Carol Marlene Ferguson -- Missing From Washington Since 2017

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Carol was last heard from when she canceled plans with a friend on September 27th, 2017 or September 26th, 2017 (sources vary). Her red 2000 Ford Ranger pickup truck was located at the Putvin Trailhead off Forest Service Road 2500 in Mason County, Washington on October 11th, 2017. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search-and-rescue operation with tracking dogs in the Olympic National Forest near Lena Lake in an effort to find her, but no trace of her was found. Ferguson is known to keep to herself. She is an avid hiker and frequently hikes in Olympic National Park. She may also be traveling though Oregon.

Missing Person: Carol Marlene Ferguson
Last-contact date: September 27th, 2017 or September 26th, 2017 (sources vary)
The area where the MP was last seen: Bremerton, Washington
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 83 years old
Birthdate: June 3rd, 1934
Hair: White or grey
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'1" and 140 pounds
BMI*: The missing person was overweight by BMI at the time of the last contact.
Tattoos: Carol Marlene Ferguson did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Carol Marlene Ferguson, a missing person, was last heard from on September 26th or 27th, 2017 when she was 83 years old. The NamUs profile says September 27th of that year but a news source I consulted for this case said it was September 26th. This individual has now been missing for about 4 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

What stands out with this case is the individual's age. Hiking trails can be routine, however, the uneven surfaces pose challenges. I hike a lot and you do not generally see people too far from the parking lot that you would think are in their 80s. Furthermore, the Q13 Fox news source stated that there was the possibility that her disappearance is related to dementia.

"There are indications that suggest Ferguson's disappearance may be dementia-related," police said at the time of her disappearance.

This individual did not make newspaper archive prints news to my knowledge. Thus, I decided to research the trail that she may have been hiking on. Her vehicle was located near the trailhead for the Putvin Trail to Lake of the Angels. There is an indicated in the NamUs description that she was near Lena Lake. If so, then that would have been a very long hike, I think, but it's not perfectly clear where she parked her truck.

Her age is a risk factor when it comes to using hiking trails. Cardio problems, fitness problems, and mobility problems are all in play for someone who is 83 and hiking. Furthermore, bouts of dementia can only be worse when dealing with possible dehydration or fatigue.

But in addition to her age, I found two risk factors with using the Putvin Trail. Firstly, it was described as "only recommended for very experienced adventurers" at AllTrails.com. While Carol seems to fit the bill, I wondered if athleticism and fitness would be better than experience to some degree. Additionally, the same source indicated that this trail is "best used from March until October." If Carol was using this trail at the time of her disappearance, as the location of her vehicle suggests, then she was at the cusp of when this trail was best used.

When I looked at this 'trail' with online pictures, what I discovered was that there seemed to be points in the trail where there is no discernible path. At other points, you would not think that the trail was safe for anyone but an athletic hiker. One sign I read indicated that it marked the end of the maintained trail. Clearly, there's a portion of this trail that is officially marked and a portion that is not. I found the Putvin Trail mentioned in a news article about "abandoned trails."

07 Jun 2002, Fri Longview Daily News (Longview, Washington) Newspapers.com

When I read reviews of this trail, certainly it was not for the casual walker or casual hiker. It required using ropes at some points and "scrambling," a hiking term that refers to using all limbs to ascend steep terrain. The following Youtube video shows the trail. It was published 9 or 10 days before Carol was last heard from. Other videos made the trail look more treacherous.

The missing person did not have any articles or items associated with her missing person's reports, at least of the sources that I consulted. If you want to read a related article at this site, then please click the hashtag below that interests you.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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