CA Deng Vongphachan, 71, experienced mushroom forager, missing since Jan 4th, 2024.

[Protectwomenandgirls]

Oh, this is heartbreaking. I used to work with Hmong women, teaching English to many refugees from Laos. I hope her family gets answers soon

 

[RickshawFan]

The one place that I know for sure that sell "California" mushrooms hasn't posted any yet and yes they usually start at $50 per pound. (Yes they call them CA mushrooms.)

There are many different mushrooms, and many seasons. The current mushrooms, I don't believe are the expensive kind. They are not morels, for instance.

 

[RickshawFan]

IIRC, that was near the Collier tunnel and it was a tourist. Deng is local and knows the terrain. I would assume she visits many of the same patches year after year…

The other missing was from, I think, Seattle, but also came there year after year, and they had their patches. The missing site was a smidge south from Gasquet, on the left driving towards the Redwoods. Perhaps you're thinking of another one up near the Collier tunnel?
I'm VERY familiar with that road.

 

[RickshawFan]

Last year's missing mushroom picker in Del Norte, was this one, from Search and Rescue News. It has links to the unfolding scenario. The location was French Hill Road.

Woman Missing In California While Picking Mushrooms With Family

www.sar.news

 

[LostOldUserName]

There are many different mushrooms, and many seasons. The current mushrooms, I don't believe are the expensive kind. They are not morels, for instance.

See that's what I get for thinking. Morels should be in indiana April-ish, so warmer weather mixed with moisture in California figured it would be late February early March. Now I need to look at Wilson's site and see when they start posting cause i think I have confused myself.

 

[RickshawFan]

See that's what I get for thinking. Morels should be in indiana April-ish, so warmer weather mixed with moisture in California figured it would be late February early March. Now I need to look at Wilson's site and see when they start posting cause i think I have confused myself.

IMO April in Del Norte County near the Smith River is cold and wet/soaking. Miserable! Much colder than anywhere in Indiana I've ever been to. It might be above freezing most of the time (in the Smith River area it also snows and sleets). It's very dangerous to be out in.

In general, summer comes MUCH later to this area of the country than the midwest. Spring is very lengthy. But yes, snow in the areas just a little bit east of the coastline (like 20 miles). If you look at the article I posted ^^^ with the missing from 2023, you will see that SAR was getting snow, sleet, pouring rain... in winter.

I'm not a mushroom person, and I can't find EXACTLY what mushrooms are in season in winter (e.g. January), but morels wouldn't be my first guess.

 

[SabrinaD]

Her basket was full of hedgehog mushrooms and yellowfoot winter chanterelles.

 

[RickshawFan]

I wonder if she had a second basket?

 

[LostOldUserName]

IMO April in Del Norte County near the Smith River is cold and wet/soaking. Miserable! Much colder than anywhere in Indiana I've ever been to. It might be above freezing most of the time (in the Smith River area it also snows and sleets). It's very dangerous to be out in.

In general, summer comes MUCH later to this area of the country than the midwest. Spring is very lengthy. But yes, snow in the areas just a little bit east of the coastline (like 20 miles). If you look at the article I posted ^^^ with the missing from 2023, you will see that SAR was getting snow, sleet, pouring rain... in winter.

I'm not a mushroom person, and I can't find EXACTLY what mushrooms are in season in winter (e.g. January), but morels wouldn't be my first guess.

This just came across my fb feed. I knew I wasn't totally off, that this was the time of year they start posting ca mushrooms. This is a local amish type market, Indiana. I just didn't know what type mushrooms she had. I'll be curious to see the price this year. People go nuts for them so I guess that's why my thought was maybe harmed for her harvest

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

This just came across my fb feed. I knew I wasn't totally off, that this was the time of year they start posting ca mushrooms. This is a local amish type market, Indiana. I just didn't know what type mushrooms she had. I'll be curious to see the price this year. People go nuts for them so I guess that's why my thought was maybe harmed for her harvest

Wow, had no idea they were selling the mushrooms that far away

 

[LadyL]

This just came across my fb feed. I knew I wasn't totally off, that this was the time of year they start posting ca mushrooms. This is a local amish type market, Indiana. I just didn't know what type mushrooms she had. I'll be curious to see the price this year. People go nuts for them so I guess that's why my thought was maybe harmed for her harvest

her harvest was left behind though, unless she had two backpacks and then if so, why wouldn't they have taken the 2nd one and also, why wouldn't they just take the mushrooms and leave her behind - I don't think that theory makes sense IMO

 

[LadyL]

if she went back to search for more mushrooms or for any reason really, why would she not put the full backpack in the car?

I think she must've been taken - either by wild animal or by a criminal human

 

[Tower]

not that it matters much but unless she's gained a lot of weight since all of those pictures were taken, there's no way she weighs 170 lbs. - more like 120 IMO

I wonder if a bear took her

what other wild animals are in that area?

The MSM story may have been updated since you saw it. It states 130 lbs. today.

 

[iusedtofloat]

She is ADORABLE!!

Siblings hoping for answers in January disappearance of California mother Deng Vongphachan; “It just doesn’t make any sense”

The 71-year-old mushroom picker’s truck was found abandoned on January 5 in Del Norte County, California.

www.nbcnews.com

Deng has seven children.

Dateline spoke with her daughter Noy, and her son Johnny Siharath. They said that their mother is originally from Laos. “Our mom, she is a refugee,” Johnny told Dateline. “She’s one of those that had to cross the Mekong River and everything -- go through all the hardships -- to get to where she’s at and then raise a bunch, you know, bad little kids to become who we are today and did such an amazing job.”



They said authorities pinged Deng’s cellphone and were able to track down the truck at the intersection of Low Divide Road and Forest Service Road near Signal Peak, in Del Norte County, a place where Deng regularly picks mushrooms.

The siblings said their mother’s phone was found in her truck and her mushroom bucket backpack were found just a few feet from the truck.

“I was always worried about her like, ‘Mom, there could be wild bears approaching or some strange people,’” Noy recalled. “She always told us, ‘Don’t worry, I don’t go far in.’ Based on where her bucket backpack was located -- 150 feet away from the truck -- that makes sense. She didn’t go far in.”

What they do know, is that Deng’s seven children and her ten grandchildren miss her dearly. “I miss her weekly phone calls,” Noy said. “She loves all her kids and her grandkids and it was just very sweet.”

“These were supposed to be her golden years,” Johnny added. “We were all going to easily take care of her and it’s just rough that it didn’t happen.”

The family is offering a $10,000 reward to the individual who locates Deng.
“It’s very difficult for our family,” Noy told Dateline. “We want her home. We need her home. We need closure.”

 

[RickshawFan]

Wow, had no idea they were selling the mushrooms that far away

Foraging mushrooms in PNW forest is big business, especially in the Asian and Latino communities. Dangerous, too, if you happen upon someone else's "spot". I suppose that could have happened in this case, but it doesn't seem quite the right season for the most lucrative mushrooms, and the risk of hypothermia is super high because of the cold rain.

 

[RickshawFan]

They said authorities pinged Deng’s cellphone and were able to track down the truck at the intersection of Low Divide Road and Forest Service Road near Signal Peak, in Del Norte County, a place where Deng regularly picks mushrooms.

The siblings said their mother’s phone was found in her truck and her mushroom bucket backpack were found just a few feet from the truck.

“I was always worried about her like, ‘Mom, there could be wild bears approaching or some strange people,’” Noy recalled. “She always told us, ‘Don’t worry, I don’t go far in.’ Based on where her bucket backpack was located -- 150 feet away from the truck -- that makes sense. She didn’t go far in.”

Snipped for focus...

The problem is, 150 feet does not equate to "just a few feet". Under certain conditions, it may as well have been miles. Deng might not have realized she was anywhere close to her car, even if she reached the road. The cell phone would have been useless in that dense and rugged forest, so no surprise that it was in the car: that was the best place for it.

IMO she was waiting out a squall in a sheltered (i.e. concealed) place or intended to. Either she fell, or she became hypothermic. IMO Last year, the missing mushroom picker was found some time later under a log.

Bears would not be a problem. Most all bears scamper out of sight when they hear or see a human. No grizzlies here. Strange people? Waaaay too out of the way. And a strange person would have to be nuts bugging ANYONE in this weather and terrain. Step out of your vehicle, and you're cold-drenched.

 

[RickshawFan]

To give an idea why I keep pointing to terrain and conditions, this is the terrain in last year's search in early February (almost the same time as this case) in this area. It is typical of this area. The whole area was burned a few years ago, which makes it exceptionally great for mushrooms. The media outlet is the main newspaper in the nearest town, Crescent City.


All of that vegetation is wet and cold and drippy, even without fresh rain. Very dangerous. And look at the odds of falling.
The plus side of all this cold wet drippiness is that it's the ecosystem for redwoods. There's a batch right near here, and they need cold wet drippy.... Like no creature I've ever encountered as far as magnificent. And the real treat is camping under them, maybe 5 miles from here. Beautiful campground (Jedediah Smith).