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If you go out, please track your hike on a GPS and post it for the benefit of future searches. Simply post it upon return. (if you need help ask the webmaster) Hike Arizona will see that it gets linked to a master map. If you have multiple variations in your group, please post all tracks. As more info is posted the map will evolve and the overlaps will be removed.

Searched Routes

Southern Ravines Map

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

I want to thank all the members of this forum for all the work, research and energy they have put forth. This is a great community of people.
This has been a learning experience for many of us.
My thoughts and prayers go to Joe's family and friends.
Thank you all who have and still are participating in this search.

Please note: I just added a 11/22/10 "comments edit addition" to our HAZ Home Page: MAP SUMMARY link
Here is my edit addition:

"Please note.. Comments EDIT above at 11/22/10: ** = On Sat-11/20pm, Joe's son did locate the official April'10 (11/27/10) Sheep Mtn Summit attempt by Joe, but after reviewing it and overlaying the actual hike track on the 12/4/09 known attempt, our above noted assumptions for the 12/4/09 and the 4/27/10 attempts seem to be confirmed as being the same primary hiking route taken. The only additions to his 4/27/10 hike planner routes listing was the fact that his ending point in was a little further than the 12/4, and he had added some reference tracks on this 4/27 planner to add an extension for the Mazatzal Divide TR23 and to add the same for the Cornucopia TR86 and Thicket Springs TR95. My assumptions being that he added these tracks as a "safety" for the possibility on 4/27 of having to "bailout" thus needed the additional reference points.. I do have this 4/27 track actual and planner available and it has been shared with some, but I did not want to clog-up HAZ posting with too many search-reference maps unless we find significant deviations which would change our present HAZ Home Page MAP now posted for reference and use by all."

Hank, was he totally familiar with the trails looping the mountain? Could he have taken off for a scouting loop, with the possibility of approaching the peak from off the main ridge, just for the fun of it? Or is it more likely that he was doing more of the same from the top?

imike wrote:Hank, was he totally familiar with the trails looping the mountain? Could he have taken off for a scouting loop, with the possibility of approaching the peak from off the main ridge, just for the fun of it? Or is it more likely that he was doing more of the same from the top?

Yes, very familiar with all trails looping the mtn, he had hiked them all over the years and he obviously spent countless hours studying topos, Google earth, and planning all these different scenario attempts between Fall'09 and Nov'10; I don't think he was planning on playing around with more scouting options on this last Mon-11/8 summit attempt.. he knew that his window of opportunity was closing due to the impending coming of winter in this area with shorter daylight hours; He could have taken a different approach in and out, but I don't think so based on my above assumptions, and also we have been unable to date to find any planning or route track data on his computer that would indicate such but of course anything is possible and all ideas should be shared and thought out.. thanks for your valuable input!

Possible Search/Recovery Scenario...

Many of you already know me. For those of you that don't, my name is Eric Heaton (ssk44). I am a good personal friend of Hank Luke (grasshopper). I was with the group that summited Sheep Mountain on Friday the 19th. I am emotionally, spiritually, and physically involved in this effort and communicate daily with Hank via phone and e-mail.

I have arrived at a possible search/recovery scenario that is based on personal "on the ground" experience, "after the fact" reflection, topo map analysis, Google Earth analysis, personal prayer, and Holly Spirit guidance. I can not promises to anyone that I am correct with this assessment, however I feel very strongly about it. It's basically like a puzzle that finally came together in my mind. Right or wrong, I have no choice but to throw it out there.

My scenario is a late evening/night bail-off attempt from peak 6,910 to Thicket Springs via a defined southeast ridgeline (see map). Searching this area will not be easy. Although the primary ridge route is likely straight forward, the initial summit and north/northeast slopes involve numerous steep rock ledges and gullies lined with very heavy vegetation (see photo). A night bail-off along this route would likely have been a dangerous and daunting effort. Extreme fatigue and anxiety would only add to the risk factor. Do to heavy vegetation; it is likely that searching this route may take multiple attempts. My suggestion for anyone attempting this search scenario is to access the location from the Cornucopia - Thicket Spring Trail and work your way up from the bottom. Battling your way out to peak 6,910 from the upper ridgeline via Mount Peeley would waist valuable time and energy.


GPS Coordinates...

Peak 6,910 (Lat. 33 Degrees/59'/35.55"/N & Long. 111 Degrees/30'/03.84"/W)

Thicket Spring Exit (Lat. 33 Degrees/59'/26.78"/N & Long. 111 Degrees/29'/19.00"/W)


(Additional Photo Link) igallery/image_page.php?id=4411

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I wish them peace in these trying times.

Gabriele sent me the tracks from Joe's computer and I put them into Delorme Topo USA so that I could accurately look at where he'd been previously. Studying the topos, looking for possible alternate routes (granted, never having been to that area I'm flying blind as far as vegetation, etc.) and came up with 2; one from the North and one from the South.



I'll be out in early December and plan to search but want to try to narrow down, as best as possible, the areas that I'd like to search. (I actually hope that there's no longer an ongoing search by that time and that Joe has been returned to his family and friends)

My first thought was the North route (Dark Red on the map). It's a little longer than gaining the ridgeline but from his logs it seemed like he had given up on that approach.

The second thought (Pink on the map) was contouring across to the Southwest and following drainages up to the peak.

Thoughts? Have either of these areas been searched to date?

Thank you all for all of you hard work in trying to locate our friend.

ssk44 wrote:Possible Search/Recovery Scenario...

My scenario is a late evening/night bail-off attempt from peak 6,910 to Thicket Springs via a defined southeast ridgeline (see map). Searching this area will not be easy. snip My suggestion for anyone attempting this search scenario is to access the location from the Cornucopia - Thicket Spring Trail and work your way up from the bottom. Battling your way out to peak 6,910 from the upper ridgeline via Mount Peeley would waist valuable time and energy.

Having had the same view as Erik, I agree with his premise.

The route he has described looks "doable" when viewed from Sheep. The visible fall foliage near the spring marks the location of a good trail back to the car and would be an attractive alternate to the bushwhack ridge. I believe Hank has even said that Joe had experience with parts of this route on a previous trip.

The suggestion to start at the bottom and work up seems practical as it can be done as day trips. In addition to the ridgeline, some attention should be given to trying to navigate the creek which appeared to have rock rather than brush in it.

just from studying maps, I'd opt for the south ridges and drainages... and depending on state of mind and circumstances, hard to say which might be the more likely. I think all need to be walked then cross hiked. I can not head over until after the first of the year, but I wish everyone safe efforts. I know this search will not stop without exhausting all possibilities and then some...

@MountainRocker
Thank you for all your efforts, and for your continued support.

snakemarks wrote:If there is a positive note in this tragic ordeal, it's the fact that it has shined a light on how many good people there are still left in this world.

It warms my heart to see everyone coming together to give their assistance during this tragedy. It really is good to know that there are so many people out there willing to help in these rough times.

Is anyone else making a plan to return to the area in the near future? I'd like to get out there sometime next week if anyone else is game (and if weather permits). Hank's information about Joe's 11/16/09 bailout, as well as the continued research of others, leads me to want to focus more on the south slopes/drainages.

@sk44
I'm totally with you brother! I've had the same impression also from the get- go as have many others... We just need some troopers who are willing and able to zig-zag up and down those southern ridges and drainages until we find him. Any chance someone tried driving to the Peely TH today and can give us a snow report? I'm still available to spend the three days after thanksgiving to help search this southside of Sheep Mt if anyone wants to join me and can give me a ride from the highway to the TH. ;)

I'd love to make it out there either Friday or Sunday. My truck can't do a whole lot more than a passenger car on soggy roads.

thesuperstitions wrote:Studying the topos, looking for possible alternate routes (granted, never having been to that area I'm flying blind as far as vegetation, etc.) and came up with 2; one from the North and one from the South.

Thanks for the analysis and proposing these possible scenarios..I would appreciate if others could comment on them. we really can't eliminate anything at this time, just need to be sure we concentrate on highly agreeable possible bailout scenarios based on info/conclusions we have to date, especially with our present limited, qualified, number of hikers for this brutal terrain, and the fact that the days are getting shorter and winter is coming to hamper quicker road access to the Peeley TH; Also, you can load the map from the bottom of the page options for your edits, which would allow your map to be opened..I am having trouble viewing your great detail analysis, but my eyes are 65 years old.. Thanks again!

Is there a GPS track for the previous bailout “He exited the ridgeline at peak 6834 close to nightfall and intermittently moved down the side of the mtn in sections throughout the entire night (probably to keep warm). He got back to his car at 10 AM the following day.”?

I am going to go out sometime this 4 day weekend, I will concentrate on the bailout scenarios east of Sheep Mountain.

Also, has anyone place any signs at the trail heads? There will be a lot of hunters in the Sheep Mountain area in Dec & January.

I could go out there Saturday and/or Sunday, and like Vaporman I'd need a ride from near the highway to the TH. I'm not an expert at moving off trail but comfortable hitting drainages and can totally take a beating. Maybe we can set up small teams and hit possible routes to keep multiple eyes working each route. If everyone has GPS and keeps radio contact, we could thoroughly and pretty safely cover this ground. Any thoughts?

...if there is a ridge cliff edge formation running along close to the top, it makes sense to hike the bottom edge of all of that; slipping on even a simple downclimb (8'?) can result in a very hard fall. It would be nice to have photos of the entire south ridgeline. and it would be nice if the photos were labeled on the photo exactly what we were looking at, for no mistakes. Highpoints labeled for reference... maybe miles to and from points typed in...

Hank, you're doing an awesome job of responding to all of the massive amounts of questions and comments here. We are all thankful.

Can we get Ken's (TheSuperstitions) map in a little better quality? Ken?

I think most of us agree that there was a bailout of some sort.....except for the few times that my mind wanders to thinking maybe he didn't go to Sheep Mt at all.

It's my understanding that SAR checked all the drainages that lead to Thicket Spring, isn't that correct? If so, I suspect it can't hurt to double and triple check all of the searched areas.

I would also like to take a look at the previous bailout/drainage-walk Joe did in the middle of the night a year ago, is there a track available for that one?

For those of you that have been there, did any of the drainages in question look technical or just thick with vegetation? I'm perfectly willing to make a technical descent if that is what any of the drainages call for. My suggestion is for a search from the top to the bottom since that is more likely what Joe would have done.(for those qualified and with appropriate gear) I'm sure there are others here that are could take on a technical descent, if needed.

Also still looking at that last route. Are there time stamps/data available for that 11/5 route?

juliachaos wrote:@MountainRocker
Thank you for all your efforts, and for your continued support.

MountainARocker- Yes thank you and we do also hope you will contact your available "Gila and Maricopa County SAR/Mountain Rescue" friends to also join in as you now have!

tkknc wrote:Is there a GPS track for the previous bailout “He exited the ridgeline at peak 6834 close to nightfall and intermittently moved down the side of the mtn in sections throughout the entire night (probably to keep warm). He got back to his car at 10 AM the following day.”?

Yes, you are reading my mind.. I will post this one on the HAZ website where the MAIN MAP is located so it will have available access to all.. Also I will try to peg the beginning Peak exit waypoint and the end where he joined up with the Thicket Spring TR95 on this Nov'09 bailout overnight push..

I'm kinda new to posting on HAZ so please forgive my pitiful first attempt at posting this map.