ACTIVE SEARCH JAPAN - Patricia "Pattie" Wu-Murad, 60, US Citizen, on hiking trip Kumano Kodo Trail, didn't arr next stop Osaka, 10 Apr 2023

[acutename]

We believe our best chance of finding Pattie is with the use of Search and Rescue scent tracking dogs. The previous searches did not utilize any dogs and unfortunately no clues or leads were found. If anyone knows of police units with K-9 units, locals with bloodhounds, or any other ideas on how to get dogs quickly please let us know. The scent trail is now 8 days old and diminishing so time running down.

Murphy Murad, daughter of Patricia and creator of Patricia's

Search continues for Connecticut woman reported missing in Japan

A Connecticut woman has gone missing in Japan.

www.wfsb.com

I think the time lost between her disappearance being reported to a small, local police station and her family being notified she was missing is the big hurdle.

Plus there is a language barrier between the family now in Japan and LE.

It's such a different culture than here & I do not think the family will have success taking an "American" approach. JMO but they have to figure out what is likely to be most accepted by local LE & local communities.

Eleven miles of trail in mountainous terrain to search. See pics here:

Retired Connecticut woman vanishes during hiking trip in Japan

Patricia 'Pattie' Wu-Murad, of Storrs, Connecticut was last seen April 10 while on a solo expedition through the mountainous region of Japan

www.dailymail.co.uk

JMO

does she or her family speak Japanese?

 

[Cryptic]

I think that shows seriousness from the Japanese authorities, however the trail looks like it is mainly forested, so I'm not sure what could actually be seen from a helicopter with all that foliage cover.... but all credit for trying.

FLIRs (Forward Looking Infrared Radar) used to be esoteric military only equipment with costs to match.

But... like anything technology, alot has changed in 20 years. Now, the devices are far smaller, very sensitive and standard on police helicopters- and maybe even some news helicopters.

FLIRs can see through alot of foilage.

 

[realanastasia]

I would like to know if the hostel had any lone males who checked out on the same day.

Also, are there any other hostels near that one she stayed at? Or are there only hostels in certain areas, every so many miles?

Family update on the G-F-M mentioned an Australian hiker who checked out after Pattie on the same day, but he did not see her on the trail.

 

[WingsOverTX]

does she or her family speak Japanese?

I don't think so. She is from Taiwan. Language has been a barrier for the family who are in Japan in talking with LE.
MOO

 

[acutename]

Family update on the G-F-M mentioned an Australian hiker who checked out after Pattie on the same day, but he did not see her on the trail.

weird that he did not see her and it does not look like a trail you would need to get off of for any particular reason. I hate these lost hiker cases.

Did she wear glasses or contacts? Wondering if she had any trouble with the signage... The last picture posted on the Facebook looks as if she had a bigger pack than a small day pack- like 35 to 40L, so enough for extra water, food. Is there cell service all along the trail? I get nervous when people do not have paper maps because they think they can use a map on their phone but then the phone runs out of charge or there is no service....

 

[Cryptic]

does she or her family speak Japanese?

I don't think so. She is from Taiwan. Language has been a barrier for the family who are in Japan in talking with LE.
MOO

She is from Taiwan. Her husband is Caucasian.

Taiwan was a Japanese imperial possession prior to 1945. Following the end of Japanese Imperial rule, Japan and Taiwan have remained close due to pressure from China.

I would not be surprised if Japanese language lessons either in school or private are fairly common in Taiwan. In the end, she may speak Japanese, but her family does not.

 

[acutename]

Kumano Kodo Tips & Safety｜Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau

Helpful Tips & Hints for Walking the Kumano Kodo Detours and Closures Trails and roads along the Kumano Kodo are occasionally closed due to landslides or weather-related difficulties. Check here for detour and closure information provided by local officials. NOTE: Sudden inclement weather occurs...

www.tb-kumano.jp

According to this page, it lists the Japanese Pit Viper, Giant Centipede, and the Asian Giant Hornet under “creatures to be wary of”.

The Kohechi route that she took, I believe, is considered the most challenging one, remote, and much less travelled so that one would encounter far fewer fellow hikers (based on various readings I’ve done, no personal experience). JMO

"● English is not widely spoken, so miscommunications can happen onsite."

It also suggests renting a portable router at the airport if you need WiFi.
And it does tell you to learn some Japanese.

 

[Snoopster]

Some key points from the family updates on :

Pattie was using her husband's google maps and he gave the CIA permission to access the information.
A family member provided DNA as well as a shoe (for dog scent purposes).
A friend confirmed with the family that Pattie had mentioned in a message to them that she lost her orange fleece top. (I hope she had another warm layer for under her jacket.)
In the first 3 days of the search police and fire personnel were involved. A helicopter was used on the first day and a drone was used on a very small area on the 3rd day.
Totsukawa police reopened the search on April 18 due to pressure and the search that day included a SAR dog.
There was a camera at the post office that LE checked but they didn't see Pattie.
There was an Australian man who left the guesthouse after Pattie (as mentioned further up the thread) but he didn't see her on the trail. LE has his name if further follow up is needed.

 

[Cedars]

weird that he did not see her and it does not look like a trail you would need to get off of for any particular reason. I hate these lost hiker cases.

When you're hiking an hour or two behind someone, you typically stay an hour or two behind them, the whole way. Unless the hiker is very slow, or stops on the trail for a long time, you don't catch up or pass them.

I think for sure she left the trail.

JMO

 

[Snoopster]

I've been struggling to figure out where her 2 guesthouses were. I think I've figured it out. (I was thrown off due to the mention of the Mendokoro guesthouse being in Higashiomi, but Higashiomi is a couple of hundred km north of the area where she was hiking.)

So here is where I believe her start and expected finish spots were. Let me know if you think this incorrect.
Minshuku Mandokoro guesthouse to Taiyo-no-Yu guesthouse in Totsukawa

They are about 11 miles apart as the crow flies but a lot further by vehicle and by walking route. According to google the walking route would take almost 9 hours. Of course google wouldn't necessarily have all of the local trails on there so there might be a shorter route.

 

[Snoopster]

When you're hiking an hour or two behind someone, you typically stay an hour or two behind them, the whole way. Unless the hiker is very slow, or stops on the trail for a long time, you don't catch up or pass them.

I think for sure she left the trail.

JMO

Or possibly slipped/fell off a steep part.
Here is an image I found of part of the specific route that Pattie was on. I presume that the searchers checked below these kind of particularly risky areas.

<modsnip: No link to image source>

 

[Snoopster]

Here is a map, from the official source for the Kumano Kodo trails, for the section of the Kohechi trail where Pattie went missing:

http://www2.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/pdf/Kumano-Kodo-Kohechi-Route-Maps-Miura-toge-Pass.pdf

<modsnip: Removed random podcast>

This area of Japan looks spectacular. But there doesn't look like a lot of places to go off trail because it is pretty mountainous. The trail goes along the river and over mountain passes. And there don't seem to be any villages between Miura Guchi (described as having only 10 residents in the above video!) and Totsukawa.

ETA: actually I'm not sure about my commenet about 'no villages' along the route. In looking at the map above it looks like there is a trail that eventually hooks up with the main road and then the trail follows the road. There are a couple of bus stops along that section. Did Pattie cross paths with an unsavory individual along the road section?

 

[WingsOverTX]

Here is a map, from the official source for the Kumano Kodo trails, for the section of the Kohechi trail where Pattie went missing:

http://www2.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/pdf/Kumano-Kodo-Kohechi-Route-Maps-Miura-toge-Pass.pdf

<modsnip: Removed random podcast>

This area of Japan looks spectacular. But there doesn't look like a lot of places to go off trail because it is pretty mountainous. The trail goes along the river and over mountain passes. And there don't seem to be any villages between Miura Guchi (described as having only 10 residents in the above video!) and Totsukawa.

ETA: actually I'm not sure about my commenet about 'no villages' along the route. In looking at the map above it looks like there is a trail that eventually hooks up with the main road and then the trail follows the road. There are a couple of bus stops along that section. Did Pattie cross paths with an unsavory individual along the road section?

Great info! How did you determine exactly what section PM was on?

 

[annpats]

I am thinking that they would have searched with 'FLIRs'- sensitive infra red sensors.

Can they penetrate dense tree foliage?

 

[annpats]

When you're hiking an hour or two behind someone, you typically stay an hour or two behind them, the whole way. Unless the hiker is very slow, or stops on the trail for a long time, you don't catch up or pass them.

I think for sure she left the trail.

JMO

A tall, fit Western man (Australian in this case) will have a bigger stride and quicker pace than a small Asian woman.

So it is possible he could have caught her up, had she been on the trail ahead of him.

 

[Snoopster]

Great info! How did you determine exactly what section PM was on?

The family update on G-F-M said the Totsukawa police are the ones working on the case. Totsukawa is along the Kohechi trail of Kumano Kodo. (It is both a region and a town.) The Daily Mail article said that she was due to arrive at Taiyo-no-yu guesthouse. I found a guesthouse of that name in the town of Totsukawa. The leg to the northwest of the town of Totsukawa on the Kohechi trail is described as being 7-9 hours hike (the same length as the family described). It ends at a small hamlet where there is a guesthouse called Mandokoro. (There is a bus stop there where people pick up the trail to go over the Miura Guchi pass. So that is the place reference on the map I linked to.) The last place Pattie was seen was leaving Mandokoro guesthouse as the host directed her to the Miura Guchi (I presume) trail head.

 

[evilwise]

Here is a map, from the official source for the Kumano Kodo trails, for the section of the Kohechi trail where Pattie went missing:

http://www2.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/pdf/Kumano-Kodo-Kohechi-Route-Maps-Miura-toge-Pass.pdf

<modsnip: Removed random podcast>

This area of Japan looks spectacular. But there doesn't look like a lot of places to go off trail because it is pretty mountainous. The trail goes along the river and over mountain passes. And there don't seem to be any villages between Miura Guchi (described as having only 10 residents in the above video!) and Totsukawa.

ETA: actually I'm not sure about my commenet about 'no villages' along the route. In looking at the map above it looks like there is a trail that eventually hooks up with the main road and then the trail follows the road. There are a couple of bus stops along that section. Did Pattie cross paths with an unsavory individual along the road section?

There sure were a lot of bridges to fall off of!

 

[neesaki]

Here is a map, from the official source for the Kumano Kodo trails, for the section of the Kohechi trail where Pattie went missing:

http://www2.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/pdf/Kumano-Kodo-Kohechi-Route-Maps-Miura-toge-Pass.pdf

<modsnip: Removed random podcast>

This area of Japan looks spectacular. But there doesn't look like a lot of places to go off trail because it is pretty mountainous. The trail goes along the river and over mountain passes. And there don't seem to be any villages between Miura Guchi (described as having only 10 residents in the above video!) and Totsukawa.

ETA: actually I'm not sure about my commenet about 'no villages' along the route. In looking at the map above it looks like there is a trail that eventually hooks up with the main road and then the trail follows the road. There are a couple of bus stops along that section. Did Pattie cross paths with an unsavory individual along the road section?

There are a lot of steep drop offs, high elevations and yes, bridges! And uneven terrain (tripping hazards), as in what appears to be huge tree roots and / or rock.
I would personally not do this trail alone, especially at my age! (I’m just a few years older than Patty.)
Just curious…. woman in the video talks as though she’s alone, so who is filming her?

 

[neesaki]

Interview with Pattie’s husband. They have multiple groups searching, two dogs and three helicopters. They also have a private group searching, Mountain Works.

 

[ZaZara]

Interview with Pattie’s husband. They have multiple groups searching, two dogs and three helicopters. They also have a private group searching, Mountain Works.

we are looking at an incident rather than an accident

Not sure if these are the exact words, but that is what struck me in the video.