Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #2

[jsoap]

I think the plan was to do the loop anti clockwise - Sauvegarde, through port, stay at refuge on 22nd, then continuing the next day round the loop.

Does anyone know how to get down from La Glere? Is there a route back to the road from there? Is the loop an upside-down U rather than a full circle?

Path marked in red on the map

 

[jsoap]

There appears to be a route from Benasque to Port de la Glère. It is described here.

ED could have planned to do the loop anti-clockwise, ending at Port de la Glère and making her way back to Benasque from there.

ETA: I've just noticed @jsoap's post mentioning that route had been blocked by snow on 16 Nov. Could it have reopened a week later?

Sorry, I edited the post - the route on the 16th was nowhere near here.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Path marked in red on the map

Right, as I thought. So an inverted U starting point near Sauvegarde and anti clockwise round to La Glere then back down to civilisation. You think?

 

[Skiptolou]

Right, as I thought. So an inverted U starting point near Sauvegarde and anti clockwise round to La Glere then back down to civilisation. You think?

Makes sense to me. How long would that loop take, do we think? It does not look to me like it can be done in a single day, so she would indeed have had to bivouac somewhere along this route. In subzero temperatures and with limited access to water. Is that do-able with a sleeping bag and a tent? It was reported early on that SAR were looking out for her tent, so I am presuming she did have it with her.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Makes sense to me. How long would that loop take, do we think? It does not look to me like it can be done in a single day, so she would indeed have had to bivouac somewhere along this route. In subzero temperatures and with limited access to water. Is that do-able with a sleeping bag and a tent? It was reported early on that SAR were looking out for her tent, so I am presuming she did have it with her.

It’s quite a few hours walking and would need overnight stops (especially with little detours to climb up here and there, do yoga, eat, take photos). I think the late summit on 22nd was because she intended to stay at the nearby Refuge de Venasque and start the trek again on the morning of 23rd.

I’d love to know where she planned to sleep on 23rd and 24th. Are there any other little refuges on the loop towards La Glere?

 

[jsoap]

@jsoap
Can you remember how long the loop from Port de la Glère to Port de Venasque (the longer, 'looped' way) took you when you walked that trail in 2014?

I did the two loop trails on separate days from the Hospice de France.
As @otto pointed out earlier, there is another path through the lakes marked on the Open street map, though not on the IGN maps. The Cabane du Cirque de la Glere is nearby.

 

[Tortoise]

I would have thought she would probably have planned to be back at the van on the Tuesday night rather than hiking on the Wednesday and then also driving back.

 

[jsoap]

It’s quite a few hours walking and would need overnight stops (especially with little detours to climb up here and there, do yoga, eat, take photos). I think the late summit on 22nd was because she intended to stay at the nearby Refuge de Venasque and start the trek again on the morning of 23rd.

I’d love to know where she planned to sleep on 23rd and 24th. Are there any other little refuges on the loop towards La Glere?

The longer loop from Refuge Venasque to the trailhead at Port de la Glere is 1000m ascent and 1500m descent - do-able in a day but it would be tough, and you will still be miles away from Benasque. The shorter route through the lakes is similar, and would probably take the same time due to poorer tracks.

 

[Skiptolou]

So ED might have planned to stay at the Cabane du Cirque de la Glère (blue hut icon) on the night of 23 Nov, after setting off from the Refuge de Venasque and following the anti-clockwise route on this picture.

Taken from this website.

At least that may have been the plan but she never made it to the Refuge de Venasque. I can't imagine she would have bypassed the Refuge to try and reach the Cabane on the 22nd.

 

[Grouse]

I have often though that she may have disappeared earlier .. e.g 21 st but for the Vigo sighting.
I would have thought we’d get a Facebook post on 21 st recounting her lift with Ballarin and grandson and hike. Does this indicate no phone signal on 21st evening ? After all, she ascended the Pic de S and did an Instagram post. Then very late start on 22nd ... seems like the possibility of an “interruption / disruption “ to her life after summiting on 21st. When was BBC article released publicising her travels?. What suddenly prompts doggy ads? Do they need to be done quickly on those days to ensure maximum sales resulting from BBC publicity?
Everything seems to change around 21 st.. the late summit on 22nd almost indicates a possible liaison with someone.

snipped for focus

You have echoed what I have thought could be significant for a while, and I think I may have posted on it upthread somewhere.

The gap between the postings on 21st (photos taken around midday judging by the shadows, and posted to IG from the summit at the time I suspect, based on the wording in the present tense "maybe I can see you" and the fact she was right next to a mast) and then the sighting by Vigo which is over 24 hours later. Nothing in between, this seems out of character, and inconsistent with her posting patterns. According to Dan signal was generally very good in the area, though missing in some areas.

 

[Tortoise]

snipped for focus

You have echoed what I have thought could be significant for a while, and I think I may have posted on it upthread somewhere.

The gap between the postings on 21st (photos taken around midday judging by the shadows, and posted to IG from the summit at the time I suspect, based on the wording in the present tense "maybe I can see you" and the fact she was right next to a mast) and then the sighting by Vigo which is over 24 hours later. Nothing in between, this seems out of character, and inconsistent with her posting patterns. According to Dan signal was generally very good in the area, though missing in some areas.

But if Esther knew she was going to be away from a charging point (perhaps) from Saturday thru Tuesday, she probably wouldn't have used her battery for that.

 

[mrjitty]

But if Esther knew she was going to be away from a charging point (perhaps) from Saturday thru Tuesday, she probably wouldn't have used her battery for that.

Right

This is the difficulty with inferring too many things when one or more base assumptions are wrong.

I feel like no clarity will come until the spring when other possibilities will be ruled out or in.

 

[Grouse]

She posted every day about her adventures from Nov 4 until Nov 20. But the Nov 21 and 22 are like marketing ads for their doggie books.
She just stops sharing information and pictures.

RSBM

She did post on Nov 21 on Instagram, but not on Facebook. But yes after that she seems to just stop.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Most of Esthers Instagram posts are duplicated over to Facebook. The final one on Saturday 21st was not.

Question for those of you who publish to both - is it automatic? Or each time you do an Insta post do you have to manually copy it over to FB? Trying to work out why that last post wasn’t included on FB, as would be the norm for Esther.

I do have Instagram (for stalky purposes lol!) but have never written a post on it so not sure how that bit works.

 

[Grouse]

But if Esther knew she was going to be away from a charging point (perhaps) from Saturday thru Tuesday, she probably wouldn't have used her battery for that.

Yes of course that's possible, I'm just looking at patterns and noticing something that stands out IMO. Throughout the entire trip she managed to post every day except Nov 20th (which she spent at the van according to DC). Seems it might be significant but of course it might not.

 

[mrjitty]

Makes sense to me. How long would that loop take, do we think? It does not look to me like it can be done in a single day, so she would indeed have had to bivouac somewhere along this route. In subzero temperatures and with limited access to water. Is that do-able with a sleeping bag and a tent? It was reported early on that SAR were looking out for her tent, so I am presuming she did have it with her.

Sub zero temps is not as scary as all that.

We routinely hold a spring party with camping guests and i have camped out in 2C with no particular special kit other than my 3 season sleeping bag - warm as toast. Matters a lot more whether you are wet etc

 

[CoverMeCagney]

RSBM

She did post on Nov 21 on Instagram, but not on Facebook. But yes after that she seems to just stop.

I don’t think it’s strange that she stopped, because we already know there was no signal in the valley/refuge so wouldn’t expect an update on 22nd. Seems Dan wasn’t expecting to hear from her overnight either, but he has said her signal should’ve picked up when she set off again Monday morning.

Sub zero temps is not as scary as all that.

We routinely hold a spring party with camping guests and i have camped out in 2C with no particular special kit other than my 3 season sleeping bag - warm as toast. Matters a lot more whether you are wet etc

My husband camps in winter too. Like you say, the biggest problem is getting wet. That, and his water bottle freezing overnight!

 

[Grouse]

I don’t think it’s strange that she stopped, because we already know there was no signal in the valley/refuge so wouldn’t expect an update on 22nd.
!

I was thinking also of the 21st, she seemed to be in the habit of posting in the evening on Facebook and she didn't that day, just on Instagram earlier in the day. No signal down at the refuge de Venasque he said but he said it was good in many places.

Just strikes me as a possible change in behaviour/routine, but with so many unknowns I'm not going to overthink this one.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I was thinking also of the 21st, she seemed to be in the habit of posting in the evening on Facebook and she didn't that day, just on Instagram earlier in the day. No signal down at the refuge de Venasque he said but he said it was good in many places.

Just strikes me as a possible change in behaviour/routine, but with so many unknowns I'm not going to overthink this one.

Do we know what time the Insta post was on 21st? I don’t know where to find that out.

 

[Grouse]

Do we know what time the Insta post was on 21st? I don’t know where to find that out.

No it's just a theory I have based on what I said in post #830.