Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

[joshuasdad]

interactive map released today from Kennebec Journal: http://www.kjonline.com/Interactive_...ne_Largay.html Perhaps the search area map picture on slide 9, if enlarged, might answer your question about the search area, joshuasdad?

It does not appear to cover the Fire Warden Trail, nor does the search grid shown at this link:

http://www.sunjournal.com/news/maine...led-ba/1403223

[Bluebearee]

Video says noon.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/stor...storyid=252206

It's only 4.2 miles from Poplar Ridge Lean-to to Lone Mnt. Why would it take all day?

I wouldn't go by Bill Green's words. I've met him, been on the Green Outdoors, etc - his reporting isn't perfect. Everyone else including her friends who came up to hike the last time sighted was 3:30 incl the cell phone ping. Her friend answered me above that she walked 1 mph pace.

[Bluebearee]

I was told be her friends that she kept her cell phone off except when she used it and then she would turn it off again. My guess is that she probably turn her cell phone on at Lone Mtn to check for text messages and then turned it back off. That is just my assumption. This would explain the last ping.

Is that what is meant by a ping? Phone must be on and trying to place a call or text? I don't know precisely what generates a "ping".

[Turtle Feet]

Is that what is meant by a ping? Phone must be on and trying to place a call or text? I don't know precisely what generates a "ping".

ping: http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-a-cell-phone-ping

[Old Hillwalker]

Second guessing the Maine wardens...

If she was spotted near Lone Mnt at noon, she may have tried to push on past the Spaulding Mnt Lean-to to Crocker Cirque Campsite. The 5 miles from Spauldling Mnt to Caribou Valley Road the (possible) likely area of disappearance.

Sly, This is what I have thought from the get go. I hike and bushwhack quite a bit in that area, including "whacks" to trail-less peaks on the Abraham ridge so I know the area fairly well. Using the Abraham Fire Warden trail would be a big mistake, especially since the logging road bridges washed out during Irene. Additionally there are lots of very steep trail sections through woods where you are literally holding on to trees to keep from slipping. Older guides talk about the old Abraham shelter. No longer there. I have also taken the old trail from the Abraham side trail junction down into Caribou Pond. That old snowmachine trail is really overgrown, and is marginally flagged since it goes through old grown up logging clearings. The most sketchy part of the trail in that area is the washed out and steep descent off the ridgeline into Caribou Valley from Sugerloaf. A fall there will could take you directly into the woods below the trail as it switches back and forth to avoid ledges and drop offs. It is possible to think that a good exit directly to ME 27 would be by using Caribou Valley Road instead of continuing over the Crockers. It would then be easy to get back on the trail to return to hiking. Especially since most of the CVR is drivable from ME 27...Although most AT hikers wouldn't be aware of it, but the CVR is a popular peak bagging parking spot and finding a car or cars there is not that uncommon. Also, There are two shelters at Spaulding. One old and one new and they are not together. It might be possible to stay at one and not come in contact with someone staying at the other. Not too likely though.

[Bluebearee]

ping: http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-a-cell-phone-ping

Thanks but that still doesn't answer how the ping is generated. Phone must be on and then what? Is that enough or must one try to initiate communication using it? That's my question.

[Green Bear]

The road is Perham Stream Road. Here are the directions. I felt lost just driving it.

1) From intersection of ME 16/27/142 in Kingfield take ME 142 southwest 12.7 miles.
2) Look for East Madrid Road (signed & paved) on right. Sign there is for (Hot Mix Plant).
3) 1.0 miles from there pavement ends & 1.9 miles pavement resumes.
4) 2.1 4-way intersection (crossroad) continue straight. Junction with Bray Hill Road.
5) 3.0 pavement ends again.
6) 4.5 cross bridge near houses. Just beyond, road becomes a little rough going up hill to left.
7) 5.3 cross roads with fences on far side of intersection. (plenty of posted signs at intersection) - make right. Rough narrow road from here.
8) 5.7 rotted bridge and I was not sure I could trust it but asked around and they assured me the bridge was OK and safe to cross.
9) 6.9 green gate on right
10) 7.5 bridge over stream. Make immediate left at fork after bridge. Many snowmobile trail signs at intersection
11) 7.7 & 7.8 cross rough gullys
12) 8.0 another fork after another bridge - bear left.
13) 8.3 junction on left - stay straight
14) 9.2 fork again - stay left.
15) 10.7 cross AT, Perham Stream bridge & parking on left.

Modiyooch, how long ago did you travel Perham Stream Road to the AT? Recently? How many years ago?

Joshuasdad or ElephantEater, when you went through recently was the intersection of Perham Stream Road with the AT still visible?

Wondering if it Perham stream road is still passable by vehicle or ATV to the AT, or all overgrown with vegetation now.

[Hill Ape]

pinging has a few different meanings, i think (but do not know) that for the purposes of this discussion people are meaning to ping a gps location, which would require the phone user to take some kind action, or there are apps that do that for you, turning a cell phone into a sort of PLB. this is the "find my phone" feature now pretty common on cell phones. that type pinging is referred to as MoPing. there is also a method that cell phone carriers can use to ping a phone to determine which cell phone towers are in contact with that phone. it doesn't actually provide location data, the pings narrow the physical location of a phone only to the coverage of a particual cell tower, which can cover many square miles. but can be used to triangulate a location more precisely which would require three towers to be in contact with the phone.

both types would require the battery to charged, the phone to be turned on, and the sim card in place.

[Mfrenchy]

Is there anyone in that area of Maine that is willing to walk some of those side trails, to see what they can see?

[moytoy]

Thanks but that still doesn't answer how the ping is generated. Phone must be on and then what? Is that enough or must one try to initiate communication using it? That's my question.

If the phone is on and not in airplane mode it will generate a ping to any available tower.

[Mfrenchy]

Heck, even drive to those trailheads that are near where she was last seen.

[JustaTouron]

If the phone is on and not in airplane mode it will generate a ping to any available tower.

And if no tower is in range it will keep trying which burns up more battery than when the phone is in range.

[moytoy]

And if no tower is in range it will keep trying which burns up more battery than when the phone is in range.

yep..........

[Another Kevin]

Is that what is meant by a ping? Phone must be on and trying to place a call or text? I don't know precisely what generates a "ping".

In computer networking language (and cell phones are all computers!) a 'ping' is a packet of digital data with no content, used to verify connectivity with another machine, to measure the amount of time it takes the network to deliver data, or to determine how the packet is routed from the origin to the destination. A machine typically replies to a ping simply by echoing it back at the sender. (The term comes from the image of a sonar operator sending out a ping and awaiting the echo.)

Cell phones, when turned on and not in airplane mode, exchange pings regularly. It's how the cell phone network determines where a phone is located and which towers have the best communication with it. (This information is needed to route a call if someone calls the phone.) Modern cell towers also may have gear that measures the approximate direction to the phone. If two or more towers can see the phone, its location can be calculated by triangulation even if its GPS isn't on.

Nobody has to be calling or texting on the phone for it to exchange pings with nearby towers. In fact, the reason your cell battery dies so fast when you're out of range is that the phone steps up its power output, essentially screaming at the top of its lungs trying to get a tower to hear its pings. One other thing that the exchange of pings is used for, in fact, is to determine what minimum power level is needed to sustain communications, which both saves battery and helps avoid interference among phones.

The network typically retains location information of phones for a few days, to allow for just such forensic investigation as this. In addition, it is reported that certain Federal agencies collect this data and retain it indefinitely, providing them with a near-complete record of the movements of all individuals that carry phones. The agencies in question, however, are too secretive to use the data to aid local authorities in search operations.

[Turtle Feet]

In computer networking language (and cell phones are all computers!) a 'ping' is a packet of digital data with no content, used to verify connectivity with another machine, to measure the amount of time it takes the network to deliver data, or to determine how the packet is routed from the origin to the destination. A machine typically replies to a ping simply by echoing it back at the sender. (The term comes from the image of a sonar operator sending out a ping and awaiting the echo.)

Cell phones, when turned on and not in airplane mode, exchange pings regularly. It's how the cell phone network determines where a phone is located and which towers have the best communication with it. (This information is needed to route a call if someone calls the phone.) Modern cell towers also may have gear that measures the approximate direction to the phone. If two or more towers can see the phone, its location can be calculated by triangulation even if its GPS isn't on.

Nobody has to be calling or texting on the phone for it to exchange pings with nearby towers. In fact, the reason your cell battery dies so fast when you're out of range is that the phone steps up its power output, essentially screaming at the top of its lungs trying to get a tower to hear its pings. One other thing that the exchange of pings is used for, in fact, is to determine what minimum power level is needed to sustain communications, which both saves battery and helps avoid interference among phones.

The network typically retains location information of phones for a few days, to allow for just such forensic investigation as this. In addition, it is reported that certain Federal agencies collect this data and retain it indefinitely, providing them with a near-complete record of the movements of all individuals that carry phones. The agencies in question, however, are too secretive to use the data to aid local authorities in search operations.

Excellent explanation for us 'laymen' Kevin - thank you so much!

So basically, simply because her phone was last pinged near the Lone Mt. summit, doesn't mean that she moved many miles from there, still under her own power (just without cell phone power). Is that safe to say?

[tiptoe]

Pure speculation, but isn't it possible that the cell phone, when pinged, was not with Gerry but was being carried north by someone who found it, or worse, by an attacker?

[Hill Ape]

yes, that is safe to say, to me the only thing that ping means, is that the phone was in a certain coverage area, of whatever tower the phone pinged. it does not mean that they were able to precisely determine where that ping originated.

tiptoe, of course that is possible, there are many possibilities that are possible, but all are pure speculation.

[JustaTouron]

Pure speculation, but isn't it possible that the cell phone, when pinged, was not with Gerry but was being carried north by someone who found it, or worse, by an attacker?

It is also possible she was attacked by a bear and the bear took her cell phone up the mountain. The list of possible is endless.

The list of probably is much shorter: she got lost and wondered outside what became the search region.

[Hill Ape]

kevin, are you the poster that used the stokes equation the other day? if so, what do you do? not meaning to pry, just curious

[modiyooch]

Modiyooch, how long ago did you travel Perham Stream Road to the AT? Recently? How many years ago?

Joshuasdad or ElephantEater, when you went through recently was the intersection of Perham Stream Road with the AT still visible?

Wondering if it Perham stream road is still passable by vehicle or ATV to the AT, or all overgrown with vegetation now.

1. Drove down that road three times in 2009. (time flies)
2. If the road is visible from the AT, Gerry may have thought it was a good rendezvous point; not realizing that it's 11 miles long.
3. Are there buildings on top of Sugarloaf that she could have entered for safety?