[Schroder]

This is the terrain they're searching in

Photos from Everett Mountain Rescue

[brewermd]

Schroder, thank you for being the voice of reason.

[asdf]

Coming back to this after 5 days on trail and am saddened to see she has not yet been found. Those suspecting something nefarious, I would not jump to that conclusion just yet. All it would take is a bit of a deviation off trail, a fall into some thick undergrowth, and one's remains might not be found for a decade. I do agree it is looking less and less likely that she will be found alive.

[Wikkedt]

Hi, I have a couple of questions that Im hoping someone can answer about vesper. How long from the trailhead to summit, for your average Joe, in average to good physical shape. Tia

[Chief Joseph]

[TheFlash]

[bk]

To Wikkedt's question about time and distance . . . . . . very rough numbers . . . dist. to Vesper summit: ~4 miles elev. gain: ~4,000 feet time (one-way): 4 hours (Time calculated using a walking-time rule-of-thumb variation of Naismith's rule . . . adding time for some rests . . . ) (...add more time if you're looking for someone, or something . . . or enjoying the views ) Not sure why you're asking. If you're asking because you're thinking of hiking up there, yourself, for your first time . . . . . . when you get to the mouth of this basin (starting at the square in this [very sketchy] map, there is an illusion where the turn to the west [corrected from "east" to say "west"] to ascend to Headlee Pass (the circle area, very approx.) is not visible from the square area . . . and it's not visible even during most of the trek south, up the basin. Even savvy, seasoned hikers, hiking this for their first time, have been known to cut-up early, mistakenly, (at the "X" location) and pre-maturely head west [corrected from "east" to say "west"] up at least one gully too soon (and then have to backtrack). One has to go clear back to the headwall of the basin . . . to the vertical backwall . . . before the turn-off to Headlee visibly reveals itself. It's quite the illusion. (This is not to suggest that Sam had this issue. Since she had done this hike before, she certainly knew about hiking clear back to the headwall . . . and, it's not an issue coming back on the return hike . . . . this is just for you, Wikkedt, if you're thinking of going there for the first time, for yourself....)

[Wikkedt]

Thanks for your reply.. will do!

[protectkidz]

I can't seem to post a pic, but follow this link to a new flyer with updated FAQ with some answers to some questions: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10160694923610254&set=gm.204339593771876&type=3&theater&ifg=1

[AlpineRose]

Sorry, wikkedt, at the risk of belaboring the obvious: if you cannot discern the details you were soliciting here (and drifting the thread) from your own examination of a map, Vesper is not the hike for you. There is an intense search already going on.

[Schroder]

Here are maps of the searched areas that Kevin Dares has posted.

Bootprints mentioned earlier were found not to be Sam's.

[RumiDude]

This is discouraging because it has been 12 days now. If it is true that she reached the summit of Vesper and then started back down, that eliminates a lot of territory. If she did not reach Vesper, that would seemingly eliminate even more area she could possibly be. If she is not found soon, then there will have to come a point in the mext week or so that the active search is called off. That is going to be a difficult call for the family and friends. Rumi

[vasiSAR]

I am a member of a SAR team, but not involved in this mission. Participating in a search like this is totally consuming both mentally and physically. Even after several exhausting days in the woods, you go to bed and are kept awake thinking about where the person might be. Mentally retracing your path in the woods, speculating what the person may have done to become lost. Before volunteering as a SAR ground searcher, I had no idea of the extreme physical pain that a group of volunteer men and women will endure to bring a lost person home. Going off trail in conditions the average hiker would never consider to venture. Having reviewed the topography of the search area, I have the greatest respect for the challenges the searchers have endured during this mission. I am hoping, wishing and preying she is found.

[AlpineRose]

There are many of us who are in total awe of and have so much admiration for what SAR does. As well, we completely understand the witchery of the terrain being searched in this case. Thanks for the heartfelt reminder of what's involved for the men, women (and dogs!) doing this work and the toll it takes. I do hope the family is donating a good portion of funds from their gofundme account to SAR, since the "what you can do" list from that facebook page does not include donating to SAR.

[asdf]

Hey Vasi, What are the requirements of a SAR volunteer? I've been thinking of getting more involved and I would like to contribute back. But I do have a 'day job' as a 9-5er.