Greece American tourist a retired cop, 59, not returned from a solo hike, Amorgos Island, 11 June 24

[RickshawFan]

He was staying at an unspecified place in Aegiali. There are several lovely hotels and numerous apts and rooms. As he has been to the island 20 times, he certainly would have made a choice comfortable for him.

I could deal with this:
View attachment 511658

The limited CCTV video from Aegiali shows a man that appears to be him putting a larger pack into a vehicle the morning of the hike. There are car rental agencies in Aegiali. There is no indication he was stealth camping. We also don't have any idea how long he had been on Amargos or how long he was staying. It could be days or it could be weeks, most likely weeks, given his prior travels.

Here is an on-line travel guide to Amargos. It's very interesting and paints a picture of the island as a wonderful vacation spot that is used to tourism, but not overwhelmed by it. Lots of accommodations, restaurants and taverns.

Amorgos

The Greek Island of Amorgos has clear blue seas, great restaurants, a terrific system of hiking trails, a world famous monastery and a lot fewer tourists than most of the other Crclades Islands

www.greektravel.com

He might have been sleeping on the beach? And that's why he has a big pack (i.e. it has everything in it)?

FYI a "taverna" is not a tavern (i.e. a bar). It's easier for discussion just to call it a taverna. I'll try and round up some photos.

 

[airportwoman]

What is with all these Americans getting lost on Greek islands?!?

 

[Herat]

What is with all these Americans getting lost on Greek islands?!?

It's only two Americans. Different islands. <modsnip> More Europeans are lost than that. They are older folks, and there is a massive heatwave.

Nothing more nefarious than that

 

[Herat]

He might have been sleeping on the beach? And that's why he has a big pack (i.e. it has everything in it)?

FYI a "taverna" is not a tavern (i.e. a bar). It's easier for discussion just to call it a taverna. I'll try and round up some photos.

I see no reason to think he was sleeping on the beach. He appears to have had finances to stay in a hotel, apartment, or bnB in Aegiali, where he started from. From the hike, he could not have easily reached any beach to sleep on, unless he had made it to his destination.

This just doesn't seem to be significant to me.

 

[Herat]

There is another trail he could have taken from Aegiali to Katapola that, after Asphodilatis, would not take him down the steep section past the white monastery, but is farther west over the crest of the island, paralleling the E171 road for a significant way, and then taken a more obscure trail west along a ridgeline to the town of Xylokeratidi, which is on the bay right next to Katapola.

It involves part of an obscure trail that hikers did not like on the All-Trails website because it "seemed like the path of a drunken goat" but if he has hiked a great deal, he may have his own variant that is more interesting, less busy, and more expedient for him. This section would not likely have been searched early on, if at all.

It involves parts of these two hikes:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/amorgos/panagia-chozoviotissa-monastery-chora

and

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/amorgos/katapola-amorgos-xilokeratidi

 

[Herat]

He might have been sleeping on the beach? And that's why he has a big pack (i.e. it has everything in it)?

FYI a "taverna" is not a tavern (i.e. a bar). It's easier for discussion just to call it a taverna. I'll try and round up some photos.

RickshawFan - Are you thinking that he is marooned or dead on a beach that hasn't been searched, possibly from heatstroke or from being attacked?

I initially thought he was hiking with his large pack, but the CCTV video from Aegiali seems to show him putting the large pack in a vehicle. It might make sense that he didn't want to leave it alone in his hotel room.

Otherwise, he would have a vehicle available to drive to Kapatola by the most likely beaches and would not have been sighted at Asphondilatus where he bought the drinks and discussed his route with Sophia.

 

[Seni]

Albert was well known on the island, has his contacts. He probably arranged for someone to drive his backpack to his planned destination where he would pick it up.

 

[RickshawFan]

I promised some photos of tavernas so they don't get confused with the American idea of a tavern.
These are tavernas. While they do serve drinks, they aren't specifically organized around alcohol. I think you could even find tavernas that don't have any alcohol. You eat there, hang out, watch passers-by, etc.
Perhaps you could call them restaurants, since they are that, too, but the Greek ones have a special look, and rudimentary furniture and outdoors is a big element.
The most important detail: ambience. Here's the flavor.

 

[RickshawFan]

RickshawFan - Are you thinking that he is marooned or dead on a beach that hasn't been searched, possibly from heatstroke or from being attacked?

I initially thought he was hiking with his large pack, but the CCTV video from Aegiali seems to show him putting the large pack in a vehicle. It might make sense that he didn't want to leave it alone in his hotel room.

Otherwise, he would have a vehicle available to drive to Kapatola by the most likely beaches and would not have been sighted at Asphondilatus where he bought the drinks and discussed his route with Sophia.

I speculate he had fatal heatstroke on his hike.

However, he could have had unconventional "digs". This could have been stealth on a beach. In the old days, I had a "room" on Mykonos for $2 per night. IIRC I slept outside on a roof. So, yep, I don't think we should assume the hiker had any kind of standard lodging.

 

[Snoopster]

There is another trail he could have taken from Aegiali to Katapola that, after Asphodilatis, would not take him down the steep section past the white monastery, but is farther west over the crest of the island, paralleling the E171 road for a significant way, and then taken a more obscure trail west along a ridgeline to the town of Xylokeratidi, which is on the bay right next to Katapola.

It involves part of an obscure trail that hikers did not like on the All-Trails website because it "seemed like the path of a drunken goat" but if he has hiked a great deal, he may have his own variant that is more interesting, less busy, and more expedient for him. This section would not likely have been searched early on, if at all.

It involves parts of these two hikes:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/amorgos/panagia-chozoviotissa-monastery-chora

and

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/amorgos/katapola-amorgos-xilokeratidi

Thanks for this @Herat. It's an interesting possibility. We heard that Albert discussed his planned route with Sophia. What would there be to discuss if he was taking the main route that almost everyone else took?
If we presume that he picked up on the trail at some point shortly after passing through Asfontilitis, it would explain why the searchers are looking on the NW side of the ridge. Although I don't know what the searchers (family/friends) know and what caused them to search in that direction. Perhaps the spoke with Sophia? I presume they did because that wouldn't be a stone I would leave unturned if I was in their position.

Here is an image from along that NW section of the trail. (And there just happens to be goats in the picture.)
I believe that piece of land jutting out into the sea is Nikouria Island, which is parallel to Asfontilitis down the length of Amorgos.

ETA: accidentally posted draft content from the other day so I removed it. Sorry if it was confusing!

 

[Herat]

What an interesting photo @Snoopster. The Steki tau manchera is the small cafe or such where Sophia sold him the soda and water. It is in the abandoned hamlet known as Asphondilatus on the maps, where there is also a small church, Agios Nicholaeus. I believe the goats are on the dirt road that leads up there from the main paved road below, the E171 on maps.

That sure looks like Nikouria Island.

The trail bifurcates about half a mile south of Asphondilatus and that west arm goes along the western side of the ridge instead of past the white monastery. Poster @otto had pointed this out several pages ago and I missed following up on it. There would be no need for EAC to pass by the monastery when his goal is better served from the western route. At some point he would have crossed the main road and I think he then went on the trail mentioned in All Trails or another trails he found more directly to Xyphokeratidi and Katapola. The area that would then need to be searched is going to be fairly large but does seem to have a dirt road or two and some farms as well as more broken stone fences and drunken goat paths.

The google maps have several trails noted in this region. Basically one gets to the Chapel of Archangel Michael and heads west. One trail there is called Fona's Stream Hiking Trail and looks as though it's actually a dirt road that passes along a wooded area with a few houses or farms there. Maybe he went into the woods there and collapsed. Still a mystery why no trace has been found in more than a week.

Amorgos · Amorgos 840 08, Greece

âââââ · Island

www.google.com

 

[Snoopster]

What an interesting photo @Snoopster. The Steki tau manchera is the small cafe or such where Sophia sold him the soda and water. It is in the abandoned hamlet known as Asphondilatus on the maps, where there is also a small church, Agios Nicholaeus. I believe the goats are on the dirt road that leads up there from the main paved road below, the E171 on maps.

That sure looks like Nikouria Island.

The trail bifurcates about half a mile south of Asphondilatus and that west arm goes along the western side of the ridge instead of past the white monastery. Poster @otto had pointed this out several pages ago and I missed following up on it. There would be no need for him to pass by the monastery when his goal is better served from the western route. At some point he would have crossed the main road and I think he then went on the trail mentioned in All Trails or another trails he found more directly to Xyphokeratidi and Katapola. The area that would then need to be searched is going to be fairly large but does seem to have a dirt road or two and some farms as well as more broken stone fences and drunken goat paths.

The google maps have several trails noted in this region. Basically one gets to the Chapel of Archangel Michael and heads west. One trail there is called Fona's Stream Hiking Trail and looks as though it's actually a dirt road that passes along a wooded area with a few houses or farms there. Maybe he went into the woods there and collapsed. Still a mystery why no trace has been found in more than a week.

Amorgos · Amorgos 840 08, Greece

âââââ · Island

www.google.com

I had also been previously been checking out that trail between Chora and Katapola (marked on the trails as route #2) and talked about it in post #163. That info came from here: 2. Fotodotis

There's some beautiful scenery, including around Milies, which you would pass through before hitting Fonia's.
There are so many places he could be in this rough, beautiful landscape.

 

[Herat]

I had also been previously been checking out that trail between Chora and Katapola (marked on the trails as route #2) and talked about it in post #163. That info came from here: 2. Fotodotis

There's some beautiful scenery, including around Milies, which you would pass through before hitting Fonia's.
There are so many places he could be in this rough, beautiful landscape.

Yes, that seems very like the place. Quite lovely when it would be cool outside, lovely views. It doesn't seem to add much time at all from the more commonly used route from Chora to Katapola.

Confusing that is uses Xylokeratidi and Katapola as the same place. Maybe they are. Google map seems to put them about 1/2 mile apart, Xylokeratidi on the north end of the bay and Katapola on the south end of the bay.

 

[Snoopster]

I speculate he had fatal heatstroke on his hike.

However, he could have had unconventional "digs". This could have been stealth on a beach. In the old days, I had a "room" on Mykonos for $2 per night. IIRC I slept outside on a roof. So, yep, I don't think we should assume the hiker had any kind of standard lodging.

Ha ha! You slept on the roof?

I'm having difficulty presuming something similar with Albert. He's been in Amorgos many times and he's in his 50s. I presumed that he had made friends with a number of Amorgans (Amorgoians?) over the years and he stayed with them, (possibly actually inside?). Maybe he house-sat for his various friends when they were away and was scheduled to move between places that day.

I'm guessing he didn't pay regular fare and a regular tourist hotel.

ETA: Since he's been there so many times and there is a very small population, he must know a fair number of people there. Why haven't we heard about these many acquaintances out searching for him? Just curious. I feel like I'm digging into this poor man's life far too much. I just hope he is found soon! And I absolutely agree with the heatstroke theory. Unfortunately.

 

[Artis]

Here's a backpack with reservoir that holds three liters of water, plus a pocket for a bottle on the side:

https://www.rei.com/product/165346/gregory-juno-24-h2o-hydration-pack-womens

I would also carry one of those pen lasers and a wide beam flashlight. Neither would do you any good during the day but could alert someone to your location at night (the laser) and help you see (the flashlight).

 

[Aluev]

Greek police announces that the investigations still continue in full scale for the American tourist in Amorgos, with a team of 10 policemen, an expert rescuer and a rescue dog with its handler

Σε πλήρη εξέλιξη οι έρευνες για τον εντοπισμό του Αμερικανού τουρίστα στην Αμοργό με αστυνομικό σκύλο, ανακοίνωσε η ΕΛ.ΑΣ

 

[otto]

This might be what is happening to many of the missing hikers on the Greek Islands:

"Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness and happens when the body loses its ability to sweat.

The skin gets hot and red, and the pulse quickens as the person's body temperature climbs to 103 F (39 C) or higher. Headaches set in, along with nausea, confusion and even fainting.

Jon Femling, an emergency medicine physician and scientist at the University of New Mexico, said the body tries to compensate by pumping blood to the skin as a way to cool off. And the more a person breathes, the more they lose fluids, becoming increasingly dehydrated.

Important electrolytes like sodium and potassium also can be lost when sweating.

"So one of the first things that happens is, your muscles start to feel tired as your body starts to shunt away," he said. "And then you can start to have organ damage where your kidneys don't work, your spleen, your liver. If things get really bad, then you start to not be perfusing your brain the same way."

How extreme heat takes a toll on the mind and body, according to experts

The Southwestern U.S. is bracing for another week of blistering temperatures, with forecasters on Monday extending an excessive heat warning through the weekend for Arizona's most populated area, and alerting residents in parts of Nevada and New Mexico to stay indoors.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[RickshawFan]

I actually think it may be problematic to drink coke in that heat, with vigorous exercise. It's a lot of sugar to process, and the body is already working overtime to deal with the heat. IME it could give you bad stomach cramps and make you very sick.

To me, it's strange this hiker didn't just hang out at the place where he got the coke and water, until he could leave safely. It was so hot: he couldn't stay there and wait for a ride or something? I wonder if the innkeeper noticed whether he was having issues with not thinking things through efficiently?

 

[Herat]

I actually think it may be problematic to drink coke in that heat, with vigorous exercise. It's a lot of sugar to process, and the body is already working overtime to deal with the heat. IME it could give you bad stomach cramps and make you very sick.

To me, it's strange this hiker didn't just hang out at the place where he got the coke and water, until he could leave safely. It was so hot: he couldn't stay there and wait for a ride or something? I wonder if the innkeeper noticed whether he was having issues with not thinking things through efficiently?

There are no comments about Sophia noticing anything about his condition or his health. Clearly the police have been over and over her account of their interaction and especially the route discussions they had or he indicated on his phone. Perhaps he didn't really tell her where he was going, as he knew it all already and didn't want to hear her cautions.

It's easy to see how he could have sent the photo of the trailhead sign to his girlfriend at that point, sitting in the shade while sipping his drink. If he was drinking Coke at 9:30 am, he might not have had breakfast and coffee after all.

I would think that at 9:30 it was in the low 90's, not yet 100F and though warm, he felt he could handle it and didn't feel ill. After all, he was halfway there, the hottest part of the day was still about 4 hours away and he thought he had plenty of time to get to Katapola. I'll bet he didn't have hiking poles and may have treated this trip almost as a trail runner, having done it so many times - very light gear, small amounts of water, no additional clothing or emergency supplies, despite his brother's protest that he would never deviate from a trail or do anything dangerous.

Again, thinking that maybe he had a very bad fall maybe an hour or 90 minutes later and was unable to get to either of his phones and was unable to escape the rising heat because of injury. No one else was hiking because of the heat so no one was around to realize he was in trouble.

 

[RickshawFan]

Here's a backpack with reservoir that holds three liters of water, plus a pocket for a bottle on the side:

https://www.rei.com/product/165346/gregory-juno-24-h2o-hydration-pack-womens

I would also carry one of those pen lasers and a wide beam flashlight. Neither would do you any good during the day but could alert someone to your location at night (the laser) and help you see (the flashlight).

That still wouldn't be enough water for this trip, though. You'd need double that, plus electrolytes. And, with all that weight, the trip is not logistically possible IMO. The weight would be very problematic in that heat. Even carrying 3 liters can feel like a burden: it weighs 6 lbs approx without the container.

IMO a hiker in those conditions wouldn't be surviving until dark. I believe heatstroke death comes quickly.

That particular pack (Juno) has very high reviews. Very nice one IME.