Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian missing in Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018

[RickshawFan]

He probably didn't want to risk losing his ID just before he left the country, which would be a major headache. Whether he left them with her or in the car depends on how he'd perceive the risk of break-in at the trailhead. I've done the same when hiking or travelling, I don't carry my wallet, I'm paranoid I'll lose it.

I kept my expired driver's license so I can keep it in my pack 24/7. But I'd have the current ID on me at all times if I was in a foreign country, was a driver, and had any risk of having it stolen.

 

[Satchie]

It might be more of a middle age, Canadian thing to go around w/o ID on your person, particularly if you are not driving a vehicle. If I were to hike with a group of people from these parts, chances are that less than 10% would have ID and a cell phone on them.

Good point, as a middle-aged Canadian it's never occurred to me that I need to carry my ID with me at all times. I've never been stopped and asked for it. I walk out of the house to go for a walk, to the beach, or short drive away without my wallet, unless I expect I'm going to need to use a credit card, library card, etc. Then I usually bring my whole wallet because I really dislike removing a piece of ID from my wallet, that way it all stays together. If I'm going far away, that's different, it won't be easy for me or someone else to go home and get my wallet.

 

[bluesneakers]

It might be more of a middle age, Canadian thing to go around w/o ID on your person, particularly if you are not driving a vehicle. If I were to hike with a group of people from these parts, chances are that less than 10% would have ID and a cell phone on them.

My husband is a middle-aged Canadian who spent years living in the USA and never went anywhere without his driver's license and PR card.

 

[Satchie]

My husband is a middle-aged Canadian who spent years living in the USA and never went anywhere without his driver's license and PR card.

Yes of course, there will be individuals who have different attitudes. My point was that going out on the trail without his id doesn't seem shocking to me, or evidence that he was suicidal.

 

[bluesneakers]

Yes of course, there will be individuals who have different attitudes. My point was that going out on the trail without his id doesn't seem shocking to me, or evidence that he was suicidal.

IMO there's something weird and not quite right about it, but yes, of course individuals vary.

 

[MaryG12]

A rather unusual question:

Did Paul wear a survival watch at the time he disappeared?

https://www.skilledsurvival.com/survival-watch/

 

[FlossyMay]

Since he was in such a hurry, maybe he left his ID on accident?

 

[Rotten apple]

I feel like he left his ID with his wife because he didn't want to risk losing it on the trail. To me this indicates that he was planning to meet back with her after the hike. MOO.

 

[jash]

Here's an interview with Paul's wife and son (from this evening's newscast).

Paul Miller's wife, son want search to continue

 

[carbuff]

I feel like he left his ID with his wife because he didn't want to risk losing it on the trail. To me this indicates that he was planning to meet back with her after the hike. MOO.

Inclined to agree. Mr. Carbuff often leaves his ID and phone in the car, figuring he's more likely to lose it on the trail than he is to have it stolen, and it drives me freakin' crazy!

 

[rosesfromangels]

I feel like he left his ID with his wife because he didn't want to risk losing it on the trail. To me this indicates that he was planning to meet back with her after the hike. MOO.

O.K., taking the Debbie Downer viewpoint, perhaps he didn't want to be easily ID'ed.

 

[PaulR]

O.K., taking the Debbie Downer viewpoint, perhaps he didn't want to be easily ID'ed.

He could have left his ID in the car, then.

 

[tarabull]

Maybe Paul was mad when he left for JT, as a result he made some bad choices & it cost him his life???

**Speculation**

 

[ElementalLaura]

Would a DSLR automatically have uploaded photos to the Cloud? That would give a time/date/location stamp if he’d gone within range of any kind of open network?

From reading up on it, it seems that it could upload to the cloud if you set up the software to do so (and, obviously, it’s WiFi capable). But it sounds like the package software deals that include cloud storage would have some level of protection / authentication, so whether his wife would be notified of an upload ... that I do not know.

That said, if they recover the camera at some point, any photos might help fill in the blanks.

 

[Elainera]

Maybe Paul was mad when he left for JT, as a result he made some bad choices & it cost him his life???

**Speculation**

I was just thinking the same!

 

[Tim Callahan]

Further speculation — even if he wasn’t overtly depressed or suicidal, is it possible he was on such a high from his whirlwind hiking tour of 4 National Parks (and physically tired as well), that he made a somewhat spontaneous decision to “become one with the wilderness” rather than return to his workaday world? There have been a handful of cases where this has appeared to be the motivation of the individual.

 

[SpanishMossAntiques]

The trail he was hiking is rough even on a cool winter day. It has quite an incline, and no where to get out of the sun. That day he went hiking it was 100 degrees out... If he didn't have enough water he'd be in trouble very quickly (especially since he is not acclimatized for that weather).

 

[Sjm_qc]

Catching up here, and I’ve only skim-read from my last post so apologies if I’ve missed something.

I wonder whether anyone has contacted - or if it’s worth contacting - Tom Mahood (involved in finding the Death Valley German hikers amongst other baffling SAR cases)? I don’t think he’s personally active (SAR) anymore, but he might have useful thoughts/suggestions?

OtherHand.org by Tom Mahood

 

[Sjm_qc]

My husband is a middle-aged Canadian who spent years living in the USA and never went anywhere without his driver's license and PR card.

That’s a different situation from a Canadian tourist nipping out quickly for one last walk/hike before catching a plane home, JMO.

He may well have had his DL with him & left it in the car, or simply forgot it/other ID when leaving the motel.

Yes of course, there will be individuals who have different attitudes. My point was that going out on the trail without his id doesn't seem shocking to me, or evidence that he was suicidal.

Agreed. It’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve started to remember (sometimes) to take my cell phone with me when I go out for a walk/hike. And I only (try to remember to) do so now after spraining my ankle on a trail not very far from home & being relieved to be “rescued” by other walkers who thankfully came down the trail.

 

[eucalyptuz]

I’m feeling that this could turn out like the American tourist Susan McLean in Scotland. She had an active thread on here after disappearing on walk in Aberfeldy...she was found 3 months later in a concealed location with evidence of self harm (pills/alcohol).

I just don’t think this particular trail is challenging enough to cause problems (2.5 hours, well marked, no dense undergrowth or very tricky terrain) ....
I hope the family have some answers soon.