Death Valley SAR for people missing over 10 years

[RoySwkr]

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

 

[sardog1]

That was fantastic to read. Thanks.

 

[wardsgirl]

Thanks so much for posting that, Roy!

It was absolutely gripping, especially since I had the opportunity to explore Death Valley a few years ago. In fact, I must have crossed paths with the author more than once. What a great read.

 

[Tom_Murphy]

Thank you. As good as any I have read in Outside Magazine in a long while.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I didn't read this particular account, as at the time their remains were being discovered/recovered I lived nearby and the local newspapers carried the stories. One of the things which struck me was the person most responsible for searching over the years was from the Riverside SAR unit, rather than to local Inyo SAR or even the nearby China Lake Mountain SAR. For those not familiar with SoCal geography, Riverside is about 200 mile south of Lone Pine.

I used to hike with current/former members of the China Lake group, and until a body or discreet remains area located, an incident remains open. Sometimes they use the "last seen" locations are the starting point for setting up search grids as part of a training. Once such location is about a mile east of Kearsarge Pass, a location some members of the this BB are familiar with.

I remember a few years ago that the finding of these German's remains renewed interest in searching for possible buried victims of Charlie Manson. Remember him? Had an active cult following, and when finally arrested was hiding out in what in now part of Death Valley - in Golar Wash, specifically. I saw the old cabin where he was apprehended - hiding in a tiny bathroom vanity.

 

[erugs]

Fascinating read. I shouldn't have spent so much time on it, as I'm at work, but the author's drive to discover kept me going, too.

 

[DougPaul]

A great read, thanks.

Doug

 

[sdways01]

Fascinating read. I shouldn't have spent so much time on it, as I'm at work, but the author's drive to discover kept me going, too.

I agree. I ran out of time at work and had to finish it at home. It was a fascinating read, I just wish the writer got more feedback in the end so we could fully know the outcome.

 

[erugs]

Another thing I found interesting was how the author admitted he had flipped photos around in early reports he made to people (not to officials, though) so they wouldn't think they identified the place and would go out and search.

 

[RoySwkr]

Another thing I found interesting was how the author admitted he had flipped photos around in early reports he made to people (not to officials, though) so they wouldn't think they identified the place and would go out and search.

A number of years back I spent 4 days looking for a missing Learjet near Lebanon NH, although it was winter I thought it would be easy to see if upright because the top of the plane in the photo was red. When the plane was found, it was actually blue which was a deliberate decision by the relatives to keep bogus sightings at bay. While this shouldn't affect ground searches, air searchers or those examining satellite photos could actually have missed it.

 

[wardsgirl]

I agree. I ran out of time at work and had to finish it at home. It was a fascinating read, I just wish the writer got more feedback in the end so we could fully know the outcome.

I agree. I wish there was more!

After I read it the first time (in work), I went home and read it again with all my maps spread out on the kitchen table!

 

[TEO]

Thanks for posting this, Roy. It was an intriguing read, which was definitely aided by having topos in an adjacent window.

 

[Remix]

That was a great read, thanks for posting.