Author: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: April 7th, 2021
Introduction to Missing Trail Hikers
I have been looking at both NamUs and Canada's Missing databases for missing people for the last couple of weeks. In particular, I have been interested in missing person cases where a hiking trail is central to the disappearance. The tag I've associated with all blog posts at this site that have to do a trail and/or a missing hiker is "trail hiking series." You can find this hashtag at the end of this blog post. By clicking on it, you will bring up all the related articles.
When I first thought of the "trail hiking series," admittedly, I wanted to look at about 40 cases that involved trails and/or hiking. However, I have fallen short of that for the time being. Nonetheless, even in a small sample space of cases, I've been able to recognize a couple of distinct patterns with missing people whose case files are associated with nature trails and/or hiking. Please, have a look at the two patterns below that emerged as I studied several cases.
Lost Hikers: Recognizing the Patterns
Pattern #1: An unfit, unequipped, and solo hiker uses a dangerous trail. He or she is not heard from again but his or her vehicle is found at the trailhead or parking lot for the park or trail network.
I selected six cases where Pattern #1, as described above, fits quite well. However, missing person cases aren't made with a cookie cutter: there are deviations. The six bullet points below restate Pattern #1 and provide an area where I will discuss what I mean by each point. The cases that basically fit the pattern then follow.
- Unfit for a hike could describe someone who was obese, however, it could also mean someone who was injured, had a medical ailment, or needed medication.
- In the six cases I looked at, I recall individuals that were either obese by BMI, walked with a limp, had a heart condition, required medication for seizures, or were well out of their primes.
- Only two of the six missing persons that I looked at, David Barclay Miller and Paula Jean Welden, were seemingly fit individuals in the primes of their lives.
- But even in their cases, a question could be posed if their fitness levels were equal to the trail ahead: Miller, in particular, may have had to burden himself with a very heavy load of water.
(2) The missing person went on a dangerous trail or one that is considered difficult.
- In assessing the danger level of a trail, I relied on AllTrails.com. I also looked at videos of the trails taken by YouTube publishers.
- What I found was that people who went missing on trails often used dangerous trails.
- This might seem straightforward forward, but the point is still worth making: though hardly foolproof, it suggests that something accidental happened to them instead of something illegal.
- That's especially likely given the poor physical condition many of them were in.
- I recall one case where an individual hiked in an area that other hikers had deemed unsafe and avoided. I recall a trail that was exceptionally lengthy in one case.
- Also, I recall a multi-day trail through desert conditions. In another instance, I recall a missing person using a trail known for encroaching on steep edges that were often intersected with small waterfalls directly falling on the trail.
(3) This missing person hiked alone, even if he or she was seen by others or informed people of his or her plans.
- The six cases I include all featured solo hikers. They may have been seen by other hikers or park staff, but none hiked in tandem or in groups.
(4) The missing person failed to supply himself or herself properly.
- Not bringing water or food or adequate clothing is a significant reoccurrence in the missing person cases. All kinds of ailments can affect someone who doesn't have proper clothing for a hike. Not having enough water can lead to dizziness, confusion, and dehydration. It can also lead to reliance on water sources along the trail, which might cause fevers.
(5) The missing person's abandoned vehicle was found at the trailhead or the parking lot for the trail network.
- This was a significant reoccurrence in the selected missing persons cases involving hiking trails, however, it wasn't 100% pervasive. Paula Jean Welden's case didn't mention a car and that is significant. She was a hitchhiker and, of course, a disappearance due to that risky activity could be what caused her disappearance instead of a hiking-trail mishap.
(6) My opinion: the totality of the circumstances suggests a non-clandestine disappearance (ie. it seems more likely that a hiking accident happened than something criminal in nature).
- Did the person disappear on purpose, by accident, or due to the criminal actions of someone else? That's always a question in a missing person case.
- However, when I read most of the cases, I did think that the people that disappeared were likely accident victims or victims of the elements as opposed to victims of criminals.
- Paula Jean Welden is a tough case in this regard: she was last seen on a hiking trail, but she had hitchhiked to the trail. There is a question if she tried to hitchhike home or if she got lost in the forest. She was, in fact, lost even before arriving at her chosen trailhead and it was nearly dusk.
Of course, some of the points above could appear and, I'm sure, have appeared as topics in safe-hiking guides. Concerning the first point, you should select a trail that's appropriate for your health and fitness. You should definitely hike in twos or at least use trails that are popular and unrisky if you are alone. You should also bring a lot of water for the trail and some high-calorie food, not to mention a change of clothes or something you can add on as a layer if you end up cold.
The cases I looked at in developing the six points are as follows. For further details on any case, please follow the link.
Joseph Lee Wood Jr. -- Missing Since July 1999 From Washington
- A man with a heart condition went hiking at high altitude without food or water or adequate clothing. Hikers that saw him last said they turned around due to dangerous conditions, but Joseph seemed to trudge on into those dangerous conditions. His vehicle was found near the trailhead.
Jessie Hoover -- Missing Since May 1983 in Maine
- A middle-aged woman who needed daily medication targeted a multi-day hike without any kind of preparations.
Carol Marlene Ferguson -- Missing From Washington Since 2017
- An 83-year-old woman who may have had dementia went on a difficult trail. Her truck was found near the trailhead.
David Barclay Miller -- Missing in Arizona Since 1998
- A young man went on a multi-day hike in the desert. There was a question as to whether he had enough water. His vehicle was found.
Wayne Falconer Wikel -- Missing Since 1992 From Oregon
- A man approaching his middle-aged years had a limp from a leg injury. He went on a very difficult and dangerous trail that was nearly 30 miles in length. His vehicle was found at the trailhead.
Paula Jean Welden -- Missing Since 1945 From New Hampshire
- She hitchhiked to a trail and arrived just before dusk one evening in December without provisions or warming clothing.
Pattern #2: A duo or larger group takes to the hiking trails. A woman within the duo or group decides to rest instead of partake in the entire hike. While she rests, others in her duo or larger group complete the hike. When they return to collect the resting woman, she is not there. Furthermore, she's never seen again and it's unclear if something clandestine is involved or if she fell victim to a hiking mishap.
This pattern can be summarized with the following points:
(1) The missing person is a woman.
- In five of the six cases that I looked at that resembled this pattern, the missing person was a woman.
(2) The missing person is originally part of a duo or larger group that's on a hiking excursion.
- This was present in all cases. Usually, the missing person started out on a hike with a group. But in one case, the missing person started out on a camping excursion.
(3) The missing person voluntarily separates from the group.
- This happened in each case. The reasons for the separations vary, but the missing person stopping to take a rest is common. In another case, the missing person voluntarily went on a separate hike than the group from the origin point. In another case, the missing person had a different walking speed than the group, and that created drifting. In another case, a little boy ran ahead of the group perhaps in youthful excitement.
(4) The missing person is not seen again.
- In only one of the six cases was a trace of the missing person found. In another case, some reported hearing the missing person scream in the night of the forest, but this was not firmly established.
(5) The investigation includes some suspicion of others in the area.
- Abduction is pretty clear in two cases. In another case, it seems that something forceful happened to the missing person. In the three other cases, it could be a hiking mishap, but there are questions surrounding other people on the trail, whether they are members of the missing person's group or not.
As is the case with the first pattern, missing person cases aren't made with cookie cutters. However, the following cases are closely related to the five points above.
A Pattern of Lost Hikers: Many Similar Cases
Olga Mauger -- Missing Since 1934 in Wyoming
The cases of Olga Mauer, Michelle Vanek, and Celeste Hensley Greub are very similar cases. Starting with Mauer, she was in the backcountry with her new husband. They were not hiking enthusiasts but were using hiking trails to scout for wild game. The husband and Olga went out into the mountains and she tired and rested while he hiked to a mountain peak. When the husband returned, Olga was gone and was never seen again although someone in the search party reported hearing her night-time calls for help. The husband came under suspicion in the aftermath but was not charged.
Michelle Vanek -- Missing Since 2005 From Colorado
Michelle Vanek went hiking with a male friend (non-romantic). She stopped to rest while he continued to advance to a summit. When he returned to find her, she was missing and has not been seen again. In this case, there was not much suspicion directed toward the friend. However, this case did mention a transient-type of character that was in the backcountry at the time.
Celeste Hensley Greub -- Missing Since 1976 From Wyoming
Celeste Hensley Greub went hiking in Wyoming with two female friends. The two friends decided to climb a nearby mountain peak while Greub rested alone. When the two friends returned to collect Greub, she was gone and has not been seen since. This case did not involve much discussion of suspicion, however, there was an indication that she was in a troubled marriage and may have been despondent.
Rosemary Theresa Kunst went on a camping trip with a large group. Most of the members of this group departed out on a hike, while Theresa stayed at the camp. However, she decided to embark on a short hike from the camp. When the hikers in the large group returned to camp, they did not know where Rosemary was. Eventually, a search ensued and only a tuft of her hair was found entangled in the wild-brush.
This case is a little different from the five summary points. Rosemary didn't separate from the hikers that she was on a hike with. Rather, she went on a different hike than what her fellow-campers went on. Furthermore, there was a trace of her as the hair that was found was tested to be hers. The circumstances seemed suspicious to me because I think the hair being yanked from her head, even by wild-brush, suggests that something forceful was happening to her.
Trenny Gibson - Missing Since 1976 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Trenny Gibson went on a school field trip with her classmates to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trip involved taking an out-and-back trail. During this trip, she became isolated on the trail from her classmates. I got the impression this had to do with her having a different walking speed over a long trail. Sometime during this isolated time, Trenny disappeared and has not been seen again. This is a case that has involved plenty of suspicion against a classmate, suspicion that I've felt was not warranted. Bloodhounds that tracked Trenny's movements lead to a roadside disappearance off of the trail. One prevailing guess is that she was abducted by a stranger, possibly at knifepoint or gunpoint.
Thomas Eldon Bowman -- Missing in California Since 1957
Thomas Eldon Bowman is the only male in this list. A young minor, he was hiking on a family outing and became separated from the group when he ran ahead to the parking lot toward the end of the outing. He has not been seen since. He was thought to have been a kidnapping victim as opposed to the victim of a hiking-trail accident.
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