Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

[Hill Ape]

I am at a total loss when it comes to understanding what constitutes a "dangerous claim." Just so that I don't conclude that you are simply engaging in hollow sensationalism, perhaps you could point out the top ten most "dangerous claims" that have been put forth in this thread.

I'm not sure dangerous is the best choice of words. But considering that Inchworm has friends and family on this site, some of the things said are at the least insensitive. Abducted by aliens is on that list. And that jerk that said elderly, bet he doesn't make that mistake again. Mea culpa

[Fur Queue]

[QUOTE=Disco;1519818]biscotti wrote: (post #1074)
Reading Trail Journals today there is a post from 'Morris the Cat' for August 17. He describes his hike around the AT and Fire Warden Trail in which he encounters a man, estimated to be in his 40's. He wrote:


"It was here, I met a French Canadian that spoke no real English. I actually believe he had some sort of mental illness. He was acting shifty and strange. He stood on the rocks in the stream and laughed loudly as he slapped the surface of the water...making "booooom" sounds and then clapping."


/QUOTE]


We met the French Canadian monsieur.... .strangely Nordic looking as it goes..if its the same guy...you gotta watch out for Johnny Foreigner!! Seriously though, just a guy his own hike in my eyes...I did ask him for and gestured a cuddle because he seemed so language detached...he understood and declined... ha!!

[joshuasdad]

I received some more information from my reliable source today, which I can’t name. I have to paraphrase what was said. This is the Maine Warden replying here.

Yes we did ask Ivanich and she never saw Gerry on the trail, and we have not found anybody, other than the boys if they are correct, that did see her on the trail that Monday.

I have not been on that section of trail yet but for her most of it would have been downhill for her, Kladiscope described it as a little scary, but then she added it was nothing like coming down to Caribou Pond Road along that steep area. A lot of the guys describe most of it as being open beside the trail. I have asked about scenic step offs and areas like that and I am not hearing about any. Although if you pull up aerials on Google maps or Bing I can see granite out cropping’s on the south side that look like cliffs to me.

My strategy going forward is after talking with the person again about the cell phone coverage. Which she would have had coverage up at Popular Lean to and couple other places coming North on the trail, is if you remember the cell phone ping from George sent on Monday about 1420 hours and her cell phone received, there is also another text received at 1030 she receives but does not answer. The cell phone company is guessing where that is, but if you remember the green band, about 120 degrees wide, Lenny had on the map that indicated that is most likely where the cell phone was at the time.
I think she would have answered both those text if she had stopped on the trail and took out her phone, so I am thinking something happens where she cannot get to her phone but it is on, I cannot remember where she carried her phone, but it indicates to me that she is SOMEWHERE in that green band or at least her cell phone is, which I believe is with her.

So I talked with another person and he has the Cell phone data on his computer and we are looking at areas within the green band that need further searching, one big area that stands out to me is south of the AT near poplar, we have not had anyone in there, it is quite possible now that something happened to her on this section of trail and most of it is within this green band. That is where most of the search effort will be Thursday.

When we are done I will get a map again. I cannot be there Thursday but two others will be there along with other local wardens who are very familiar with case and area. It will be a long day again and they have to get people in 2 different ways to the areas we want to cover, they both involve long drives and walking a couple miles into the search area.

Thank you for the first hand information. I agree with Kladiscope's description of the trail north of Poplar ridge, a bit scary, but not as bad as the section coming down to Caribou Pond. I do recall having to throw my hiking poles up on a few of the climbs, so there are some falling hazards.

One comment about Poplar Ridge Shelter: the water source, a stream, was quite close to the shelter, so I was a bit worried about the cleanliness of the water supply. The water was also somewhat brown in color (likely from leaf tannins), even after being filtered by my Sawyer Squeeze. If Gerry was conservative in selecting water sources, she might have attempted to find a different source.

Comments about Verizon service: I had coverage on Poplar Ridge a bit north of the shelter as well as Lone Mountain, I did not have great coverage inbetween--likely because of the coverage shadow of Lone Mountain--but it would not surprise me if a text message could be received.

[attroll]

I have a sneaky suspension that now that they are looking between Popular Lean-to and Lone Mtn, they will come up with something, just a weird feeling. I don't understand why that area wasn't part of the search area in the first weeks of the search. They said they have over a 130 plus people helping with the first stages of the searches. Why couldn't they spare at least five or more of the searchers to search the area that they did not search.

[Turtle Feet]

It was my understanding that the first things searched were the "high-percentage" find areas (roads, streams, etc.). On the Thurs. following the day Gerry was reported missing, there was the "mystery call" into the Stratton placing Gerry at Spaulding on Tues. night. Then, just a couple of days into the investigation, in speaking with hikers that would have crossed paths with Gerry, Crunchmaster, Halo, and Milkrun thought they spotted her ascending Lone (that hiker is now believed to be Ivanich). SO, that information moved the search between Lone & Spaulding LT. Hind-sight is always 20/20, but I feel like they were going with the best information they had at that time.

I have a sneaky suspension that now that they are looking between Popular Lean-to and Lone Mtn, they will come up with something, just a weird feeling. I don't understand why that area wasn't part of the search area in the first weeks of the search. They said they have over a 130 plus people helping with the first stages of the searches. Why couldn't they spare at least five or more of the searchers to search the area that they did not search.

[Turtle Feet]

I totally agree Troll. I feel very strongly, that if Gerry is still anywhere near the trail, they'll find her in that area. The math is what the math is. Given the departure times of both Gerry and Ivanich, Ivanich would have caught Gerry at Oberton Stream. Ivanich says she never saw her - I see little sense in searching much further north than that.

I have a sneaky suspension that now that they are looking between Popular Lean-to and Lone Mtn, they will come up with something, just a weird feeling. I don't understand why that area wasn't part of the search area in the first weeks of the search. They said they have over a 130 plus people helping with the first stages of the searches. Why couldn't they spare at least five or more of the searchers to search the area that they did not search.

[ChuckT]

That was unfortuinate although I suspect that was not the intention of the poster. ... Those who did not read carefully enough and/or are only here to criticize others might try reading more carefully ...

crit·i·cal, adjective, ˈkri-ti-kəl\
c : exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation <critical thinking>
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical

cvt

[SawnieRobertson]

At mile 1977.2 why does The AT Guide instruct "Woods road, NoBo: turn east on road?" This is a question from one who has never hiked in that area. I am just thinking about my sometimes befuddled mind if I were tired or otherwise not at my best. I would very likely turn east on the road even though the AT seems to go straight. Or does the AT itself turn right and then left with the road continuing on east to a bridge that is no longer there? Please do not jump me for asking this question. If you have actually been there, please just give me a simple description of that point on the trail.

[Green Bear]

RE: From 8-22-13 (page 58 of this thread, post 1143)

I have a sneaky suspension that now that they are looking between Popular Lean-to and Lone Mtn, they will come up with something, just a weird feeling. I don't understand why that area wasn't part of the search area in the first weeks of the search. They said they have over a 130 plus people helping with the first stages of the searches. Why couldn't they spare at least five or more of the searchers to search the area that they did not search.

The following post is several pages back in the thread. If the following post is correct, they did search that area early on. If that's the case (and I hope it is) then today's search would be a more in-depth/expanded search of that area, (not the first search of that area).


From 8-7-13 (page 18 of this thread, post 343)

Let me pass along some information about the search that may have not been released to the public. This is some of the information that was relayed directly to me from one of Inchworms friends who came up from TN to hike that section of the trail and help the searchers.

• Inchworm spent Sunday night at the Poplar Ridge lean to
  
• Hikers confirm that she did NOT sleep in the Spaulding shelter Monday (or Tuesday) night
  
• Texted husband George Monday morning 7:15am that she is heading to Spaulding lean to
  
• Last cell phone ping was near top of Lone Mtn around 3pm
  
• A hiker sees Inchworm resting about two miles shy of Spaulding (near top of Lone Mtn) around 3-3:30 pm
  
• The only side trail north of Lone Mtn is the VERY clearly marked intersection of Mt Abraham trail. Across the intersection is a little used side trail to Carribou Pond Rd. This trail is overgrown after a short while, is unblazed and unlikely to be confused with the AT.
  
• The terrain in this area is very gentle, no cliffs or crevices she could have fallen into, or off of
  
• Searchers covered ten deep both sides of the AT and all side trails from Poplar Ridge to Hwy 27. She is not within 200’ of any of these trails
  
• There is zero sign that Gerry has made any effort to be found. Her backpack and poles are nowhere to be found.
  
• Gerry was a nurse and so has excellent medical knowledge and had a first aid kit
  
• She carried one or two lighters, matches, a Nesbit and a whistle (on her pack). I don’t know about other emergency equipment, but I did give her my pack list which has survey tape, a mirror, fire starters and more that she may also have in her pack.

[Hill Ape]

Is there anyone willing to review these 60 pages of comments with the goal of compiling a timeline of the facts as we know them. This thread has become largely circular, covering and recovering ground we've already discussed.

I'm all for crowd sourcing, and using the hive mind to brainstorm, but without some sort of focus its simply chaos.

[Cheryl Carlson]

Unlikely it's Gerry's phone but I hope they do give this found phone to someone in authority:

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=14492

"About twenty minutes later Camel caught up with me. There were some caves signposted back there which they had decided to explore (I'd been so focused on the packs that I hadn't even seen the sign!). While doing so, they had found a phone which when switched on had photos of an old lady on it--was this a clue to the missing hiker??? The other two were taking the phone back to the caretaker at the shelter while Camel decided to press on. Later they caught up--they had decided that it was unlikely to be a clue to the missing hiker as the phone was in too obvious a place, and had too much charge to have been there for a month."

Has the owner of this phone (posted in Pom's Trail Journal) been located yet? http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=431073

[Cheryl Carlson]

Here's some photos of the area from Rangeley to Crocker http://people.hsc.edu/faculty-staff/...202%202010.pdf

[Roche]

Is there anyone willing to review these 60 pages of comments with the goal of compiling a timeline of the facts as we know them. This thread has become largely circular, covering and recovering ground we've already discussed.

I'm all for crowd sourcing, and using the hive mind to brainstorm, but without some sort of focus its simply chaos.

Many of us will appreciate a timeline of facts - how soon can you do it? Thanking you in advance.

[Hill Ape]

Many of us will appreciate a timeline of facts - how soon can you do it? Thanking you in advance.

I see what you did there. My suggestion was not meant to be contentious. There are a couple members that have already done it independently. Instead of doing work that's already been done, I think it would be useful to combine their efforts. I'm not trying to criticize or tell anyone what or how to do. It was not my goal with the suggestion to make it personal. Apologies if I missed the mark with you or anyone else.

[muddy boots]

Am I right in understanding the following quote means George tried to contact her at 2:20 p.m. and also someone texted her at 10:30 (a.m. or p.m.?), she didn't answer either, but somehow it is known her phone received them? If not, what does the quote mean? Thanks.
"Which she would have had coverage up at Popular Lean to and couple other places coming North on the trail, is if you remember the cell phone ping from George sent on Monday about 1420 hours and her cell phone received, there is also another text received at 1030 she receives but does not answer. "

[Turtle Feet]

Yes, her cell phone provider would have that information.

Am I right in understanding the following quote means George tried to contact her at 2:20 p.m. and also someone texted her at 10:30 (a.m. or p.m.?), she didn't answer either, but somehow it is known her phone received them? If not, what does the quote mean? Thanks.
"Which she would have had coverage up at Popular Lean to and couple other places coming North on the trail, is if you remember the cell phone ping from George sent on Monday about 1420 hours and her cell phone received, there is also another text received at 1030 she receives but does not answer. "

[Bluebearee]

"About twenty minutes later Camel caught up with me. There were some caves signposted back there which they had decided to explore (I'd been so focused on the packs that I hadn't even seen the sign!). While doing so, they had found a phone which when switched on had photos of an old lady on it--was this a clue to the missing hiker??? The other two were taking the phone back to the caretaker at the shelter while Camel decided to press on. Later they caught up--they had decided that it was unlikely to be a clue to the missing hiker as the phone was in too obvious a place, and had too much charge to have been there for a month."

Has the owner of this phone (posted in Pom's Trail Journal) been located yet? http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=431073

The caves in question are just past Piazza Rock LT which is 2 miles from Rte 4, where Gerry passed through Sunday morning, the day before she went missing on Monday. She continued to use a phone on Saddleback and from Poplar and perhaps beyond on Sunday and Monday morning. It's not her phone. Piazza Rock (itself) is a popular day hike destination.

[BirdBrain]

http://www.wlbz2.com/news/article/25...r-Gerry-Largay

I have a sneaky suspension that now that they are looking between Popular Lean-to and Lone Mtn, they will come up with something, just a weird feeling. I don't understand why that area wasn't part of the search area in the first weeks of the search. They said they have over a 130 plus people helping with the first stages of the searches. Why couldn't they spare at least five or more of the searchers to search the area that they did not search.

The news article infers they are going to look at Sugarloaf. Your post infers they are looking elsewhere. The face of Sugarloaf has the most likely spots where a hiker could fall and not be seen from the AT. The Poplar Ridge descent has only one such area, in my opinion. That is the last 1/2 mile before you reach the stream at the bottom.

[muddy boots]

So does that mean her cell phone was on at least from 10:30 a.m., but she wasn't responding?

[Turtle Feet]

From ATTroll's post a couple of days ago:
"So I talked with another person and he has the Cell phone data on his computer and we are looking at areas within the green band that need further searching, one big area that stands out to me is south of the AT near poplar, we have not had anyone in there, it is quite possible now that something happened to her on this section of trail and most of it is within this green band. That is where most of the search effort will be Thursday."

The news article infers they are going to look at Sugarloaf. Your post infers they are looking elsewhere. The face of Sugarloaf has the most likely spots where a hiker could fall and not be seen from the AT. The Poplar Ridge descent has only one such area, in my opinion. That is the last 1/2 mile before you reach the stream at the bottom.