travel and rhum

A few weeks back I was in Yosemite hiking with my dad on Mist Trail, which isn’t the easiest trail but definitely not difficult. It was pretty chill and we’ve done it dozens of times over the years. Him and I both hike generally anywhere from 20-40 miles a week (we both have hiking trails walking distances of our houses and we both do almost daily walks/hikes) so I don’t really often feel like I’m struggling on a hike in general. I also do a fair bit of backpacking so anything with a small camelback pack really feels like a breeze. We’re also both in pretty good shape at 5’9 and both 150-160lbs.

Well, we were walking on Mist Trail only about a mile in, having a casual conversation together, cruising at a pretty good pace and these guys coming down the hill who looked like they just robbed an REI in full hiking equipment, la sportiva hiking boots, sun hats, hiking hoodies, neck gaiters, Columbia hiking pants, giant day pack, trekking poles, etc lean toward us and both give us thumbs up and go, “Keep going, you’ve got this! It’ll be so worth it! Don’t give up!”

And my dad and I just kind of looked at each other like, “What?”

It was actually kind of funny, but also made me feel weirdly self conscious. We hadn’t even broken a sweat, nor were even breathing hard, we were maybe 10 minutes into the hike and were passing people… How bad did we look that someone felt the need to try and convince us not to give up? We kind of teased each other the rest of the trip, while walking across the campsite, “Keep going, you got this!” And stuff like that but it’s been on my mind since then. We also didn’t see them say this to anyone else on the trail, even though there were some people who were looking like they were struggling.

It kinda made me realize that I don’t want to hear encouragement like that when hiking. I’ve never done half dome for example, but I hear when you’re going up, the people coming down constantly give words of encouragement. I wouldn’t mind a simple “good luck” or something, but I feel like unless you’re like laying on the side of the trail, hearing “You’ve got this, don’t give up!” is more annoying/demoralizing than encouraging, but I’m wondering if I’m alone here.

As a law enforcement park ranger, I have led search and rescue missions in some of the most beautiful (and dangerous) landscapes across America, from Yosemite to the Grand Canyon. I know what really happens behind the scenery. So, I’m not shocked that hikers go missing every year. But when I learned that three healthy young men had vanished from the Pacific Crest Trail and no one could find them, I couldn't let it go.

Although I first surmised Chris Sylvia, Kris Fowler, and David O’Sullivan must have joined the long list of nature’s casualties, the fact that their bodies have not been recovered is disturbing. After all, Mother Nature is not the only killer lurking along our trails. In addition to the lions, snakes, and bears inhabiting the PCT, there are liars, con artists, and thieves. The trail made famous by Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, Wild, has also been the stomping ground of at least one kidnapper, a rapist or two, dozens of ill-tempered cannabis farmers, some homicidal maniacs, and a cult.

What happened to the PCT Missing? Where ARE they? And why can’t anyone find their bodies?

UPDATE: I'll be away from my computer, but I believe these questions, especially the hiker safety related ones, are important for us to discuss. So I will check back off and on to answer anything y'all post. Thank you everyone!

You can read more about my mission to find the PCT missing in my forthcoming book https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/andrea-lankford/trail-of-the-lost/9780306831959/?lens=hachette-books (on sale 8/22).

Ask or tell me anything.

For more information on the PCT missing:
Fowler-O’Sullivan Foundation: https://fofound.org/
Missing from the Pacific Crest Trail: https://www.facebook.com/pctmissing.org/

PROOF: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fpp61mxm36gib1.png
I will be answering at 3pm ET!