4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

A forum to initiate member meet-up. Looking for a hiking/climbing/fishing/skiing/etc. partner, or are you planning a trip where you wouldn't mind having some company? Last minute invites can be just as fun as a well-planned group trip (sometimes even better) so don't be shy! And be sure to post a trip report to the appropriate forum when you get back.
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Harlen
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by Harlen »

Oleander wrote:
...OTOH, I started to wonder what I’d think if I was dead and looking down from the sky upon a group of 13 people deliberately wandering the least-pleasant talus for a fourth summer, to find my bones. I wondered if I might like to shake those people and say: STOP. You have made your attempt. Now let go. Go wander some pretty valleys. Go on a real backpacking or climbing trip. Go have fun. I’d rather watch you have fun.
That's a very interesting point Lisa. I never considered our work from Matthew's perspective, whom I view as sadly dead and gone. OTOH, aren't we performing this effort for MG's family?
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by maiathebee »

I don't have time to research where the search has covered already but I saw on Facebook that someone found an ice axe in a snowfield near Lake Catherine... https://www.facebook.com/groups/7204520 ... 541432950/
oh hey! you're reading my signature.
that's nice. want to check out my blog?
here it is: plutoniclove.com
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by maverick »

Unfortunately it was not Matthew's.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by narkj »

Hey all, it's Jason, the (so-called) journalist. I have been writing and rewriting this story for years now and I believe this trip helped me find an ending. That's difficult, because the searching for a missing person or their remains often has no real ending, nothing to bury.

I have a botany question that perhaps Bill could answer. On the Thursday up there, I went on a short hike with Maverick, Dave and Clark to Volanic Ridge (I had to turn back because of my tent). We were bushwhacking through some chest high vegetation, some kind of shrub I assume, in a valley up there near the tungsten mine. It reminded me of mountain laurel back east, but more dense. Anyone know what it could have been?

Lisa, I've often pondered the same questions, about why people search, what exactly closure means and I still don't really know.
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by sekihiker »

narkj wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:12 am I have a botany question that perhaps Bill could answer. On the Thursday up there, I went on a short hike with Maverick, Dave and Clark to Volanic Ridge (I had to turn back because of my tent). We were bushwhacking through some chest high vegetation, some kind of shrub I assume, in a valley up there near the tungsten mine. It reminded me of mountain laurel back east, but more dense. Anyone know what it could have been?
Hi Jason -
Hopefully someone has photos of the shrubs you saw. If so, I'd be happy to give a try at an ID. Do you remember who you were with?
Bill
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Harlen
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by Harlen »

Jason wrote:
It reminded me of mountain laurel back east, but more dense. Anyone know what it could have been?
We have a couple of dense, but low-growing flowers in the Heath family- Ericaceae- related to your eastern Kalmia. One is often called "Bog laurel," and the Latin for it is either Kalmia polifolia, K. microphylla, or K. polifolia ssp. microphylla, depending on your favorite botanist. You can check these out in "Calflora" Jason.

Another very similar species is the "Red mountain heather," Phyllodoce brewerii, which is found in similar habitats; I believe both could have been present where you guys were hiking, though the latter species is the more common.

Good luck, Ian.

https://images.app.goo.gl/dETPPMGqwn1fDjaZ8

*Couldn't manage to upload a Kalmia image..... Bill?
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by sekihiker »

Here's a link to Kalmia - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29720924
I just looked through all my photos of the area and only thing I can see that would be "chest high vegetation" would be willows.
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by oleander »

Yeah, some of the areas around the tungsten mine is choked with willows.
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by narkj »

From Clark's photos. This particular photo appears to be the stuff I'm thinking of.

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... 59&o=OneUp
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Re: 4th Matthew Greene Search 9/4-9/8/19

Post by c9h13no3 »

I'm no botanist, but they look like willows to me. Get those, some aspens, and then carry some skis on your back and see how fast you go...
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