Found Deceased CA - Ann Herford, 66, Hiking on Arnold Rim Trail, Calaveras County, 15 Nov 2023 *Active Search*

[RickshawFan]

(RSBM above)
This photo gives me pause as she looks as though she’s lost significant weight vs the photo wearing bright pink.

I wonder whether she may have hiked significantly further than initially thought. Since she’s a traveling nurse, her friends and family may not have been aware of any uptick in fitness activities. Or, given the helpful trail descriptions above, she got into more difficult terrain than she had anticipated.

Simply some speculation and MOO. All good karma for those searching through a hectic holiday season. Perhaps there’s some small comfort in that she seemed to love her hikes/walks.

I hope she’s found soon.

IMO she is different weights in different photos. To me, it looks like more a steady increase. It happens when you get older, unfortunately, and then there was the COVID-20, and there are medical conditions.

From the scenario, I'm guessing this "missing" is in the silver alert category, and not so much in the "lost hiker" category, even if the intent was a "little hike". Do we even know if she had a daypack or even a phone? It reminds me of the woman who went missing a few months ago up near Bellingham WA.

 

[slowpoke]

Does this mean LE have her cell phone, or not necessarily (in order to do a forensic examination)?

If she went hiking there (presumably for the first time?), I’d think she would have wanted to take photos. Unless she had a stand alone camera. Still, I would think she would have carried her phone with her for safety reasons. Surprises me if she left her phone behind.

“Investigators have conducted a forensic examination of Herford’s vehicle, cell phone and computer. Security footage from both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties has been collected and analyzed, and a thorough examination of digital data originating from her cell phone and vehicle usage was conducted and utilized for searcher deployment. Poortinga said the data gathered will continue to be utilized by investigators, allowing them to focus their search efforts.

"(We're) looking at the data that we've collected to line up all the clues and do our best to find her," he said.”

Huron Daily News

 

[acutename]

Does this mean LE have her cell phone, or not necessarily (in order to do a forensic examination)?

If she went hiking there (presumably for the first time?), I’d think she would have wanted to take photos. Unless she had a stand alone camera. Still, I would think she would have carried her phone with her for safety reasons. Surprises me if she left her phone behind.

“Investigators have conducted a forensic examination of Herford’s vehicle, cell phone and computer. Security footage from both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties has been collected and analyzed, and a thorough examination of digital data originating from her cell phone and vehicle usage was conducted and utilized for searcher deployment. Poortinga said the data gathered will continue to be utilized by investigators, allowing them to focus their search efforts.

"(We're) looking at the data that we've collected to line up all the clues and do our best to find her," he said.”

Huron Daily News

maybe just her phone activity?.... I wondered if she tripped or ran out of time to do the whole 10 miles- early darkness in November. cell service can be really spotty in mountains IMO. Does anyone local know about service there? Still the trail, in the Youtube that some one posted above looks fairly flat on the foot bed except for the rocky part over looking the falls. Curious if she had been on this trail before since the couple's friend was quoted as saying she liked hiking in CA.
(see from Seni, #34 above:
https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/missing-nurse-california-18509585.php

When Ann Herford's husband Don passed away in January 2021, she had been working in California in her role as a traveling nurse practioner. She returned home to Elkton to be with her husband, their friend Joe Fibranz said.

Though she has spent much of her time caring for patients in places around Michigan like Traverse City and Lansing, California is probably her favorite place to visit, Joe added, with its ample hiking and sightseeing opportunities. She also worked for a time on a Native American reservation in the southwest.)

 

[acutename]

Search efforts underway for Michigan woman who went missing while hiking in California

Search efforts are still underway for a traveling nurse from Michigan who was last seen hiking in California.

www.clickondetroit.com

“Her family told police that Herford enjoyed hiking but did not have wilderness survival skills and never planned on walking more than a couple miles at a time.”

===

Hopefully, that can help narrow down the search, knowing that she generally doesn’t do long hikes.

wonder what shoes she had....slippery rocks

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Very sad news.

404 Not Found | myMotherLode.com

Arnold, CA — The body of missing woman Ann Marie Herford was located earlier today by the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and its Search and Rescue Team.

********
The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office reports that she was found at around 9 am today in a wooded area outside of the Arnold Rim Trail north of the San Antonio Creek and south of Forest Road 5N56. She was on a 35 degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage.

The area is to the north of where her vehicle was parked. Because of the difficult terrain, a CHP helicopter responded to extricate the body.

 

[slowpoke]

Very sad news.

404 Not Found | myMotherLode.com

Arnold, CA — The body of missing woman Ann Marie Herford was located earlier today by the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and its Search and Rescue Team.

********
The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office reports that she was found at around 9 am today in a wooded area outside of the Arnold Rim Trail north of the San Antonio Creek and south of Forest Road 5N56. She was on a 35 degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage.

The area is to the north of where her vehicle was parked. Because of the difficult terrain, a CHP helicopter responded to extricate the body.

I am at least glad they found her.

So, I guess she must have fell? Is that the implication when they say “She was on a 35 degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage” and needed to be removed via helicopter?

 

[charminglane]

@slowpoke
I was making a 45 degree angle with my fingers and then narrowed it to imagine the slope.
Yes, it surely sounds like a fall.
Poor Ann.

 

[tarabull]

Dayum it!!!! Another lone hiker/non-hiker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ETA: Sorry...RIP Ann!!!! I sure do wish your story had a different ending!!!!

 

[WiseOwl]

Such sad news to wake up to this morning.

RIP Ann.

 

[SophieRose]

http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=87381

She was found on a 35-degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage. This area is north of where her vehicle was originally parked on November 12th and not within the RIM trail system.

Look at all the agencies involved in the search.

The agencies and resources involved in this critical search included:
• Air National Guard
• Amador County Sheriff’s SAR
• Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU)
• California Office of Emergency Services (Overhead and Air Resources)
• Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue
• Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office
• Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Unit
• California Highway Patrol
• California Office of Emergency Services SAR
• Contra Costa County Sheriff’s SAR
• Ebbetts Pass Moose Lodge 1123
• Forensic resources coordinated by the California Office of Emergency Services
• Hazel Fischer Elementary School
• Marin County Sheriff’s SAR (Including Unmanned Aerial Systems - UAS)
• Merced County Sheriff’s SAR
• Nevada County Sheriff’s SAR
• Placer County Sheriff’s SAR
• San Mateo County Sheriff’s SAR
• Santa Clara County Sheriff’s SAR
• Tuolumne County Sheriff’s SAR
• United States Army Aircraft
• Yolo County Sheriff’s SAR
• Calaveras County District Attorney Investigators

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Calaveras County Search Ends for Missing Traveling Nurse Practitioner Ann Herford as Body is Recovered

Calaveras County Search Ends for Missing Traveling Nurse Practitioner Ann Herford as Body is Recovered

goldrushcam.com

 

[iusedtofloat]

Poor Ann. I hope she went quickly.

 

[RickshawFan]

I am at least glad they found her.

So, I guess she must have fell? Is that the implication when they say “She was on a 35 degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage” and needed to be removed via helicopter?

I would guess it wasn't a fall while walking on the trail, since SAR says outside of the trail. I would imagine she got lost or went wandering and went down a wash. This is a common thing to do when you get lost in the woods. See the case of Sue Clements in the Smokies.

IMO we don't have crucial info in this case.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Traveling nurse from Michigan last seen near hiking trail in California found dead

A traveling nurse from Michigan who was last seen near a hiking trail in California was found dead after a search that lasted more than two weeks.

www.clickondetroit.com

 

[annpats]

I would guess it wasn't a fall while walking on the trail, since SAR says outside of the trail. I would imagine she got lost or went wandering and went down a wash. This is a common thing to do when you get lost in the woods. See the case of Sue Clements in the Smokies.

IMO we don't have crucial info in this case.

Do you think she may have gone off trail, got lost and fell down the slope during night time? Unless the slope was well hidden under foliage?

 

[katydid23]

I wish she had hiked with a friend. It's better for inexperienced hikers to have another person along, especially someone in their late 60's. We are not as nimble in body and mind and when alone, there is no one else to go for help if needed.

R.I.P. Sweet Ann. I hope you are in the arms of your loved ones eternally.

 

[RickshawFan]

Do you think she may have gone off trail, got lost and fell down the slope during night time? Unless the slope was well hidden under foliage?

Read the Sue Clements case, and it will likely give some answers. Cause was hypothermia. Common adult lost person behavior is to head down a wash (drainage), often with disastrous consequences. However, I speculate there's more backstory in the current case that we don't know about.

Mystery Of How Ohio Woman Got Lost In Great Smoky Mountains National Park May Never Be Solved

How an Ohio woman lost her way in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ended up dying on a steep, heavily vegetated drainage might never been fully known, a park spokeswoman said Wednesday evening.

www.nationalparkstraveler.org

 

[SophieRose]

Very sad news.

404 Not Found | myMotherLode.com

Arnold, CA — The body of missing woman Ann Marie Herford was located earlier today by the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and its Search and Rescue Team.

********
The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office reports that she was found at around 9 am today in a wooded area outside of the Arnold Rim Trail north of the San Antonio Creek and south of Forest Road 5N56. She was on a 35 degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage.

The area is to the north of where her vehicle was parked. Because of the difficult terrain, a CHP helicopter responded to extricate the body.

You can find it on this map, somewhere between
FR 5N56 and San Antonio Creek.

https://static-maps.alltrails.com/production/at-map/119599194/v1-trail-us-california-arnold-rim-trail-at-map-119599194-1654489046-1200w630h-en-US-i-1-style_3-0-1-v3.png

 

[RickshawFan]

Full map is here. Depending where AH left the trail, she may have crossed a road. She also may have crossed a different trail. She could very well have taken the wrong trail at a fork. Many possibilities.

The squiggly blue lines are all streams. They are in ravines or washes. Many lost hiker fatalities are found in ravines.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/arnold-rim-trail?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map