Found Deceased AZ - Diana Zacarias, 22, Grand Canyon, 2 April 2016

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If she met with foul play, I think it was outside of the Grand Canyon. But, I'm also worried she could have had an accident in the Canyon. Sigh...

I'm angry there isn't more publicity. Where are you, Diana?
 
As the others have mentioned, thanks for your inside knowledge about the park. I am thinking, could you post some information, or open some threads regarding Diana on any hiking or out door forums that you are a member of. Some oft he more dedicated hikers who have since returned home might have noticed her alone, or maybe hiking with a new "friend" or "friends" (espescially if she ventured into the Canyon proper where there are fewer hikers and people stand out more). Diana did not have true hiking gear and is clean cut. Thus, she should stand out if she joined either a small group of dedicated hikers (and was befriended by somebody in the group, or if she was approached by "Desert rats" (term used to describe often drugged out squatters, drifters, and recluses in southren Califronia deserts. I don't know if the Grand Canyon has a lot of these types, but some of the deserts in socal sure did. Some were dangerous, most were just drugged, or plain weird.)

In my experience, which isn't in depth, you just don't run into sketchy characters within national parks. We just spent three days in Yosemite Valley. Even with free admission this week, it was a very normal crowd, and very international. Our experience has been similar at Zion and Bryce and the Grand Canyon over the years. But small towns outside park boundaries, or national forest and BLM land are a different matter. Definitely havens for creepy people. I've been through and stayed in Flagstaff several times and I even get an uncomfortable feeling there for some reason, so it concerns me that Diana ran into someone harmful there or in that area.

Other areas she may have gone with new friends could be Sedona, Page or the Navajo Reservation. But I doubt she's off on an adventure, no matter where she went, sadly.
 
I actually think Grand Canyon National Park is extremely well run and for the most part does not have a lot of "unscrupulous" characters. Since the park wishes to portray a clean and family oriented image, it strives hard to keep on top of any illegal activity. Anyone who has visited the park realizes how much of the visitor base is non-American. I have had hiking days where a good 30% of the people I run across are foreign language speakers! The park is very high profile, probably more so when compared to some of the more remote national parks in the country. If there is illegal activity going on, it really is in a more remote location, not accessed by park transportation.
Thanks again for the good insights. I am glad to hear of the park's good reputation. I am looking forward to taking my family there for the first time this summer. Please look for a pm. If you have time, I hope you can give me some tips about some activities around the canyon and maybe the Havasupai (sp) reservation. I will really appreciate any advise you can give.
In my experience, which isn't in depth, you just don't run into sketchy characters within national parks. We just spent three days in Yosemite Valley. Even with free admission this week, it was a very normal crowd, and very international. Our experience has been similar at Zion and Bryce and the Grand Canyon over the years. But small towns outside park boundaries, or national forest and BLM land are a different matter. Definitely havens for creepy people. I've been through and stayed in Flagstaff several times and I even get an uncomfortable feeling there for some reason, so it concerns me that Diana ran into someone harmful there or in that area.

Other areas she may have gone with new friends could be Sedona, Page or the Navajo Reservation. But I doubt she's off on an adventure, no matter where she went, sadly.
Good insights. You can learn so much on this forum. I just assumed that the Grand Canyon had the potential to be like some of the BLM land and National / State forests in socal- which can be magnets for a variety creepy types ranging from the simply eccentric to the drugged, to the truly dangerous. My guess is that the difference between the Parks and Forests lies in the value of the former to international tourism that Canyon Hiker pointed out. I have visited foreign countries that go through a lot of trouble to ensure that international tourist attractions are as safe as possible. I guess we are no different.

As for Flagstaff, lets say that she made it back there after some light hiking along some popular rim overlook sites. I wonder if the shuttles from the Canyon use the same bus stop as the Grey Hound station? Though Grey Hound tries to keep the stations safe, the areas immediately outside are usually rough, and there can be a mixed group of passengers on the buses.
 
Thanks again for the good insights. I am glad to hear of the park's good reputation. I am looking forward to taking my family there for the first time this summer. Please look for a pm. If you have time, I hope you can give me some tips about some activities around the canyon and maybe the Havasupai (sp) reservation. I will really appreciate any advise you can give.

Sure thing, when you have a plan to visit, fire away with any questions and I'll see if I can help. I have not been to the Havasupai area, but I do have a friend who has been there and she may be able to help with answers. Best advice I can give in general is try to plan your trip during the off-peak season if possible. Right now is a great time as you avoid the dreaded summer crowds in July and August, so the shuttle bus is a stress free situation and not jam packed with waiting lines at many of the stops. And it's easier to get service in many of the park restaurants and gift shops. After the summer rush is also good, and early to middle October is great at the other end of the calendar. Other interesting areas to visit outside of the Canyon are places like Sedona and Meteor Crater which is east of Flagstaff on I-40. If you have kids, they might enjoy Bearizona which is a wild animal park in the town of Williams, 50 miles south of the canyon.
 
I love Sedona and the Grand Canyon and all the areas around there. We typically go once a year. It is treacherous hiking. I hope we was prepared if she did venture into the canyon.
 
http://www.univision.com/noticias/d...us-disappearance-of-diana-at-the-grand-canyon this article has more information, but it just raises more questions :/

seems someone contacted them from her phone the day before or after (not sure) she disappeared, implying that she wasnt coming home...

Oh this does not sound good. I doubt that Diana sent the text saying "I'm not going" when her mother asked if she was on her way to the airport in Flagstaff on Saturday. It sounds totally out of character. Something happened to her before Saturday afternoon when she should have been heading for the airport. But what? Who? Her poor distraught parents. :(

http://www.univision.com/noticias/d...us-disappearance-of-diana-at-the-grand-canyon
 
This latest Univision article is very troubling. Is it possible that someone told her they could get her a last-minute permit to visit the Havasupai Indian Reservation? See last few paragraphs to see what I am referring to. You need a permit to go there, it takes months the to get a permit, and it sounds like she didn't have one. I wonder if she talked to some stranger about wanting to go visit.

http://www.univision.com/noticias/desapariciones/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-diana-at-the-grand-canyon
 
This latest Univision article is very troubling. Is it possible that someone told her they could get her a last-minute permit to visit the Havasupai Indian Reservation? See last few paragraphs to see what I am referring to. You need a permit to go there, it takes months the to get a permit, and it sounds like she didn't have one. I wonder if she talked to some stranger about wanting to go visit.

http://www.univision.com/noticias/d...us-disappearance-of-diana-at-the-grand-canyon

So the information she gave her parents was in actuality different than what was in her written itinerary. And the Havasuapi tribe area is 150 miles away. What a mystery. Maybe she just decided she wanted to disappear.

Come to think of it, I've thought about disappearing several times throughout my lifetime. Though I never did, at least not yet, I have to admit it's sounding good at the moment. For this girl I hope that's all it is, I hope she is safe.

" My wife was checking her notes and found a written itinerary in which she had planned to do a hike in the Bright Angel Trail on the second day of her trip and visit the Havasupai tribe," says the father who has not lost the hope to find her daughter alive.
Yes, what a mystery.

The Bright Angel trail is located at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, descending about 4,380 feet down to the Colorado River. It is about 8 miles long only one way.

On the other hand, Supai, the town of the Havasupai tribe, is located in Havasu Canyon in the Havasupai Indian Reservation known for its beautiful turquoise waterfalls. The Hualapai Hilltop, the entry point of this reservation, is about 150 miles from the Grand Canyon Village.
 
The Univision article above says rangers will search again this Friday if the weather clears. Fingers crossed for good weather. I feel so badly for her family, they are so desperate for her to be found.
 
I am trying to understand the timeline. What was the first day of her hike (as in, the exact date)? Because her father is saying that the written itinerary showed that Diana was planning to hike the Blue Angel trail on the second day of her hike. Was that April 2? April 3?

How long was she gone? If she was supposed to hike Blue Angel on the "second day of her hike," and we agree that the second day of the hike was April 3, then that was also the same day she was supposed to fly home. I am basing this on the info from her mom, when Diana told her mom that she (Diana) was going to hike the Grand Canyon, and her mom reminded her that she had to catch her flight home later that day and to not miss her plane.

So Diana went to Arizona (and Grand Canyon) to hike for two days? Where did she stay each night?

And why do her parents say that the written itinerary does not match up with what Diana verbally told them? Maybe that last part is not a big deal. Diana wanted to hike some places but when she got out to the area, she decided to hike elsewhere.

ETA: This article below does not include the info about Diana's text to her parents "I'm not going." In this article, the parents say that the last text from Diana to her mom was just like what Diana "would normally do."

http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/new...-natchitoches-woman-diana-zacarias-speaks-out
 
Personally, I think something happened in Flagstaff. Just a gut feeling because I've never felt comfortable the half dozen times or so that I've visited. Hard to explain. JMO
 
Personally, I think something happened in Flagstaff. Just a gut feeling because I've never felt comfortable the half dozen times or so that I've visited. Hard to explain. JMO

My daughter went to school in Flagstaff. She said there was a huge homeless population there and that is about all I know about it.
 
Still no news on the disappearance of Diana Zacarias who has been missing now for over 2 months. Her parents have made several trips from Louisiana to the Grand Canyon area to do their own searching, but with no success. A Go Fund Me page has been started.

The link to that page will not post correctly but for anyone who is interested: Go Fun Me dot com/25z2wh54
 

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