Found Deceased AZ - Harald ”Joe“ Smallwood, 83, hiker, Madera Canyon, Santa Cruz County, 5 Feb 2019

[cybervampira]

Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office

The search for Harald "Joe" Smallwood in Madera Canyon continues! Santa Cruz, Pima, and Cochise County Sheriff's Offices, Southern Arizona Search & Rescue, and U. S. Border Patrol are undergoing the search!



Search continues for missing elderly hiker in Madera Canyon

 

[doodles1211]

Oh boy! He has been missing too long. It isn't warm at night. I don't think it is exactly safe to go hiking out there all alone and not just because of his age!

 

[Tripod]

What a shame he's not been found. The article says the search transitioned to recovery, but not sure what day Prayers for Harald.

 

[cybervampira]

Search for missing hiker in Madera Canyon suspended

The search for the miking hiker in Madera Canyon has been suspended, according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

 

[Tripod]

Search for missing hiker in Madera Canyon suspended

That's so sad

 

[zecats]

What a shame he's not been found. The article says the search transitioned to recovery, but not sure what day Prayers for Harald.

I know. He called for help because he was lost. He's experienced in hiking in this area. I know from visiting this canyon with my aunt, who lives near there, the hiking trails are fairly steep ascending from the parking area. To get to many of them, you have to drive up mountain to this parking area. I guess there may be other ways to access the trails, but any mention of his car being found? Does he drive or was he dropped off? Sad they can't find him, based on his phone location.
Another missing person "doing what they loved" and then disappearing.

 

[GraceG]

What a shame he's not been found. The article says the search transitioned to recovery, but not sure what day Prayers for Harald.

The search has been called off. So sorry for this man's family. At one point they had 120 people searching for him. Sheriff's Office says search for missing hiker called off

 

[moonriverfarm]

He called for help?
How horrible he wasn't found.

 

[zecats]

He called for help?
How horrible he wasn't found.

Search continues for missing elderly hiker in Madera Canyon


TUCSON, AZ (KOLD News 13) - It's been nearly a week since 83-year old Joe Smallwood went missing while hiking in Madera Canyon.

He called 911 Tuesday afternoon to say he was lost and needed help.

 

[doodles1211]

I know. He called for help because he was lost. He's experienced in hiking in this area. I know from visiting this canyon with my aunt, who lives near there, the hiking trails are fairly steep ascending from the parking area. To get to many of them, you have to drive up mountain to this parking area. I guess there may be other ways to access the trails, but any mention of his car being found? Does he drive or was he dropped off? Sad they can't find him, based on his phone location.
Another missing person "doing what they loved" and then disappearing.

Here is where he was hiking. It is very close to the border. Being by the border alone is dangerous. The drug runners are in these mountains and along the corridor, as well.
Not to mention all of the wildlife out there and the falling risks. So, many things could have happened to poor Mr. Smallwood.
Google Maps

 

[zecats]

Here is where he was hiking. It is very close to the border. Being by the border alone is dangerous. The drug runners are in these mountains and along the corridor, as well.
Not to mention all of the wildlife out there and the falling risks. So, many things could have happened to poor Mr. Smallwood.
Google Maps
View attachment 168881

Yes I figured that was a possibility. And my aunt lives in Green Valley and has taken me up Madera Canyon (in a car and just to the parking lot for the view) a couple of times. I read that he has hiked here many times before though. It's a shame if someone would hurt a harmless old man. IMO

 

[doodles1211]

Yes I figured that was a possibility. And my aunt lives in Green Valley and has taken me up Madera Canyon (in a car and just to the parking lot for the view) a couple of times. I read that he has hiked here many times before though. It's a shame if someone would hurt a harmless old man. IMO

Some people are ruthless! I don't like driving out of the city. I am sure it is because I am not from here, so the stories are more engraved in my mind. Not to mention the fact that I am leery of just about everyone anyway. I know people that have absolutely no problem going to Rocky Point all the time and there is no way I would. So, my feelings on being alone out there may only be legit to me!

 

[zecats]

Some people are ruthless! I don't like driving out of the city. I am sure it is because I am not from here, so the stories are more engraved in my mind. Not to mention the fact that I am leery of just about everyone anyway. I know people that have absolutely no problem going to Rocky Point all the time and there is no way I would. So, my feelings on being alone out there may only be legit to me!

Hey no way. I walk around NYC and have used the subway all times of day and late evening without concern. But I don’t hike alone. I would never hike there by myself for sure. I do always try to trust my gut and err on the side of caution.

 

[zencompass]

When I hike in forests, my mind is still being cleared and filled with the beauty around me, regardless whether a friend or family member is ahead of me or behind me.

I've just always gone with someone else on a hike. That's just been my experience.

With hiking, there are obstacles and dangers that can be encountered - not to mention tripping over a log or getting my foot stuck in a hole, falling and spraining my ankle.

 

[GraceG]

His 911 call was released. He didn't know what trail he started hiking on or the trail he was on and seemed to have difficulty answering the questions the dispatcher was trying to ask him. It seemed like they had a good idea of his GPS location (from his phone I guess?) and told him multiple times to stay put, but he wasn't really listening to what they were staying (or just not understanding). They think he wandered off because they had a search party going to his last known GPS location within a little more than an hour.

911 call from missing hiker is released

I have an elderly father - though physically quite active into his 90's (playing 18 holes of golf weekly without a cart until he was 85) he had some issues with dementia so I made sure he never traveled alone. Prayers that Mr. Smallwood is brought home to his family.

 

[Sincerely]

Oh goodness. It hurts to read about Mr. Smallwood. Holding out hope they find him. Sending prayers to his family.

 

[Big Ears]

A hiker located items possibly belonging to Mt. Smallwood. The hiker, SAR & Sheriff are headed up this morning to the site. Items belonging to missing hiker discovered in Santa Ritas

 

[Cagle]

The remains of an 82-year-old man who went hiking in the rugged terrain in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson have been recovered, according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada.

Sheriff: Remains of Tri-State hiker missing since February recovered in Tucson

 

[zecats]

5 months and 5 days later. Such a shame. Seems he did what he normally loved doing in a familiar area. In this case he had his phone and still wasn't able to be rescued. There is the relief of having been recovered at last.
RIP Joe.

 

[Steelslady]

I am glad he was found. At least his family will have some closure.

Rest in peace, Harald. If there is one small consolation, it's that you passed away doing something that you loved.