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Search for German tourists missing since 1996
#1378 12/19/09 01:43 AM
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Steve C Offline OP
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Bob R sent me a link to his picture album where he participated in a search for evidence after searchers discovered some human remains and a German ID in Death Valley.  (Thank you, Bob!)

Here's the link to Bob's pictures: 2009-12-04 Death Valley search
Bob R's intro:
Quote:
In July 1996, four German tourists--a man and woman, and their two young sons--disappeared. Three months later, their vehicle was located in an extremely remote area and a massive search ensued, to no avail. Then, last month, human remains and IDs (passport, etc.) were discovered about six miles from where their vehicle had been abandoned.

On this weekend, CLMRG joined other MRA teams from Desert, Inyo, and Riverside, and dog teams from Calaveras, and the NPS, to look for more remains and clues.


Here's one of the pictures.  This was NOT evidence:


Here is a really good blog post discussing last month's discovery of the remains: Off duty RMRU pair find remains likely those of missing German tourists It was a wine bottle in the middle of nowhere that tipped off the discovery.

The Inyo County Register article, 12-10-09:
Search team finds more remains in Death Valley


Discussion of the missing tourists, and then the discovery of their remains is here:  4 German tourist, disappeared in Death Valley California 1996   But beware, the gps coordinates given are extrapolated by one of the writers, and are NOT reliable.

It is a sad story. As on writer wrote, "Boy, these people sure made all the wrong decisions, including going in the wrong direction at each turn."

But I am glad their remains have been found.

Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
Steve C #1379 12/19/09 06:41 AM
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Thanks for posting this Steve.
The mystery of the German tourists has been a much discussed topic by the desert folks and the like for 13 years. I have hiked Needle Peak from Butte Valley. It does not get much more remote than that. I am glad the families can finally have closure.

Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
Steve C #1380 12/19/09 07:06 AM
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Steve, thanks for posting those links. After reading each one, I now have a much clearer idea of where these poor folks disappeared. It astounds me that they reached the Anvil Sprngs area in a minivan. I've driven down the valley on the West Side Road several times over the years, but never tried to go very far west on any of those canyon roads in a rental car as they are all designated either 4WD, HC or both. Looking at a map, it seems they managed to cover about 30 miles of some of the most rugged roads in the park - in a minivan, for crying out loud - before their luck ran out.

Sadly, it's just another example of how people underestimate this park, particularly in the summer. Far too many have made the fatal mistake of getting too comfortable in their air-conditioned vehicles and pushing the envelope too far, especially without being properly equipped in case they're stranded. With two young kids along - well, I just don't get it. When I dayhike there in the winter, I always throw my sleeping bag in the trunk each morning, along with the 6-8 gallons of water and food supply I always have handy in the vehicle. And that's with daytime highs rarely exceeding 85 degrees at Badwater. In summer, with the 120s - no way!

Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
Steve C #1383 12/19/09 02:53 PM
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A friend and I have tackled many Death Valley roads in a minivan but we avoid the roads listed in the red for sure, I actually was commenting last time I was there of how you have lots of options for survival if lost or stranded out there since there is allot of springs yet I guess you can't expect the average tourist with probably no knowledge of survival or even a clue it seems to get anywhere.

Anvil Springs?, that is not the worst place to get stuck, if you can get out of the sun until night fall, you can make your way to Warm Springs Camp which has shelter, not sure about the water quality from the spring, leave the wife and kids there and when night falls again it's probably about 15 miles to 178 where you can get picked up.

It's good to put an ending on a mystery though...

Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
RoguePhotonic #1384 12/19/09 03:59 PM
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Yup - there's a reason it's named Death Valley and not Happy Valley.

Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
Bee #1683 01/12/10 12:32 PM
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A darned brilliant re-search by those guys. I've been mulling over the problem of how to go about looking for someone or something that's been missing for years. The SAR guys here apparently looked at the previous search data (from GPS??); then looked at the map the tourists were thought to have. Then tried to look at it from their perspective and where they might go to get help (though it wasn't clear to me their vehicle was stuck or broken??). Even with that, it's a huge area.

Solid work on their part.

George


None of the views expressed here in any way represent those of the unidentified agency that I work for or, often, reality. It's just me, fired up by coffee and powerful prose.
Re: Search for German tourists missing since 1996
George #1687 01/12/10 03:26 PM
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George, I recall the "lost" vehicle had three flat tires when it was found. When the tires went flat, well, I guess that is another question.

I've managed to get two flat tires driving over a single steel-bar scaffold footing that was dropped on the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino. It took me out and a few other cars before the Highway Patrol finally cleared the freeway.

Single flat tires in the back country have stopped me a number of times for tire changes. Not the most fun thing being way out no where. But with only one spare tire, I guess I was lucky. Two flats at the same time would have been the undoing of driving my vehicle and a possible test for survival, depending on the location.


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