Missing friend in Mammoth Lakes area

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crankster

Trad climber

Jul 16, 2014 - 05:54pm PT

Nice points, LAhiker. I've been looking through Secor trying to put myself in Matt's place. I'm leaning towards Ken or Michael Minaret.

CA.Timothy

climber

California

Jul 16, 2014 - 07:10pm PT

The missing helmet detail is so weird. Is Matt the kind of cautious where he would decide not to do a climb if he realized he had forgotten his helmet? Why would he head into that loose stuff on Michael if wearing a helmet was his MO?

EDIT

I looked at one of the sites made for matt and answered my own question I guess.

Quote from climbing friends Jill & John "I asked my husband "Would Matt climb easy 5 class rock without a helmet? ' This was his response...Possibly. But the decision to wear the helmet would be more a function of the nature of the terrain he planned to visit, the potential for rock or ice fall, the potential of other people climbing above, etc. He might wear a helmet on a less technical climb with poor rock quality and choose not wear a helmet on a harder climb with clean rock. From what I saw in the Minarets, there aren't too many places I would be comfortable without a helmet. That's one of the things that's never made sense to me with this whole thing; why he wouldn't have a helmet in that area."
Per Jill "From what i observed from Matt if he needed a helmet for a climb and forgot it. he wouldn't do the climb!!! I don't see him forgetting his helmet."

Ron Minto

Social climber

Bethlehem PA

Jul 16, 2014 - 08:24pm PT

When Matt said "I'm going to the minarets tomorrow, " to me, means he meant exactly that. He would not mix words. instead, he would have said I am going to Clyde or a specific peak. I know nothing about the area or hiking, so if this a stupid question, please let me know. I have thick skin.

Is it possible to traverse the minarets without attempting a peak? For example, can a person move along the area, in a relatively safe way (3rd class), and say "I hiked the minarets"?

If so, what is the size of the area? Just curious, I understand the terrain and that regardless of the square miles/km the size is not relatively significant.

Also- seamstress...thanks and keep a weather eye on the horizon.

Kalimon

Social climber

Ridgway, CO

Jul 16, 2014 - 08:26pm PT

If it is your time . . . no helmet will be required.

Ron Minto

Social climber

Bethlehem PA

Jul 16, 2014 - 08:32pm PT

Kalimon - if you can please only add insight of value that would be highly appreciated.

Kalimon

Social climber

Ridgway, CO

Jul 16, 2014 - 08:34pm PT

Whatever Ron.

Carry on bro.

crankster

Trad climber

Jul 16, 2014 - 08:40pm PT

Ron, good question. Answer: a climber would not "hike" the Minarets. It wouldn't make sense. It's all broken talus & scree, difficult to navigate. You endure it to get to a summit, but you wouldn't traverse it for any logical reason.

I agree on your point about him specifically heading to the Minaret's, not an adjacent peak like Mt. Ritter. My only hesitation on giving that a 100% is if he was talking to a group of hikers new to the area, not climbers, he might have mentioned a landmark they would easily recognize.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

extraordinaire

Jul 16, 2014 - 09:21pm PT

... you wouldn't traverse it for any logical reason.

Apparently Croft didn't get the memo.

crankster

Trad climber

Jul 17, 2014 - 06:39am PT

Croft did summits. The question was about hiking around the base. Let's don't sweat the small stuff...

Ron Minto

Social climber

Bethlehem PA

Jul 17, 2014 - 02:46pm PT

crankster, thanks for answering my question. It's clear now.

LAhiker

Social climber

Los Angeles

Jul 20, 2014 - 11:19pm PT

With Tiffany’s blessing, I’m trying to generate more leads by getting photos of pages from summit registers in the Minarets from the time around and after Matt disappeared on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 – say, from ~7/12/13 to ~7/31/13.

This is not to see whether Matt signed the registers (for most likely Minarets we know this), but rather to find the names of people who may have seen or interacted with him or who could provide other useful information. People who signed the registers before or on that Wednesday might have spoken with Matt, might have still been camping/climbing in the area, or might have been hiking out when he was hiking in. People signing registers later in the month might have seen some of his gear or noticed something amiss.

SAR has already done this with Ritter and Banner, taking pictures of the relevant pages and trying to reach people who might have seen Matt.

I think the most frequently climbed Minaret is Clyde, so it might be especially helpful to get pictures of the relevant pages from that register, but other registers may also be helpful. So, if you have pictures of pages of Minaret registers within this time period, please send me a message.

Some Minarets don’t have registers. Here’s a list of the more southerly Minarets, with comments about their summit registers:

And here are the more northerly Minarets:

Some of the info about the registers isn't very recent, so please let me know if there are any errors or things to add. Thanks!

BTW, it’s great that we have the “Minarets” lead from the campers -- I hope we get more leads through people seeing the flyers...

crankster

Trad climber

Jul 21, 2014 - 07:03am PT

Excellent work, LAhiker.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

extraordinaire

Jul 21, 2014 - 09:49pm PT

Was hoping for (usually good) view of Ritter Range from above McCloud Lake today, but cloudy/ bad light (I blame mother nature).

HighTraverse

Trad climber

Bay Area

Jul 22, 2014 - 03:46pm PT

Ron posted the following very useful info and I want to make some observations:

When Matt said "I'm going to the minarets tomorrow, " to me, means he meant exactly that.

In casual talk this could include Ritter and Banner. I've sometimes meant to include R&B when I've said "Minarets"

Is it possible to traverse the minarets without attempting a peak? For example, can a person move along the area, in a relatively safe way (3rd class), and say "I hiked the minarets"?

unlike crankster I would say yes, depending on how you define traverse and hike. For me, 3d class is "hiking". I'd guess Matt might make the same simplification.

Let's take a loose meaning.
Then with mountain boots and axe one can hike easily from Ediza to Iceberg Lake to Cecile then, over South Notch, all around Amphitheater Lake, around the Southwest side of Adams and even climb Adams, 2d class.
One could continue along the scenic and not so often visited western base all the way to Ritter Pass (not officially named), then back to Ediza. You might want an axe on South Notch and Ritter Pass. I'd carry one.
From what we know of Matt, this would be a big day but not impossible. A fine, moderate finish to an excellent climbing trip. Obviously the entire circuit isn't necessary, one could go outbound till reasonably tired, or watching the clock, and return the same way.

If so, what is the size of the area? Just curious, I understand the terrain and that regardless of the square miles/km the size is not relatively significant.

Better to think in terms of travel hours than miles. See my note above.
For Matt's day out we have to include from one of the trailheads in Devil's Postpile. Most likely the northern Agnew Meadow TH. Two - three hours from TH to Iceberg (northern route) or Cecile (southern route) lakes. More like 2 hours for Matt with a light pack.
Minarets / Ritter-Banner routes that Secor lists as 3d class are candidates for Matt without helmet. I'll make a complete list this week and post it here. (I won't have time tonight or tomorrow)

Another note. We've recently learned of a good climber (can't remember his name just now) falling and breaking his leg descending Goddard. Not a difficult route. A misstep in big talus or above a moat can quickly become a serious problem when alone. We don't need to be even on 3d class terrain to come to grief.

crankster

Trad climber

Jul 22, 2014 - 05:27pm PT

I don't think that's an unreasonable scenario, HT. Certainly in the realm of possibility given all that is known. It doesn't change the potential search area much, which is basically the entire Ritter/Banner/Minarets region.

Sure wish I could ask him, "Hey, Matt, why'd you leave your helmet behind?" (Among some other very obvious questions)