[pct-l] Lost Hiker

[Paint Your Wagon]

I watched a number of news videos today- 
one of them showed a deputy placing the gear on the ground 
(apparently) so the media could take pictures and/or video of the lost hiker’s gear. 
There was mention of a water treatment filter being part of the gear inventory left behind. 
Searchers are from 5 counties.
Personnel numbering approximately 50. 
Two helicopters.
Some equestrians assisting the search teams. 
One report mentioned that the gear was found 13 miles north of HWY 79/Warner Springs. 
If that is in trail miles- then the find was at about mile 124 of the PCT; 
3 miles south of Chihuahua Valley Rd. 
That’s about where a rock field is located, 
if my memory serves me correctly.
Possibilities:
a severe injury such as a broken leg/hypothermia, shock-
a sever illness such as a brain aneurism/hypothermia-
severely lost/hypothermia-
a debilitating fall/hypothermia, shock-
foul play-
snatched by a mountain lion- (putting on the asbestos flame suit)
something else.

It’s hard to come up with cheerful possibilities or a pleasant outcome in light of the duration in time the hiker’s been lost/missing.

PaintYW.