Found Deceased CA - Rachel Nguyen, 20, & Joseph Orbeso, 21, Joshua Tree Nat'l Park, 27 July 2017 #1

[Suglo]

This many days in and several dozen searchers, they had to have covered every possible place they could be within that valley and the road. Maybe twice. They must be somewhere they haven't checked yet, or thought of checking. Yet I think of Eric Sears, who was only 2 1/2 miles from the campground where he disappeared, 6 days later. This search is on a much grander scale though.

I wonder if perhaps they did make it back to the car and then decided to go elsewhere. Why did Orbeso's phone ping the tower yet no call or text was placed?

I can't help but think of the Death Valley German tourists who weren't found for over 13 years. No one thought they would have been able to travel as many miles as they did. How wide of a radius have SAR searched so far?

 

[Force Ten]

I can't help but think of the Death Valley German tourists who weren't found for over 13 years. No one thought they would have been able to travel as many miles as they did. How wide of a radius have SAR searched so far?

Yes they did travel far. I remember reading something about that they weren't able to fly in, only to a certain point and then would have to hike several miles in. I'm sure that's also a big reason it took so long to find them.

There's no official radius, just the map that's posted on the Tortoise Telegraph. I imagine it is that ten times over of the same location.

 

[Elainera]

I can't help but think of the Death Valley German tourists who weren't found for over 13 years. No one thought they would have been able to travel as many miles as they did. How wide of a radius have SAR searched so far?

I did not know their story and have spent the past hour or so reading it here:

https://medium.com/@this.and.that/t...valley-germans-companion-reading-79a7836d7c55

Well written, with maps, very interesting. They had the wrong vehicle for the terrain. Sad story.

 

[Suglo]

I did not know their story and have spent the past hour or so reading it here:

https://medium.com/@this.and.that/t...valley-germans-companion-reading-79a7836d7c55

Well written, with maps, very interesting. They had the wrong vehicle for the terrain. Sad story.

This is a long but truly fascinating read by the person who found them. He also writes about searching for Bill Ewasco who disappeared in Joshua Tree back in 2010 and still hasn't been found even after 80+ unofficial searches.

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

 

[Suglo]

I did not know their story and have spent the past hour or so reading it here:

https://medium.com/@this.and.that/t...valley-germans-companion-reading-79a7836d7c55

Well written, with maps, very interesting. They had the wrong vehicle for the terrain. Sad story.

I couldn't edit my responding post for some reason but wanted to say thank you for posting this one. I had never seen it and it's a companion to the one I mentioned. I can't wait to read it this morning.

 

[Force Ten]

This is a long but truly fascinating read by the person who found them. He also writes about searching for Bill Ewasco who disappeared in Joshua Tree back in 2010 and still hasn't been found even after 80+ unofficial searches.

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

I remember reading this and how long it was but very detailed. As far as Bill Ewasko that's quite a story as well. He is/was relentless in finding him. 77 trips he's made out there looking for him. Nothing found except a red bandana that may or may not have been his. Mahood seems to have stopped as of 2015. I wonder if he is involved in the current search.

Here's one of the maps detailing his and other searchers for Ewasko. Curiously, this area is not far away from the Maze Trail.

http://www.otherhand.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Ewasko-Summary.jpg

***It seems Tom Mahood has been in Australia as late as July this year.

 

[Suglo]

I remember reading this and how long it was but very detailed. As far as Bill Ewasko that's quite a story as well. He is/was relentless in finding him. 77 trips he's made out there looking for him. Nothing found except a red bandana that may or may not have been his. Mahood seems to have stopped as of 2015. I wonder if he is involved in the current search.

Here's one of the maps detailing his and other searchers for Ewasko. Curiously, this area is not far away from the Maze Trail.

http://www.otherhand.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Ewasko-Summary.jpg

I noticed that it was not far from the Maze Trail also. I go to Mahood's blog occasionally to see if he has updated or said anything about this current search. There are other members of his former team at Riverside SAR that still go out looking for Bill. Some of them have their own blogs but not as detailed as his.

 

[GigTu]

I don't remember where I read it now, but I recall reading that there are super deep holes that people can get stuck in. Where are those types of holes within the park?

 

[La Louve]

I was just watching Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell on BBC America, the Desert episode. The three stories he retraced included a guy named Ed (didn't catch his last name) who survived five [correction: six] days lost in Joshua Tree. The other two survival stories were in Morocco and Australia. Two of the three, including Ed, originally got lost by climbing to the top of a rock feature/small peak and then came down on the wrong side and hiked many miles in the wrong direction before realizing they were lost.

ETA Ed's story is on another episode as well! His name is Ed Rosenthal. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/01/local/la-me-hiker-20101001

 

[Force Ten]

I don't remember where I read it now, but I recall reading that there are super deep holes that people can get stuck in. Where are those types of holes within the park?

First I've heard of that.


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[Force Ten]

I don't remember where I read it now, but I recall reading that there are super deep holes that people can get stuck in. Where are those types of holes within the park?

But then there is this.

http://m.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/San-Jose-hiker-found-alive-59-year-old-man-2620096.php


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[Force Ten]

Search continues.....

http://www.kesq.com/news/family-continue-search-for-missing-hikers-in-joshua-tree/606765624


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[Force Ten]

Video.

http://www.kesq.com/news/family-continue-search-for-missing-hikers-in-joshua-tree/606765624


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[Elainera]

This is a long but truly fascinating read by the person who found them. He also writes about searching for Bill Ewasco who disappeared in Joshua Tree back in 2010 and still hasn't been found even after 80+ unofficial searches.

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

This was the first link I came across when googling their story yesterday but the link would not open for me. Apparently ip addresses from India are blocked from accessing it. I would have loved to read his account.

I couldn't edit my responding post for some reason but wanted to say thank you for posting this one. I had never seen it and it's a companion to the one I mentioned. I can't wait to read it this morning.

Yes a companion piece, a very good read. I posted it in their thread as well.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ia-Meyer-amp-2-kids-Death-Valley-26-July-1996

 

[Suglo]

This was the first link I came across when googling their story yesterday but the link would not open for me. Apparently ip addresses from India are blocked from accessing it. I would have loved to read his account.



Yes a companion piece, a very good read. I posted it in their thread as well.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ia-Meyer-amp-2-kids-Death-Valley-26-July-1996

Shoot that's too bad. The companion reading was quite interesting and captured the essence of his blog though.

 

[Force Ten]

I've confirmed they have searched the long canyon leading from where the tracks were found to Indian Cove. Also several washes leading to Panorama Heights (this would include areas outside the park), around Lost Horse Mine, Quail Mountain area, Wonderland of Rocks, Willow Hole, and yesterday Smith Water Canyon.

To reach some of these areas the couple would have needed to cross the main road. I would think they would take to walk that road in either direction, but who knows. Heat and disorientation can ply many tricks I suppose. Back out next weekend (the family). Hope they find them.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

This many days in and several dozen searchers, they had to have covered every possible place they could be within that valley and the road. Maybe twice. They must be somewhere they haven't checked yet, or thought of checking. Yet I think of Eric Sears, who was only 2 1/2 miles from the campground where he disappeared, 6 days later. This search is on a much grander scale though.

I wonder if perhaps they did make it back to the car and then decided to go elsewhere. Why did Orbeso's phone ping the tower yet no call or text was placed?

The phone pinged the tower because it is an automatic function of the phone - communicating with the nearest tower so calls/texts can be routed. Phones ping towers even if calls/texts are not being made.

 

[Force Ten]

The phone pinged the tower because it is an automatic function of the phone - communicating with the nearest tower so calls/texts can be routed. Phones ping towers even if calls/texts are not being made.

I would tend to agree with you. However I've read conflicting reports that state numerous ways a phone only pings, from it being used for apps, to incoming calls/texts and as of late, that a phone will only ping a nearby tower on outgoing calls/texts. I have looked at this for a long time for other cases and it's hard to get a definitive answer as to all the activities that will ping a tower. I'm not saying I'm right but I can't ascertain for what actually pings a tower and what doesn't.

 

[Suglo]

I've confirmed they have searched the long canyon leading from where the tracks were found to Indian Cove. Also several washes leading to Panorama Heights (this would include areas outside the park), around Lost Horse Mine, Quail Mountain area, Wonderland of Rocks, Willow Hole, and yesterday Smith Water Canyon.

To reach some of these areas the couple would have needed to cross the main road. I would think they would take to walk that road in either direction, but who knows. Heat and disorientation can ply many tricks I suppose. Back out next weekend (the family). Hope they find them.

I spent half the afternoon looking at photos taken on most of these trails you cited. Most of those are not easy trails. Link:

http://www.stavislost.com/hikes/region/joshua-tree-mojave-desert

 

[Elainera]

(Force 10, thank you for your pm. I tried thanking you privately but your Inbox is full!)