Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

[Cheryl Carlson]

http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/...e=4#TOPCONTENT

Here is the journal entry from "Crunchmaster" who was suppose to be the last person to see Gerry "Inchworm" Largay before she disappeared. He is a SOBO thru hiker. Apparently the cell phone reception was spotty on top of Lone Mountain. That might explain why "Inchworm's" call may not have gone through. Here is a quote from his journal entry written by "Happy" who posts for him. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=426866


"Got a call from the Crunchmaster at 3:00 p.m. from on top of Lone Mountain, about 8 miles from where he camped on the South Branch of the Carrabassett River. Temperature was about 68 at about 3000 feet elevation and his feet were feeling better after new insoles and moleskin. He seemed in good spirits and walked while he talked to me. The connection was lost so I wasn't able to get much information. "

[Bluebearee]

I'm guessing he said "wolverines".

Which were extirpated years ago from Maine.

[Bluebearee]

Here is the journal entry from "Crunchmaster" who was suppose to be the last person to see Gerry "Inchworm" Largay before she disappeared. He is a SOBO thru hiker. Apparently the cell phone reception was spotty on top of Lone Mountain. That might explain why "Inchworm's" call may not have gone through. Here is a quote from his journal entry written by "Happy" who posts for him. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=426866


"Got a call from the Crunchmaster at 3:00 p.m. from on top of Lone Mountain, about 8 miles from where he camped on the South Branch of the Carrabassett River. Temperature was about 68 at about 3000 feet elevation and his feet were feeling better after new insoles and moleskin. He seemed in good spirits and walked while he talked to me. The connection was lost so I wasn't able to get much information. "

As I reported last night from my hike, I had two full Verizon (Gerry's carrier) bars on Lone Mt yesterday & easily sent a text as a test. Excellent service. Which makes her solo ping all the more perplexing.

[moytoy]

Turtle Feet, you are absolutely right. Thank you for the correction. It surely is easy to get in trouble at times. Wolverines, wolverines, wolverines.

I would find it more likely that the word werewolves was used metaphorically. I don't see how wolverines would belong in the conversation at all.

[Marta]

Not to hijack the discussion, but I learned last week that there are only about 300 wolverines in the world, about 30 of which live in GNP.

I, too, belong in the camp which fears that the hiker either got lost or sick and is somewhere not terribly far away, but just out of sight. I often speculate on the fact that our innate reactions seem to be exactly the opposite of what we need to do. When lost, we need to hunker down and stay put. Instead we seem to want to move faster and faster in ways that make it so much harder to be found. When tired and thirsty and cold, instead of stopping and dealing with the problem, then pushing on, people tend to keep moving, wanting to "get there" before taking care of themselves. Unfortunately the more they push, the worse the decisions, and the more likely they are to stumble and hurt themselves.

I KNOW what I should do...but when I become tired or hungry or cold and dehydrated, through some lapse in my planning or some sort of accident, my instincts cry out to do exactly the wrong thing. It has happened many times.

Last summer I talked to hiker who had just been involved in a search for her cousin in Idaho. The cousin, an adult, was car camping in a park. She left for a 15 minute stroll in the woods, got lost, and ended up walking for miles before being found 11 hours later. She didn't have any water with her and was afraid of getting giardia, and so didn't drink any wild water. Which just added to her distress and poor decision making.

My heart goes out to the husband, family, and friends.

[Turtle Feet]

Does anyone remember trail names of any NOBO's that passed over ME 27 on that Tuesday or Wednesday when Gerry was due to arrive?

[Cheryl Carlson]

Does anyone remember trail names of any NOBO's that passed over ME 27 on that Tuesday or Wednesday when Gerry was due to arrive?

This is a quote from "Badger's Trail Journal" http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=429058

"A female North bounder has been missing for more than a week. They might have a better idea of where to look if there'd been logs. Of course a lot of people don't bother to sign in. I don't know if that's the case for the missing hiker. I talked to WornHeel over a beer last night. He said he heard something that sounded like a moan but got no answer when he responded. He didn't investigate further but did report it when he got to town. The woman's husband said it was the first good lead they'd had so he paid for WornHeel's bunk at the Stratton Motel."

[Cheryl Carlson]

Here's another trail journal mentioning "inchworm" Gerry Largay http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=427746


" A couple of game wardens came to the shelter to ask if we've seen the missing hiker. They gave us a description of Inchworm. I asked to see a photo of her and they didn't have one although one of the game wardens said he had seen a picture of her.No picture?
I worked missing person cases when I was a police detective. One of the first things you do is obtain a picture of the missing person. Asking hikers if they've seen a white female 5'3 115 lb. and 67 years old with grey zip off pants will only go so far. I told the wardens they should have a picture of the woman in print or on their phones to show hikers. It may jar their memories."

[Mitey Mo]

It's a good idea to leave your pack on the trail (same side you're going to) when you step off for a nature call, as much for others as for your own safety.

I don't like to become separated from my pack. I take it with me. I use a Diva Cup. No need to expose anything. Good discussions on this "problem" in the Women's Hiker Forum.

[gumball]

http://www.sunjournal.com/news/maine...od-hik/1407113

Interview with Mr. Largay.

[kangaroorat]

Good Morning Turtle Foot.
The GE reference is to Google Earth where I pathed the AT back from Mt Spalding for 5.99 mi. so I could get some ToPos of the area where the search was taking place. I Left it there with the note I'd written with my first thoughts over a week ago as I got the ToPos and closed out w/o deleting. It's all off now.
I noticed the Navy has or had a SE&E facility in the area, did anyone contact them about the search? That brings back 40+ yr old memories.

[modiyooch]

Does anyone remember trail names of any NOBO's that passed over ME 27 on that Tuesday or Wednesday when Gerry was due to arrive?

rock steady was one. they interviewed these hikers in monson

[kangaroorat]

Chercarlop,
Don't know when you encountered the wardens but pictures were available because I believe her pic was in the news papers almost from day 2 or 3. A Picture is so necessary. as they say, "you can't tell the players w/o a program".

[joshuasdad]

As I reported last night from my hike, I had two full Verizon (Gerry's carrier) bars on Lone Mt yesterday & easily sent a text as a test. Excellent service. Which makes her solo ping all the more perplexing.

I had better than 2 bars at the Lone Mtn. sign, and actually sent out a text on my hike last week. I did not have the ability to send a text from Spaulding Mtn. Shelter (though I tried for about 10 minutes because I did have 2 "teaser" bars).

[fins1838]

http://www.sunjournal.com/news/maine...od-hik/1407113

Interview with Mr. Largay.

He's given up hope. I'm not so sure.

[modiyooch]

Does anyone remember trail names of any NOBO's that passed over ME 27 on that Tuesday or Wednesday when Gerry was due to arrive?

her is his whiteblaze post to the article posted under announcements:

I seriously doubt she went the wrong direction between that shelter and the state highway ME27(I recall), where I met her husband waiting for her arrival. With all day rain and treacherous trail conditions, particularly down into the notch before the Crockers, there is a greater probability that she slipped off the trail and was injured, though they should've found her by now! There is no way she was alive after the first week of not finding her. She did not have the food for that time. I feel so bad for her husband who was waiting so anxiously at the parking area, into the next morning! Rock Steady

[Cheryl Carlson]

Chercarlop,
Don't know when you encountered the wardens but pictures were available because I believe her pic was in the news papers almost from day 2 or 3. A Picture is so necessary. as they say, "you can't tell the players w/o a program".

This was taken from the trail journal of "Cozy" who stayed at Poplar Ridge Lean To Friday July 26. Those were her words http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=427746

[Turtle Feet]

her is his whiteblaze post to the article posted under announcements:

I seriously doubt she went the wrong direction between that shelter and the state highway ME27(I recall), where I met her husband waiting for her arrival. With all day rain and treacherous trail conditions, particularly down into the notch before the Crockers, there is a greater probability that she slipped off the trail and was injured, though they should've found her by now! There is no way she was alive after the first week of not finding her. She did not have the food for that time. I feel so bad for her husband who was waiting so anxiously at the parking area, into the next morning! Rock Steady

Thanks Modiyooch!

[HikerMom58]

http://www.tennessean.com/

The video of of Mr. Largay's interview.

[Turtle Feet]

Good Morning Turtle Foot.
The GE reference is to Google Earth where I pathed the AT back from Mt Spalding for 5.99 mi. so I could get some ToPos of the area where the search was taking place. I Left it there with the note I'd written with my first thoughts over a week ago as I got the ToPos and closed out w/o deleting. It's all off now.
I noticed the Navy has or had a SE&E facility in the area, did anyone contact them about the search? That brings back 40+ yr old memories.

Thanks for the clarification! Yes, I do believe someone here mentioned that SERE members were involved in part of the search (or so reported by the press). It does only make sense though.