High Sierra Topix

Since he was paying for his campsite day to day it would make to most sense
to me that he would do Ritter, especially since he took his crampons, would
not need for Banner. Did he use a backpacking stove, if yes is it missing? How
about his sleeping bag/sleeping pad? Did he hitch hike? If yes, then there could
be some foul play involved?

Those members that were out during 7/16 in the Minarets area please check the
photo and then take a second look to see if you may have seen Matt while out
especially in the Ediza to 1000 Island Lake region.
Many of us are familiar with this area so any conjecture on where Matt possible
could have been headed would be appreciated. Thank you for anything you can
add to help Tom and Matt's family.

Hi Tom,

Sorry your welcome to HST has to be under these circumstances. I wonder about the Mt Lyell scenario. If his car was left in Mammoth and he had stayed at Shady Rest while having his car fixed, how would he get to Tuolumne? Is there a bus that goes there? In contrast there are many ways of getting to the trailheads out of the Mammoth area from there, needless to say.

Whereas most would go after Lyell from Tuolumne, the distance to the base of Lyell is about 3 mi more going out from Agnew Mdw over Donohue Pass, but with considerably more elevation gain than one would have to do going out of Tuolumne. In contrast it is nearly is a touch shorter than going from Tuolumne to nearly even (depending on route), with more elevation gain than Tuolumne if one went from Silver Lake over Donohue Pass, but the transport issue is still there.

Ritter, on the other hand, is much closer to Mammoth. It would seem to me that since his car was at Mammoth the more convenient scenario for him would be to go after Ritter instead of Lyell. Accordingly, I agree with Maverick, that Ritter was more likely to be Matt's target instead of Lyell.

Thanks everyone- from what I know, Matt's stove was left behind at the campsite with other major camping gear. We don't know about his bivy gear. On Super Topo, it sounds like someone met up with Matt on the shuttle bus on the 11th. They talked about doing Ritter, Banner, Clyde, and the cross country hike between Ediza, Iceberg, Cecile, and Minaret lake. He did Clyde on the 11th according to a text message. While it is possible that Matt hitchhiked, he more likely took the shuttle.

The Yosemite rangers are checking the logs for Lyell tomorrow. We're hoping that someone going to ritter can check that as well. What we need now is something that places Matt somewhere. Again, the day in question is July 17th, which was a Wednesday. Thank you all again!

Tom

SAR just rechecked the guidebook and Ritter and Banner were torn out. Matt always does this right before his trip. I feel confident that he was going there. We really need to check that log book. If anyone is going there or could go tomorrow, that would be extremely helpful.

Tom,

Can you find out the make, model, and color of his bivy, and backpack. Did he
use trekking poles, if yes what make? What clothing, short or long sleeve shirt, long
or short pants, hat, color and make? What shoes? The more info about make, model, and
color you can post the more likely it is that someone will have notice this in passing
unless they got into a conversation with him.

Posted the link to the news story on VVR's Facebook page on the off chance someone is headed north from there in the near future. Hope Matt is found soon.

Edit: Also posted the link to this thread on the HST FB page.

If Matt talked about Clyde, Banner, and Ritter and then did Clyde it seems unlikely he went off to Lyell unless..(see below). I wonder if he was doing a whole series of dayhikes in the Minarets, Ritter, Banner group, given that he left his camping gear at his campsite?

Another thing that is a bit puzzling is that if he was last seen or in contact with someone on the 16th what did he do between the 11th, when he climbed Clyde, and the 16th when most recent contact was made? Or is the 16th the most recent contact? Someone who is as active a mountaineer as Matt could have easily climbed Ritter, Banner, and other Minarets, as well as doing his planned off trail route in the days 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. If this was the case, the 17th may have well have been a day he took a shuttle to Tuolumne Meadows and went after Lyell, given that he had done all of his major climbing objectives in the Ritter area by the 16th. Under that scenario, though, I really have a hard time believing that he would take a shuttle to Tuolumne but not plan to backpack to Lyell (ie overnight gear left behind in Mammoth). Dayhiking Lyell from Tuolumne is pretty extreme (>30 mile round trip). I know some folks that have done it, but you really need an early start, earlier, I suspect, than one would be afforded by any shuttle.

Thanks everyone-

All we know is that Matt did not do Ritter as of the 13th. If he did it on the 14th, 15th or 16th, the I think Lyell was where he went on the 17th. If not, the he went to Ritter on the 17th. In taking crampons, boots, and axe, Ritter seems logical. Either way, log books are critical and may narrow this down.

Matt had yellow LaSportiva Nepal Extremes, a dark grey/black pack, blue hat, and was probably wearing a long sleve shirt with a darker (green/black) short sleeve on top. Not sure about Bivy gear color or make (can't remember). Thanks!

Tom

Yellow LaSportiva Nepal Extreme: https://www.google.com/search?q=yellow+ ... 92&bih=886" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What about approach shoes? Try to find out about the bivy, if he was in it and
someone passed by it the make, model, and color would be helpful, check photos
of recent trips together, or ones he took with friends.
All and any info is important Tom.