Found Deceased NC - Mitzi Sue "Susan" Clements, 53, hiker, Great Smoky Mountains NP, 25 Sept 2018

[Stunned]

I can only imagine. The last couple of months I’ve been reading about the National Parks and the missing with the frequent and current cases discussed here on WS. I am bewildered why Susan hasn’t been discovered as of yet. It seems odd (to me) that her family hasn’t spoken out and become vocal. The only referenced MSM account of any response from the family is that “She’s a good mother.” I am glad they are speaking in present tense. Though; usually the first and earliest statements from a missing person’s family indicate priorities issued to the public in interest of pleading for help and providing any details to lead to a successful search and outcome.

Exactly! Where is the family, friends etc.? This whole thing seems very off! What exactly was their relationship?

 

[Razz]

Is there camera footage at the park entrance?

 

[azure]

Has Mitzi’s daughter done any interviews? Not trying to sleuth family members, just wondering if there’s a more complete version of the story out there.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Has Mitzi’s daughter done any interviews? Not trying to sleuth family members, just wondering if there’s a more complete version of the story out there.

Not that I can find and I’ve searched. Just the one that I quoted earlier in the thread about ‘good mother’ Its very odd to me. I can’t help but admit I’m feeling a certain kind of way about this accounting of events we’ve heard from reporting agencies.

 

[CocoChanel]

......
We have also taught our little one to stop and “hug a tree” if he gets lost. It’s a National Association for Search and Rescue program. Hug-a-Tree - NASAR
.......

What a great program! Thank you for sharing this. I had never heard of it, and it makes such perfect sense. I love that it has already helped many youngsters be found. Sounds like something adults could use as well!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Search still on for missing Ohio woman who went missing in Smoky Mountains

 

[BlkMtnGirl]

Not that I can find and I’ve searched. Just the one that I quoted earlier in the thread about ‘good mother’ Its very odd to me. I can’t help but admit I’m feeling a certain kind of way about this accounting of events we’ve heard from reporting agencies.

Another FB rumor: family is referring all questions to the Park Service.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ohio woman goes missing while hiking in Great Smoky Mountain National Park

As of Sunday afternoon, searchers have not discovered any clues or hints to her whereabouts. She said about 125 people from some 30 different agencies are searching areas including the tops and sides of several mountains.

 

[Cryptic]

Another missing person was just found in another National Park I meant to post in. I am surprised how many hikers become missing.

I think the number is due to the increase in popularity and ease of hiking. In earlier generations, hiking was more of a "cult" activity done by a few enthusiasts who tended to have been directly taught by another hiking enthusiast.

In those days, gear was expensive and hard to find (rare speciality stores with very specialized prices) and even getting maps of trails involved not clicking on the internet, but actually making a trip to the park. Up to date information about trails was usually obtained by word of mouth. Likewise, for those who wanted to hike, but not camp, hotels with somewhat clean bathrooms close to the park were fewer in number.

Today, gear, maps, trail chat forums etc. are easy to obtain. So are more and better hotels in many locations. The good news is that this has generated more exploring in the great out doors. The bad news is that it places more casual hikers in potentially dangerous areas.

 

[iulia]

Search intensifies for missing hiker in GSMNP

SEVIER COUNTY (WATE) - The search for a missing woman in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park intensifies over the weekend.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Monday’s forecast calls for clearer skies and drier air, a welcome change for search personnel.

By closing the seven-mile Clingmans Dome Road on Thursday night, the park was able to transform the Clingmans Dome parking area into a field “incident command post” from which to manage the complex search. Infrastructure such as tents and self-contained mobile command busses serve as portable offices for search personnel and provide a place for searchers to escape the elements, refuel, and receive instructions before heading back out to continue the search for Clements.
Search for missing woman in Smokies continues, Park mobilizes additional resources

Look at the faces of the searchers. You can tell how serious they are about their mission.

 

[MFH]

This is so weird to me. Where could she be? I can’t imagnine many situations that would cause her to leave the trail, even if she was on the wrong one. If she were attacked by a bear, I wouldn’t think it would carry her body far away or anything. I haven’t hiked that specific trail before, I wonder if it has lots of trails made by animals or other hikers that veer off from the real trail that she could have taken. It sounds like they were supposedly really close to the end of their hike when she disappeared. Strange.

 

[LietKynes]

Mainly marking my spot....

Just a few concerns :
Security cam footage of the pair ?

Did SAR dogs pick up a scent, any scent ?

One news account said the daughter was ahead of Mitzie and waited... and her mom didn't show up ?

While another account stated she (daughter) felt ill and went to the car and waited for Mitzie to finish the hike--- and the mom didn't come back ? (possible rumor-- so take it with a grain of salt...)

Any witnesses who saw the pair ?

Who saw Mitzie last... outside of family ? I believe I've read that she has a job ;and I'd assume there are coworkers and friends.

I think these are standard types of questions in a missing person's case.

The National park accounts by David Pauliides make me nervous --- although most vanish while in remote areas and are often alone.

 

[Cryptic]

Look at the faces of the searchers. You can tell how serious they are about their mission.

From the looks of the terrain and road net work, I can understand their determined looks. The terrain is very mountaneous and paved roads to the south seem to be three miles away. To the west, they seem closer to between five and six. There is a closer road to the north east, but she would need to be moving in that direction.

A physically fit individual accustomed to hiking would probably be able to read the terrain and then steadily walk out cross country to lower ground and a paved road. Likewise, a physically fit person not accustomed to hiking could do it as well, though probably not as efficiently. What worries me is that the lost person does not seem to be an experienced hiker and may also not have a good level of physical fitness. Needless to say, mountainous terrain can be difficult to follow a set direction due to steep terrain or getting disoriented. This can lead to retracing steps and exhaustion.

I have also seen a psychological mental impact in hiking when an individual is not accustomed to being physically uncomfortable through say hiking, sports, out door work or the military. They seem to get mentally exhausted when they are only physically tired (not exhausted) and just moderately uncomfortable. The mental exhaustion then quickly compounds and worsen the physical situation to the point where the person gets confused and physically exhausted.

In short, we need to hope she is found fast.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Hinky meter on

 

[LietKynes]

Hinky meter on

Hmmmm....
Trying to be firmly on the fence.
My older cousin had a stroke 3 years ago. She is partly recovered, but can no longer hold a job and the right side of her face (sagging) and body are paralyzed.
She's learned to walk again and her family cares for her.... but her personality is very different . VERY.

I wondered if Mitzi had had a stroke ?
Based on the photos I've seen.
No disrespect intended if I'm seeing this incorrectly.
Because she might not be able to navigate the terrain very well , or have the same sense of direction that she might have had. Imo.

 

[whatsnext]

Nothing hinky for me until we have more background info. It happens quite often that hikers get separated, due to different kind of hiking speed or an argument or other reasons.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Mitzie Sue “Susan” Clements was hiking with her daughter on Sept. 25 when the two lost sight of each other, says the park service. Clements’ disappearance comes just weeks after a 30-year-old man was killed in the park and “fed on” by wildlife, including a bear, reports National Parks Traveler.

What happened to Clements is more perplexing, however, since she had a companion and vanished in broad daylight (5 p.m.) on an established trail. She and her 20-year-old daughter were also “fairly close to the parking lot,” park officials told KnoxvilleNews.com.

As of Sunday, the park service had not announced the discovery of any clues, including any of Clements’ discarded or lost items of clothing.

Clements’ brother-in-law, a Cincinnati firefighter, is among 40 volunteers from the Cincinnati area who have joined the search for Clements, reported WCPO.
Mystery deepens over mom who vanished while hiking with daughter in Smoky Mountains
https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-new...issing-in-great-smoky-mountains-national-park

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The search for a Cleves woman missing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has grown to include more than 45 agencies and volunteer search and rescue groups, but she still has not been found.

Clements is a Cleves resident, Metropolitan Sewer District employee and sister-in-law of a Cincinnati firefighter.

National Park Service officials said the search intensified over the weekend around a rugged area on the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Groups from five states brought in more searchers, canine teams, helicopters and drones. About 125 people were working on the search Monday.
Search intensifies for Cleves woman missing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

[Betty P]

I knew this sounded familiar. I was just recently reading about the case of Trenny Gibson, age 16, who went missing there in 1976 while on a field trip with her class. Similar situation, she was walking back to the parking lot with a group of friends, walked ahead of them. Someone saw her bending down to look at something on the side of the trail and no one saw her again.

TN - TN - Trenny Gibson, 16, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 Oct 1976

I hope they find Mitzi ok. While Clingman's Dome is a popular tourist attraction, it seems once you're off the trail it's very difficult terrain, easy to get lost and lots of animal predators around.