Found Safe TX - LF, 9, & dad, Hector Flores Jr, 49, hiking @ Big Bend Natl Park, 28 Jan 2022 *Arrest*

[doublestop]

Someone above asked what mother would be okay with camping there in January, and I guess that’s me.

Me too. Winter camping is a thing. And keep in mind, winter camping on the Texas/Mexico border is nothing like winter camping in, say, Minnesota.

 

[GraceG]

this....

The FBI is actually quite commonly called in by the National Park Service in missing persons cases. If they are listed as "first point of contact" it's likely for the same reason they're called in - they have way more resources, both manpower and technology than park LE.

 

[Friday Fan]

This happens to so many people in Big Bend!
You need to take several gallons of water with you when you hike.
They might have gotten lost on a simple sight seeing walk.

If that happens, and it happens alot, the results are almost always tragic.

Big Bend is dangerous like Death Valley.

I don't think criminal activity is involved.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Visiting a Border Area - Big Bend National Park (U.S. National Park Service)


Big Bend National Park experiences uptick in undocumented migrant apprehensions – The Big Bend Sentinel

 

[Friday Fan]

I don't this this would be anything cartel related and if he was heading to Mexico it wouldn't make sense to abandon the car miles from the border with that terrain. The only real place to get to in Mexico from Big Bend is Boquillas and it is tiny. We took Old Ore road last year in the winter. There are quite a few tinajas off the path and it's easy to get lost with how secluded it is.

Agree. Never been there, but know enough people who go.

The area is so rugged on both sides of the border, that the border is a non-issue!

Crime really isn't an issue in Big Bend National Park.

 

[MimosaMornings]

What was the weather forecast for Big Bend that weekend? Didn’t Texas get colder than average temps around that time period?

 

[Friday Fan]

Well, it has to be considered as it's on the border with Mexico, and it's a rural national park. Both of these would make it an ideal area for cartel activities.

Who knows if they didn't accidentally run into something they shouldn't have?

No cartel activity. The terrain on the Mexican side is too rugged for cartels or even illegal border crossings. The Sierra Madres are on both sides of Big Bend National Park. The Rio Grande cuts through the mountain range. It's a bit like the Grand Canyon. Adjacent peaks in Mexico range from 2,000 to 7,900 feet. Further south the peaks get up to 11,000 feet.

Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protection Area - Wikipedia



Google Maps

 

[Friday Fan]

What was the weather forecast for Big Bend that weekend? Didn’t Texas get colder than average temps around that time period?

Hard to tell. It varies so much through out the park. Without having been there, I would not know. There is so much elevation change. I believe the park varies from 3,000-8,000 feet.


People die year round in Big Bend National Park. You just can't go "sight seeing" there. You gotta plan. It's too remote to just get out and "look and see".

Here is a Personal Weather Station from just outside the park. It is at 3,000 ft.


Personal Weather Station Dashboard | Weather Underground

 

[Friday Fan]

I'm guessing it's the trails that people have often used BUT are NOT the officially marked trail. If that is indeed cartel area there could be a lot of those "social trails". A person can really get themselves in trouble going off the marked trail. Sometimes you can get off the main trail without realizing it. If your unfamiliar with the area you could end up lost or worse in a heartbeat, even if your an experienced hiker. Hoping for a good outcome for these two, but sadly I don't think that's going to happen.

It isn't cartels. The unmarked trails are probably used by more experiences hikers, hence the warnings. (Hikers on the unmarked trails, take pics and brag on social media.) If someone gets lost, they are harder to find.

 

[TGIRecovered]

There is no longer any place on the Texas Mexico border that is exempt from cartel activity. Mexican cartels go anywhere they want to go, anytime they want to go there. MOO
https://www.breitbart.com/border/20...nded-near-border-in-remote-west-texas-region/
50 Migrants Apprehended near Border in Remote West Texas Region

Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin

@USBPChiefBBT

Over the weekend, agents apprehended a group of over 50 undocumented migrants in The Big Bend National Park. All subjects were transported to the Alpine Border Patrol Station for processing.
https://twitter.com/USBPChiefBBT/status/1465304448096522245?s=20&t=taQRRAdDhNoVuzVESA7kDw

Border agents, rangers apprehend 70 Venezuelans at Big Bend National Park
https://www.borderreport.com/hot-to...end-70-venezuelans-at-big-bend-national-park/
Agents Apprehend Large Group in National Park

 

[Howl]

Here is a Personal Weather Station from just outside the park. It is at 3,000 ft.
Personal Weather Station Dashboard | Weather Underground

I just checked the terrain layer (topography & elevation) on google maps. The start of the north end of Old Ore Road is right around 3,100'.

 

[cvaldez1975]

The FBI is actually quite commonly called in by the National Park Service in missing persons cases. If they are listed as "first point of contact" it's likely for the same reason they're called in - they have way more resources, both manpower and technology than park LE.

noted, but it still doesnt sound like they are being open with all the info.

 

[carbuff]

Man, some dark comments in here. My ex husband takes my daughter all over the country, and goes hiking and camping everywhere, regardless of season. He even just impulsively finds places that look interesting to walk around in for a bit. Someone above asked what mother would be okay with camping there in January, and I guess that’s me. It could certainly be something more nefarious but my first thought is just that they got lost and in over their heads accidentally. Why are we talking cartels? Just because of his name or did I miss something?

Me too. Except I'd probably be going with them.

I agree, an accident/in over their heads is most likely. Sadly it's starting to seem unlikely they'll be found in time...

 

[agilbe]

Yikes, looks like the temps have been pretty low the last few days 30's/40's. If they weren't prepared for it. I know not low to some, but for me under 80 and I'm freezing. Desert rat born and raised here.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Friday January 28th
Low 23 degrees
High 41 degrees

Past Weather in Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA — Yesterday or Further Back


Plus ice/snow starting February 3rd until February 5th.

 

[happyday]

I agree that cartel activity doesn’t seem to be a big problem in the park, and I don’t think this is cartel related. It could very well be a hiking misadventure, but I guess it’s suspicious because of where their truck was abandoned. Was it in an area people would park to hike? Was it near trails? They made it sound like it was just abandoned on the side of the road with all their stuff left in it. And they said they don’t think they were prepared for camping. So were they going camping? A day hike? To take some quick pictures? They haven’t said anything about that at all. Did they tell no one? Did anybody at all know what their plans were? They weren’t far from home (a couple of hours) so they should know about the area. There’s just no information.

 

[happyday]

Yikes, looks like the temps have been pretty low the last few days 30's/40's. If they weren't prepared for it. I know not low to some, but for me under 80 and I'm freezing. Desert rat born and raised here.

Friday January 28th
Low 23 degrees
High 41 degrees

Past Weather in Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA — Yesterday or Further Back


Plus ice/snow starting February 3rd until February 5th.

Brrr. That is cold to me too! Especially if not prepared.

 

[carbuff]

If our car was found like that, it would probably be because we saw some interesting wildlife and parked and grabbed our phones/cameras to go get pictures and got lost or ran into some other misadventure before we got back. We've never been to this park, but we've done something similar in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and a bunch of smaller parks.

 

[modesty blaise]

Did the mother speak out??

 

[agilbe]

Did the mother speak out??

I haven't seen anything. And I'm not seeing any recent articles about them in the news either. Normally I would say no news is good news, but not this time.