ACTIVE SEARCH JAPAN - Patricia "Pattie" Wu-Murad, 60, US Citizen, on hiking trip Kumano Kodo Trail, didn't arr next stop Osaka, 10 Apr 2023

[slowpoke]

My partner and I hiked a portion of the Nakasendo trail in November of last year. It's nowhere near as remote as the trail that Pattie was on but as I was researching some safety precautions for our trip I read about snakes, bears and also giant hornets. Apologies if this has already been highlighted. They are apparently more aggressive in the autumn but they are active from spring through to the autumn and can have a very painful sting and in rare cases it is possible to die from a sting. It just occured to me that if you inadvertently disturbed a nest and got attacked by a swarm of hornets it might be very easy to run off trail and get lost/ injured. Pattie was on my mind during our trip and I truly hope she is found soon

JMO

I actually saw a dead one of those giant hornets on the sidewalk in Japan, when I was there over this past summer. I wish I had taken a photo of it, but it was a crowded street and we were in a hurry to get to the train station. It was huge—looked to be maybe 2 inches long!

This was not even in a rural area, either. This was near the train station in Kyoto, if my memory serves me right. So I guess those scary things could show up anywhere in Japan.

 

[StillDiggin]

A year today something terrible happened to Pattie and you haven’t been seen since. As someone who walks pilgrimages I have been deeply affected by your disappearance and the lack of any sort of news or updates as to what may have happened. My thoughts are with husband Kirk and daughter Murphy & the rest of the family today. I really hope some news turns up soon.

 

[Centaurus]

My only suggestion, like others on this thread mentioned, would be to go back to the last two people that spoke with and saw Pattie. Especially the Australian tourist.

 

[ZaZara]

HelpfindPattie

@HelpfindPattie

News Story by
@WTNH
about 1 year anniversary since Pattie went missing and about #honoringpattingday. #helpfindpattie

Family and friends remember Storrs woman one year after disappearance

For me, the link goes to 'Access restricted' but I trust you will find it interesting. And please tell me what is said. Any news about the phone data?

 

[nhmemorymaker]

HelpfindPattie
@HelpfindPattie

News Story by
@WTNH
about 1 year anniversary since Pattie went missing and about #honoringpattingday. #helpfindpattie

Family and friends remember Storrs woman one year after disappearance

For me, the link goes to 'Access restricted' but I trust you will find it interesting. And please tell me what is said. Any news about the phone data?

It is really a sweet tribute video /article....

 

[annpats]

My only suggestion, like others on this thread mentioned, would be to go back to the last two people that spoke with and saw Pattie. Especially the Australian tourist.

I think the police already did that, and he had no more information to offer.
He left the guesthouse and went onto the trail before Pattie, and never saw her again.

If he didn't see anything, he didn't see anything.

He's got no reason to lie. I don't see him as a suspect at all, and I don't think anyone does.

 

[slowpoke]

HelpfindPattie
@HelpfindPattie

News Story by
@WTNH
about 1 year anniversary since Pattie went missing and about #honoringpattingday. #helpfindpattie

Family and friends remember Storrs woman one year after disappearance

For me, the link goes to 'Access restricted' but I trust you will find it interesting. And please tell me what is said. Any news about the phone data?

Thank you, @ZaZara, for bringing this article to our thread.

Poignant quote from Kirk (Pattie’s spouse):
“I talk to Pattie every day, sometimes just yelling at her, where the heck are you? And other times I’m just asking for her help us get through what we need to get through,” said Kirk. “We are never going to move on, but we have to move forward.”

It said Kirk gets bi-weekly updates from investigators in Japan, but there’s been no new clues or sign of Pattie.

Volunteerism is important to Pattie, so on this one year anniversary the family would like to say “be like Pattie” and give your time to help others.

There’s sadness, but they still want to smile thinking about her.

I say: It’s so evident Pattie is so loved. And so missed.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

I think the police already did that, and he had no more information to offer.
He left the guesthouse and went onto the trail before Pattie, and never saw her again.

If he didn't see anything, he didn't see anything.

He's got no reason to lie. I don't see him as a suspect at all, and I don't think anyone does.

Please forgive me if I'm misremembering, but didn't the Australian man go onto the trail *after* Pattie?

It was initially thought that being a much taller man with a longer stride, he might have caught up with Pattie. But he never saw any sign of her on the trail at all.

 

[slowpoke]

Please forgive me if I'm misremembering, but didn't the Australian man go onto the trail *after* Pattie?

It was initially thought that being a much taller man with a longer stride, he might have caught up with Pattie. But he never saw any sign of her on the trail at all.

That is my recollection as well. He left after her, but did not see her at any point on the trail. He left 2 hours later, I think.

 

[annpats]

Please forgive me if I'm misremembering, but didn't the Australian man go onto the trail *after* Pattie?

It was initially thought that being a much taller man with a longer stride, he might have caught up with Pattie. But he never saw any sign of her on the trail at all.

You're correct! Yes, sorry, that's right...he did go on the trail AFTER she did!

 

[annpats]

That is my recollection as well. He left after her, but did not see her at any point on the trail. He left 2 hours later, I think.

Yes, you're correct.
Sorry, I misremembered it.

 

[annpats]

It was initially thought that being a much taller man with a longer stride, he might have caught up with Pattie. But he never saw any sign of her on the trail at all.

Yes, I remember this discussion. I think someone even worked out potential stride lengths and walking speeds of both of them and worked out roughly when he would have caught her up.

And because of this, I think it was thought that she disappeared off the trail quite early into her walk....

 

[Pyrite]

Yes, I remember this discussion. I think someone even worked out potential stride lengths and walking speeds of both of them and worked out roughly when he would have caught her up.

And because of this, I think it was thought that she disappeared off the trail quite early into her walk....

As someone who has walked and ran a lot of mountain trails, stride length on an ungroomed trail changes a lot. Your foot has to come down on the safe spots, not sticks or rocks that may roll out from under you. You have to walk over roots and around bushes that are sticking out. My trails were mostly in California so the grooming standards might be way better in Japan, but it’s something to consider. A taller person isn’t necessarily faster on rough trails.

 

[ZaZara]

As someone who has walked and ran a lot of mountain trails, stride length on an ungroomed trail changes a lot. Your foot has to come down on the safe spots, not sticks or rocks that may roll out from under you. You have to walk over roots and around bushes that are sticking out. My trails were mostly in California so the grooming standards might be way better in Japan, but it’s something to consider. A taller person isn’t necessarily faster on rough trails.

The Kohechi Trail is not rough. It may not be easy in certain spots, but it isn't ungroomed and signage is good.

The family also managed to locate certain ultra-trail-runners who had been running the trail around the time Pattie would / could have been there. They should have overtaken her at a certain moment. They never saw her. The Australian hiker who left the guest house after her never saw her either.

The conclusion is that whatever happened to Pattie, happened on her way up to the pass.

 

[Centaurus]

I think the police already did that, and he had no more information to offer.
He left the guesthouse and went onto the trail before Pattie, and never saw her again.

If he didn't see anything, he didn't see anything.

He's got no reason to lie. I don't see him as a suspect at all, and I don't think anyone does.

BBM

Oh I wasn't saying he's a suspect, I'd just go back with a new set of eyes/ears and re-interview the last people that spoke with and saw her to see if there was anything at all that has been missed.

 

[slowpoke]

The Kohechi Trail is not rough. It may not be easy in certain spots, but it isn't ungroomed and signage is good.

The family also managed to locate certain ultra-trail-runners who had been running the trail around the time Pattie would / could have been there. They should have overtaken her at a certain moment. They never saw her. The Australian hiker who left the guest house after her never saw her either.

The conclusion is that whatever happened to Pattie, happened on her way up to the pass.

On the Help Find Pattie Instagram page, just as you have said, the terrain on the trail is apparently not that difficult, but can get “treacherous” if you stray away from the trail.
Help Find Pattie IG, 4-26-23