WA WA - Samantha Sayers, 28, Vesper Peak, North Cascades, 1 August 2018

[GraceG]

I thought about that, too. The local MSM said he was being interviewed by authorities and was cooperating. But the fact that he said after lunch, she left the peak and went down the south side, toward the lake, away from her car was strange. That's not the route back to her car. That's the complete opposite direction.

Her Mom said she'd made this hike many times. So why would she begin to descend, mid-afternoon, in the opposite direction of where her car was located. She would not have been able to do a south trek, reclimb to the peak, and then descend to her car in the hours of light left. Yet, there's info on MSM that her boyfriend found a bootprint going down that way. And if the person she met was making her uncomfortable she would have left on the more popular trail back to her car, NOT away from people and safety. It makes no sense.

 

[sasha17]

New article from Huffington Post. No new information but it's a good summary: Massive Search Underway For Missing Seattle Hiker | HuffPost

 

[thesaint]

Her Mom said she'd made this hike many times. So why would she begin to descend, mid-afternoon, in the opposite direction of where her car was located. She would not have been able to do a south trek, reclimb to the peak, and then descend to her car in the hours of light left.

Agreed. 8 miles (4 miles up a mountain, with rock-climbing/scrambling...it takes a while) and 4200 feet of elevation gain ( and back ) is a full day's hike. Makes sense that she'd summit mid-afternoon...and then lunch and turn around and climb/scramble back down the mountain before sunset. No way she'd go all the way down the other side and have to re-climb and descend again...wouldn't even be possible in the daylight left.

Going down these sort of "off-trail" hikes can be more dangerous than going up.

It's somehow more natural-feeling to ascend and have gravity pulling against you as you climb then to have gravity grabbing you and pulling you down/forward as you descend. Closest I've come to falling hiking mountains was the first times I had to descend and figured it'd be easy-peasy. You have to move somewhat slow and deliberate or you'll take a tumble. And, if you hike alone, you'll end up at the bottom of a ravine or crevice or under the vegetation and no one knows where you are.

Some mountain trails will have alternative paths where you can descend a bit the opposite way you came and then walk back to your original trail around the edge of mountain. Those tend to be the most difficult/dangerous trails--but the most rewarding, in terms of views and vistas.

 

[MFH]

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/search-continues-for-hiker-27-missing-at-vesper-peak/

 

[Mamamerced]

I thought about that, too. The local MSM said he was being interviewed by authorities and was cooperating. But the fact that he said after lunch, she left the peak and went down the south side, toward the lake, away from her car was strange. That's not the route back to her car. That's the complete opposite direction.

The lunchmate barely merited one sentence, yet if they ate lunch together and he was the last to see her surely he'd have more information. I find it suspicious his interactions with her are being downplayed.

 

[i'm someone]

Anybody else uneasy about the male hiker who had lunch with her on the trail?

Sort of, but after watching so many hiking videos, the die hard hiking crowd is pretty much like that always. They all still hitchhike(!), they sleep in tents out in the middle of nowhere, and they are oblivious to the day to day crime in general society. Since this was just a day hike, I do feel it is worrisome, but I am sure they've checked the guy out. If any of the other hikers in the community vouched for him, you can believe it.

 

[Michellesv44]

The bootprint was not hers.

 

[Elainera]

The bootprint was not hers.

Hi Michelle how do you know?

 

[kgreg2529]

Hi Michelle how do you know?

Hello! I’m new here. I’m actually a friend/acquaintance of Sams boyfriends sister. Her aunt posted yesterday that it wasn’t her boot print.

 

[Gardenista]

Hello! I’m new here. I’m actually a friend/acquaintance of Sams boyfriends sister. Her aunt posted yesterday that it wasn’t her boot print.

Do you guys suspect the guy she had lunch with?

 

[Elainera]

Hello! I’m new here. I’m actually a friend/acquaintance of Sams boyfriends sister. Her aunt posted yesterday that it wasn’t her boot print.

How disappointing

You must be all so worried. I pray you'll find her soon.

 

[Michellesv44]

Hi Michelle how do you know?

As kgreg said above, it was posted on Facebook by a relative

 

[Purplepixii]

This tweet from the sheriff's department has photos from a helicopter of the terrain that they're searching, showing how it's rugged and very rocky.

Snohomish Sheriff on Twitter

Those images are gorgeous - I can see the attraction to hiking/climbing in that area. Unspoilt, natural vistas.

So sorry Sam hasn’t been found yet, I’m still hoping for a happy ending.

 

[Lilibet]

I think this link was posted earlier, but I think the comments of recent hikers are interesting, especially about how easy it is to get lost. One guy encountered some lost hikers and mentioned the helicopters and rescue teams looking for Sam.

Vesper Peak Trail

 

[GraceG]

Do you guys suspect the guy she had lunch with?

In my opinion, he had no reason to incriminate himself by saying he saw her since no one else was up there to witness their exchange. I'm guessing they were simply two hikers sitting down for a sandwich and chatting.

 

[kgreg2529]

How disappointing

You must be all so worried. I pray you'll find her soon.

It’s so sad! I don’t know her personally, but the optimism the family is showing is amazing.
10 days now.

 

[thesaint]

I think this link was posted earlier, but I think the comments of recent hikers are interesting, especially about how easy it is to get lost. One guy encountered some lost hikers and mentioned the helicopters and rescue teams looking for Sam.
Vesper Peak Trail

Yes, thanks for the link. Reading the reviews of the hikers who "lost the trail"--all of em indicated it was on the way up. Even tho Samantha hiked it before, vegetation growth/stream levels/falling tree/etc can slightly alter these trails from time to time. But apparently she ascended and summit'd just fine. Hard to see her getting off trail on the way down the same trail she climbed up a few hours before.

She must've gone off to maybe explore a different, side trail after lunch. I dunno.

Vesper's a beautiful place she shared with her loved ones. Sad that she's missing there now.

There's plenty of water sources (snow at higher elevations, streams down below). As long as she had some treatment tablets or something to clean up the stream water, she could still be knocking around out there somewhere. I hope/pray to St Bernard.

 

[Nancy Schubert]

Her Mom said she'd made this hike many times. So why would she begin to descend, mid-afternoon, in the opposite direction of where her car was located. She would not have been able to do a south trek, reclimb to the peak, and then descend to her car in the hours of light left. Yet, there's info on MSM that her boyfriend found a bootprint going down that way. And if the person she met was making her uncomfortable she would have left on the more popular trail back to her car, NOT away from people and safety. It makes no sense.

OMG Grace! I've been thinking this from the beginning! And why did it take him 4 days (Sunday) to come forward and say he had lunch with her? Also, he said "later saw her from a distance making her way down the west side of the mountain towards Spada Lake" OK, so where was he when he saw her, was it possible to see her from where he said he was?
Did he throw a "Blue Heron" to the opposite side of where she is? Or did they walk back to their vehicles and he abducted her? I truly hate thinking like this because, that guy whether he had anything to do with her disappearance or not; will forever be known as "That Guy". So, so heart-wrenching!

 

[sasha17]

New article, but unfortunately no new information: Police Continue Searching for Experienced Hiker Who Went Missing Over a Week Ago in Washington

 

[PaulR]

And why did it take him 4 days (Sunday) to come forward and say he had lunch with her?

The Heavy.com indicates that he had just seen the article mentioning she was missing when he reported it.

This is beautiful country. Thankfully our SAR teams are top-notch. If she's there, they will find her.