[pct-l] Lost Hiker

[maurer at earthlink.net (maurer@earthlink.net)]

Hi all,

I hiked up to the PCT at Saddle jct. and beyond last Friday and shared 
what I found with Karen Koontz but have not heard anything from anyone 
so I wanted to post it to the group. Like many others I found no trace 
of John in the Saddle jct. area. I hiked up to the Wellman Cienega 
intersection then west through Strawberry Cienega to Strawberry jct. I 
searched down all the drainages from the trail with binoculars. On the 
return trip I spotted a mylar sheet that may be an emergency blanket. It 
was downslope from the trail. The location is as follows; on map B9, 
just below and left of the "B9" you'll find the words "Strawberry 
Cienega". Immediately east of these words is the large drainage. Just 
east of the drainage and below the trail is the contour number "8400". 
This is where the mylar material is. I saw it from a few angles but 
could not discern whether it was an emergency blanket or something else. 
it was large enough to be a blanket, and was billowing in the wind. 
Please note I did not see any other gear in the immediate area, at least 
with binoculars. I tried to scramble down slope but it was too steep and 
loose, and I was alone. The position on the trail that is immediately 
above the mylar is N33? 47.139' W116? 41.267'. Karen said she would pass 
this info along, so I am doing the same. One note I made to myself was 
that if John found the trail up the switchbacks out of Saddle jct. it 
would have been fairly easy to stay on trail while going uphill because 
there is heavy manzanita coverage on both sides, creating a large, wide 
"trough" to follow. Once you get up near the turnoff to Wellman Cienega, 
however, the navigation becomes much harder and John may have wandered 
north and east from this point. Just a thought.

Shutterbug or anyone else, if there's another organized search coming up 
let me know and I'll join in.

Mike Maurer