CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #6

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It’s hard to understand why they would go on this hike in this heat, but inexperience (I don’t think they were THAT experienced) and overconfidence can factor in to the decision to go. It could be nothing more than it was comfy in the 70’s when they started, thinking “we’ll just turn around if we get hot…” not realizing HOW HOT it would actually be and that turning around doesn’t matter when you have to hike up up up to get back no matter what you do.
I’m a runner and the saying is that if you’re comfortable when you start your run, you’re going to be too hot by the end. I have a hard time remembering that b/c I hate to be cold. I tend to overdress and start out too late when it’s too warm.
 
It was noted that a recovered cell phone is in the ‘hands of the FBI and they are making great progress with it which should yield clues to understand more’ (paraphrasing).

The second act of the presser was billed as a ‘final investigative detail’. Is that really all we will ever know? How can an investigation be final when clues are still being unlocked?
 
wary said:
Hydration Basics

MOO

I’d think that this fell into the ‘strenuous hiking in high heat’ category, so 2 to 3 per person might be more appropriate, plus enough for the dog. Or more—maybe ‘very strenuous and very high heat, considering that they were hiking uphill carrying a baby.

Note that for all the other hikers in the area, the hike fell into the ‘don’t do it at all category, as shown by the fact that for two days, no one hiked the trail to find their bodies.

MOO
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You have to be acclimatized to extreme heat (your body adapts to sweat more). Here's a pdf from the CDC about that. I don't know if there was a safe amount of water for that family in those conditions. What they needed to do was stay at the river, keep cool thru immersion and evaporation, and hydrated with the river water, and wait until the temperature dropped to a safe level. MOO
 
Apologies if already addressed, but can heat stroke happen even with unlimited amounts of water? Even if you remain still? I’m in Northern New England, can’t even deal with our hottest humid days, and can’t imagine the climate in warmer parts of the world. I’m so sad for their families.
 
Kingsley said:
Very, very sad.

I am wondering though, what would be an adequate amount of water for such a hike? It's been said that this was quite inadequate. Does anyone know? I'm guessing this would be 2-3 hours? I'm not sure that I would've brought more than a liter a person. Thanks in advance to anyone more knowledgeable.
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Taking adequate water wouldn't have prevented the overheating, especially on the arduous uphill climb to return to the car. It's the exertion-caused internal overheating in an environment of temps over 100 that did them in. Drinking water doesn't cool you down, it just hydrates you. Unless you take ice water in a thermos, or something. That wouldn't be realistically doable.
 
Sounds like a combination of the heat, and dehydration, set in which can be deadly.

Does anyone remember what their food supply was like?

IIRC there was no shade on the trail they were, which does not help.

I think even if the entire family plus the dog drank a substantial amount of water before leaving their house for this 7 plus mile hike would not help.

Utterly tragic for the entire family.
 
sfinkz said:
It was noted that a recovered cell phone is in the ‘hands of the FBI and they are making great progress with it which should yield clues to understand more’ (paraphrasing).

The second act of the presser was billed as a ‘final investigative detail’. Is that really all we will ever know? How can an investigation be final when clues are still being unlocked?
Click to expand...

Here's what you said yesterday:
sfinkz said:
But what about the search warrants of the phone for photos, gps tracking, failed messages, or an inventory of gear and any minutiae of detail that could help us understand the possible triggers and cascading of debilitating events we’ve all discussed leading to this tragedy? Maybe it will be none of our business.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
"On Saturday night, August 14th, Jonathan used an app on his phone to plot out the route of travel for the Hites Cove hike. We know while using the app, he only entered “way points” or point to point mapping, although this does not calculate the exact trail mileage or elevation changes." -Sheriff Briese
That lays to rest any questions about the route- JG planned the loop, he followed his plan to the bitter end.
 
KlaraBell said:
Apologies if already addressed, but can heat stroke happen even with unlimited amounts of water? Even if you remain still? I’m in Northern New England, can’t even deal with our hottest humid days, and can’t imagine the climate in warmer parts of the world. I’m so sad for their families.
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Yes. Thousands of people have died sitting in their city apartments without AC during heat waves.
The way to survive in that situation is to sit it out in a cool bath or shower.
 
So, as many of us guessed. Anyone who hikes on the west coast understood that the conditions were likely fatal that day. Frankly, it was hard to see how they could've carried enough water to avoid heat stroke. A place like that is really only hike-able from later October through mid-June - hiking season to me.

Due to this case, and our discussions, I have invested in a thermometer that attaches to my backpack. I've tested it and on one day it was 79 degrees in the shade and about 90 in the sun. Not on the ground, but in the air, attached to my backpack.

I also bought those emergency ice packs one of you wonderful posters talked about, so if my dog or I ever get too hot, I have that.

I'm still bringing my umbrella on the hot days (but never that hot) and chasing my dog to keep her under it as we hike! Poor lamb, she doesn't realize that I'm holding the shade and she keeps stopping when the shade of the umbrella hits her, thinking it won't move with her!

This was a terrible end for this sweet family. I'm so sorry for all of them and their loved ones.
 
MrsEmmaPeel said:
Sheriff Briese said something like -- the terrain and altitude you see (in the video) is nothing like what may be found on an app or map. ( Sorry for poor transcription.) I think his point is a powerful one. Many of us have discussed that here. I found the helicopter footage almost shocking.

Also a question was asked if maybe the GC's being new to the area may have affected the outcome, and the Sheriff said yes.
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But they weren't new to the area, from information available earlier. They'd had a house in the area for at least a couple of years, which they used as a vacation home while they were living in SF. They used it as a hiking base in the area. More recently they became "new" permanent residents to the area, but they were not unfamiliar with the general area and its terrain. That's what makes this so mystifying. They'd hiked there in previous summers. And according to their friends, many times that same summer.
 
Rocky Mountain Hi said:
Taking adequate water wouldn't have prevented the overheating, especially on the arduous uphill climb to return to the car. It's the exertion-caused internal overheating in an environment of temps over 100 that did them in. Drinking water doesn't cool you down, it just hydrates you. Unless you take ice water in a thermos, or something. That wouldn't be realistically doable.
Click to expand...

Yes, you’re right, imo. Your core temperature has to be cooled.
 
IceIce9 said:
I feel like the family was dressed and prepared for a much shorter hike that day. Did they take a wrong turn and hike farther than planned? Or were they feeling overconfident and decided to hike longer?
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The problem is 3 liters of water in those conditions wouldn't have been enough even for an hour's walk.
I'm almost crying at the errors here... No water, no hats, no sleeves, no dog bowl...
 
Lex Parsimoniae said:
"On Saturday night, August 14th, Jonathan used an app on his phone to plot out the route of travel for the Hites Cove hike. We know while using the app, he only entered “way points” or point to point mapping, although this does not calculate the exact trail mileage or elevation changes." -Sheriff Briese
That lays to rest any questions about the route- JG planned the loop, he followed his plan to the bitter end.
Click to expand...

I missed parts of the news conference. I’m stunned by this.
 
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