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Deceased Man's Backpack?
hikin_jim:
Nutcracker:
It absolutely could be in upper Heath Canyon. My dad's plan was along the lines of the below. This general outline is all I have to go on. He could have stashed his stuff nearer to Heath than to Acorn Can. if that were a better place to hide it. He probably would have had a sleeping bag, backpack, small backpacking stove, bear canister with food, blaze orange down jacket, water, and possibly a blue tent. This gear list is somewhat imprecise based mostly on what we could not find at his home after the fact. He could have had a 1st aid kit; I'm not sure.
Approx. where in Heath did you see this? It sounds like you were looking over the side and spotted it? How long ago was this? Can you describe at all the color, size, or anything else about the 1st aid kit or sleeping bag? I don't suppose you have UTM? :)
--Jim
His plan:
* Friday: Drive truck to Acorn Canyon Trailhead
* Leave a Mtn Bike near Acorn Canyon Trailhead
* Hike in and stash some overnight gear & supplies at the jct of the Acorn Trail & PCT
* Hike back down to Acorn Trailhead
* Drive truck to Cajon Jct
* Hike PCT from Cajon jct to Acorn/PCT jct
* Camp vicinity Acorn/PCT jct using pre-positioned gear/supplies
* Saturday: Re-stash supplies/gear
* Hike to Acorn trailhead
* Ride Mtn Bike to Cajon Jct and get truck
* drive backto Acorn trailhead
* hike back up, get gear, drive home
hikin_jim:
ForestGal:
He wasn't planning on camping at Guffy based on what I know of his plans (see my reply above). He had spent so many nights in primitive campsites, I don't think he would have gone out of his way just to be in an "official" site like Guffy.
Thanks also for your kind words. I really appreciate the fact that many people were really touched by what happened. The days from when my dad went missing to the time he was found were some of the hardest of my life.
superMom:
hikin_jim
My husband is very familiar with the Acorn trail having hiked it often, will ask him if he has spotted anything like you mention. I am so sorry for your loss, I also remember the search and rescue at the time.
hikin_jim:
--- Quote --- I am so sorry for your loss, I also remember the search and rescue at the time.
--- End quote ---
Thank you for saying that -- and remembering.
RobertW:
As I recall, your father died from a fall off the trail due to ice or flowing water not too far from the Acorn trailhead (at the bottom). Is it possible he never made it to the top? Of course you would think the pack and supplies would be found close to him.
I too saw the sleeping bag on the Heath Slide. I know it's the same sleeping bag "Nutcracker" is talking about, because I had a conversation about it with "Toolman" who was with him that day looking for those binoculars.
I believe it was about a year and a half ago, perhaps a little more recent. I was on the upper plateau looking up and I spotted the bag. It was all rolled up and partially covered with dirt on the upper face of the slide. It appeared to have blown off the top of the slide and been partially covered as the slide continued to slip. I actually went up and retrieved it. I spread it out across the rocks on the slide, thinking somebody might be looking for it. I also wanted to see if I could see it on the face of the slide from down below in town. It was a dark blue, light or summer cotton sleeping bag that had a red plaid lining. It appeared to have been "on the mountain" for some time.
Here are the UTM coordinates of where it was found:
110441526E
3799462N
8287 ft.
The next time I was on the slide the sleeping bag was gone. I assumed the wind had blown it off the mountain.
I've hiked that entire area many times since then and nothing else was found in that general vicinity.
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