and his resources.....not necessarily in that order.

We are very gratefull for everything SAR has done and pray that our friend is found before you have to pull out. As you have read time and time again msot of us feel that the more eyes the better at this point. It has been made perfectly clear that this is no longer a search and rescue mission but a body recovery mission. We will do the best we can to stay out of your way and the way of your dogs. We will try to stay out of the areas that obviously need to be covered by SAR but I can see no reason why we cant recomb the areas already searched by you since it has been reported time and time again it is very dense out there and much could be missed easily. We will do the best we can.

For those going out today...Liz(JuliaChaos) and John(Johnr1) notes are very important. One thing I'll add...wear a hat(sometimes thats what we could see)and bright colors. Good luck to all that go out there.

Just saw this posting and wished to add my prayers for the safety of those in search of Joe. The long list of comments, both here and at the Az Community, says much about GPSJoe and hikers in general. Of course, that's not particularly unusual since we each seem to feel a certain relationship with nature and a "real world" that may not be commonly felt in other circles. Whatever the final outcome of this situation, I am confident Joe knows what each of you feel.

I have been there personally most of the time SAR was out there and they have displayed to be impressively professional, compassionate and poured their heart into this search. Taking one day off to re-group is totally understandable. They will be back again today with a big force.
These folks are giving their own personal time to this rescue and I totally disagree (and I'm a little disgusted) with the criticism

Best of luck to all going out today - hopefully today is Joe's day.

HEADS UP FOLKS: MCSO HAS CLOSED ROADS THIS MORNING!!!!

More details to follow shortly. The short version is that they simply don't want civillians back there today.

EDIT:
MCSO has closed FR201 to the trailhead. FR 25A closed at Mormon Grove.

MCSO is *begging* people to stay out of the area. Tough Boots has gone in to Sunflower Mine.

We'll be here for a little while (right on the side of 87).

Keep Joe in your thoughts and prayers folks.

I know this will be too late to stop the migration of all who want to help but maybe it's not too late.

If you take a moment and go to the Mountain Rescue web site and look at what they require you'd understand why they were "not there" all day Friday. Here's what's on the site:

"CAMRA/MCSO-MR team members are climbers, cavers, mountaineers, and general backcountry adventurers who have answered the call to serve. Many have extensive military backgrounds, and the team also includes police officers, firefighters, engineers, guides, lawyers, paramedics, and physicians. Each team member maintains the fitness, skills, personal gear, and stamina to perform a CONTINUOUS 36-hour shift in the backcountry."

So when they had worked 36 hours straight they needed a break for a day, which is exactly what the MCSO officer was trying to say, and then on Saturday they'd be back for another 36 hours.

I wanted to go out and help from the first I knew about this and I had time to do so, however because I DO trust these particular SAR folks 1,000 times more than myself ( a very experienced solo hiker) as well as most of us who consider very experienced, I felt offering prayers for Joe was and I feel still is the best use of my expertise/experience.

No, I did not know Joe personally and I never had the opportunity to meet him but I gained a sense that he was a very good man by the 100's of triplogs, GPS routes and photos here on HAZ. But whether I knew him personally or not, he is in my prayers.

After just coming through the experience of losing my father a few months ago, I fully understand how judgement takes a hike when we are too close to any situation. As much as we feel more eyes/feet are in the area will help, in reality we may just have another two dozen people with the chance of personal injury or worse. From one of the earlier posts two people who were out looking yesterday came back with blood seeping through their outer clothing. Sure they were probably just superficial cuts, but multiply 2-3 people out yesterday by 3-4 times and we have a herd of people, likely focused so much on seeing something by looking around continually that they may be risking more than just a cut.

Please, these guys aren't like politicians! They are VERY experienced professionals doing their job without pay, I say let them do their job unimpeded and the rest of us can offer positive thoughts and prayers for them as well as everyone else with a stake in the situation.

God be with you Joe!
Mark

Bummer about the closure, but I could see it coming.
The groups are all in different locations now and are all in contact with each other and sorting it out........... off the board.

We (Cabel and I) are leaving the roadside post and heading into thickett spring, trail 86, off of 25a

we are heading up...will see if anyone is around. Guess I should have checked the board before we left.

SAR is never an easy job, and a thankless task at best. Recently (October) an elderly woman was missing after going for a walk near her home in a wooded section of Waterville Valley in NH. After 7 weeks of searching, they found her remains, a mere 75 feet off of a popular x-country ski trail and within a 1/4 mile of a paved road. Here is an edited excerpt from the Concord NH Monitor regarding the search...

The state Fish and Game Department searched for five days following (the victim's) disappearance, but after officials found nothing, their efforts tapered off. After several weeks, they hired Deborah Palman of Maine K-9 Services.

Palman found (the victim's) remains 75 feet from a cross country ski path known as Lower Snows Mountain Trail. Police Chief David Noyes called the state police and the Fish and Game Department to help remove the remains, which an autopsy identified as (the victim's). The exact cause of death was undetermined, Noyes said.

The trail was near Livermore Road, which leads back to the (the victim's) summer home but is more than a mile east of the house, Palman said. By way of nearby trails, the trip back would have been roughly three miles.

Finding a lost hiker (bushwhacker) who may have suffered a medical emergency in rugged terrain, far from a road, merely compounds the situation. It says a lot for the hiking community that we all want to pour our efforts into finding Joe. I can't express enough gratitude for those who are selflessly volunteering their time.