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Jilli
Trad climber
Livermore, California/ Dunedin NZ
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Aug 26, 2013 - 11:46pm PT
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Klimmer, I'm with you... very intriguing points. Same with others.
QUESTION:
Where is this info sourced? :
Make: Personal Optics (Reading Glasses)
Model: 000912 Ferrix Black
I cannot find it in the million pages above.... need to know for sure- been talking with an employee at Rite Aid.
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Aug 26, 2013 - 11:53pm PT
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Jilli,
The words "Personal Optics"and "Ferrix" (and I think the number) were on the temples of the glasses themselves. The police chief called the glasses "cheaters," which is a slang term for store-bought reading glasses.
I think Klimmer said that Personal Optics model wasn't currently available. Unfortunately, that might imply that what was found was someone's old reading glasses...
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Aug 27, 2013 - 12:15am PT
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A heartfelt thanks to Cragman and Cupcake for your courageous search! I'm very glad you're both back safe.
Cragman, I hope you get a good night's sleep and that your neck and shoulder feel better soon.
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crankster
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 12:16am PT
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Good job, crag, can't do much more than you've done.
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SplitPants
Social climber
LA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 12:31am PT
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Thanks cragman and cup!
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crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 12:34am PT
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Welcome back C & C...glad you're both safe and sound.
Klimmer, et al, I wear contacts for extreme nearsightedness. I am now in my, ahem, 40s and need to wear "cheater" reading glasses over my contacts in certain light and if print is really small.
I've learned a lot about eyesight being so nearsighted myself and having explored Lasik (not done yet but that's another thread). Matt's family already said he didn't wear readers and I'm really inclined to think he's still too young to need them.
I also don't think that style found at the Craters is uncommon - it's just a modern, popular style that you see from every eyeglass manufacturer, expensive or inexpensive. While I wish it were a concrete clue I just don't think they're Matt's.
Any news out of Rite Aid re. receipt and video? If Mammoth PD is still monitoring this site maybe they can fill us in.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Aug 27, 2013 - 01:32am PT
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Finn said ...
Aug 25, 2013 - 07:17pm PT
Again, I can't say enough about the amazing folks helping out here!!!
Here is a bit more information and my observations on Matt regarding his glasses, climbing experience and climbing partners.
On our last trip to the Gunks, Matt wore his glasses up in the car, then changed into his contacts just before we got there for climbing. He then switched back to glasses on the way home. I believe he had done this before as well on other trips. On this last trip, he and I spoke about contacts a little - I asked why he changed his, as I just leave mine in for a few weeks then change them out. I can't remember the why, but he was telling me that it didn't or wouldn't work for him - maybe the type he had?
Regarding Matt's experience on Hard Ice, his friend John can certainly give better information than me, but I do know that he has had a reasonable amount of experience on moderately difficult north east ice climbs (multi-pitch at Poke O..) I don't believe Matt led hard ice, but has followed many routes. Taking one axe it seems he planned on an alpine day.
Matt has significant trad climbing experience. He lead trad up to gunks 5.9 and sport to 5.11. I was recently using his guide book from the City of Rocks where he noted many sends in the 5.10 and 5.11 range.
I also believe that Matt has done several of the 50 classic climbs of North America - some of his other climbing pals might be able to give better details / specifics than me.
Matt is a strong energetic climber - always ready to go, but never reckless or even remotely reckless on the rope. He is always careful and calculated - high level focus.
Here is some other information that I haven't read much about - so I'll offer it up to the group think/effort in the hope that it helps find answers. Matt has from time to time picked up climbing partners on-line from places like Mountain Project. If he was in an area and wanted to do a bigger / more technical route - he would find a partner on-line and climb for the day with that person. He told me about a few epics / minor epics he'd had because of the lack of skill of some of these partners - despite what they claimed. It would not have suprised me at all if he had met someone on or off line to climb with during that period of time - particularly since he had no wheels. So it would have been a good deal for him to find someone on-line and maybe they picked him up on the 17th for an early alpine start.
I also believe that Matt certainly would have hitchhiked to get to a trail head if needed (in this lack of car situation he was in) or just asked someone in town he had been talking with for a ride - or another person at his camp site area.
As you can see by Matt's blog that was posted - he was always going. He was the kind of guy that would get up and do a 6 mile cross-country ski (solo) before everyone else had finished their morning coffee. He'd then go off and do something for the day with the group.. More skiing or climbing.
I would just like to say thanks again for everyone's help - the caring and energy is amazing!!
Greg
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Note he says that Matt was in the habit of going from glasses to contacts and back to glasses again.
What did he do to read up close when he had his contacts in?
Is it possible he had a pair of reading glasses to wear over his contacts for a moment while he was trying to read up-close like others have admitted they have had to do?
If all his glasses looked similar, then who would know if he ever did this, unless he told them? You wouldn't really know through casual observance.
On our last trip to the Gunks, Matt wore his glasses up in the car, then changed into his contacts just before we got there for climbing. He then switched back to glasses on the way home. I believe he had done this before as well on other trips. On this last trip, he and I spoke about contacts a little - I asked why he changed his, as I just leave mine in for a few weeks then change them out. I can't remember the why, but he was telling me that it didn't or wouldn't work for him - maybe the type he had?
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Aug 27, 2013 - 03:14am PT
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Klimmer, while this is certainly possible, Matt was 39. Most nearsighted 39-year-olds can see perfectly well close up with their glasses or contacts. (I know I could. Not any more…)
And even if Matt was one of those rare 39-year-olds with presbyopia (in which the eyes lose their ability to adjust to close-up vision), I don’t think that would have been nearly as seamless or invisible as you think. People who need reading glasses spend time hunting for them, walk around with them dangling around their neck, and squint at things and hold them at arm’s length when they can’t find the reading glasses. We know he had regular glasses and used them as alternatives to his contacts, but we have no reports of him juggling two pairs of glasses along with the contacts.
Also, if he had very recently realized, oh crap, I can’t see things close up any more, then I think he would have had a pair of new reading glasses, not a pair that’s apparently no longer available. Just my opinion.
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KellyDoesntClimb
Social climber
Dunwoody, GA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 03:14am PT
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So the post on SP on 7/16, was it truly at 246PM PDT?
I'd love to see the document. I am still updating the map on google for anyone and everyone to see.
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mattyj
Mountain climber
Truckee
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Aug 27, 2013 - 05:17am PT
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QITNL, I largely agree with you. I've tried to limit my posting as I feel like this thread is starting to run a little out of control, it's getting harder to keep up with the facts, and I don't want to aggravate that. Even simple information like whether he only brought one pair of crampons out to CA or intentionally chose step-ins over strap-ons that day - it's impossible to keep track with all the chatter.
That said, at this point we're all just dopes on the internet. As much as I might disagree with some of the things being discussed here, I certainly can't crown myself king of the forum and start demanding that those conversations be dispatched to PM land.
Why isn't foul play near the top of the list? I think that's more plausible than him falling into some stupid little crater lake. There is no snow here this summer. You couldn't fall into a cravasse if you jumped into it.
I wouldn't have responded except for this. Over the last two weeks (edit: 1 week), two people have died on the east side in terrain that Matt probably wouldn't have though twice about doing solo. I don't see how you can so cavalierly dismiss the chance of him encountering a backcountry accident.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Aug 27, 2013 - 08:15am PT
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Compton...Interesting about the blue diamonds..? The blue diamond trails are mostly 2-wheel drive logging roads that see lots of multi-use traffic....They are not something that a hiker would choose to hike on due to lack of asthetics..I could see Matt going for a run on one of these trails but they aren't single track or something that is marketed as a hiking trail...
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Aug 27, 2013 - 08:23am PT
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Aug 27, 2013 - 05:01am PT
RM217's post about blue diamonds/crystals in dreams from 3 seperate people that knew Matt in PA is intriguing. Perhaps I missed it, but has the Blue Diamond xcountry ski trail that begins in Shady Rest been walked?
http://www.cityconcierge.com/mammoth-lakes/community/blue-diamond-trail-map
Compton,
Yes I agree thanks for that. Helpful and thinking outside of the box but considering what people have been experiencing.
Cragman,
Way to show your horns my Christian brother and so publicly. Nice.
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tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 08:33am PT
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Cragman has the full support of the family. He has traveled to the edge of the world for us, put himself in danger, if anyone is our 'leader' he is!
If anyone is the most knowledgeable he is. He has been on over 700 SAR’s. He knows the land, he knows what he is doing. I can go on and on but I all I can say is THANK YOU DEAN!
Ron
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michelle0607
climber
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Aug 27, 2013 - 09:11am PT
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And back to some facts.........
Did anyone mention a list of items that were left in the tent/car? I know the group has asked about specific items, but I was wondering if there was a full list.
1) Matt appears to be a runner. Were his running shoes in the items he left behind?
2) Would he have worn the yellow boots from the campground to the trailhead (however he might have traveled to get there)? If not, what should did he wear (if known)? Note: I am obviously showing my ignorance here. I frequent 3 trailheads, but it's flat, hot, and marshy where I live. Completely different equipment.
3) It was mentioned that he switches from glasses to contacts to glasses on hikes. Was there a contact case is his belongings? I know I used to travel with 1 and sometimes two cases when I used contacts. If there isn't a contact case in his belongings, it indicates that he meant to hike or leave for a long day.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Aug 27, 2013 - 09:12am PT
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It is though Matt went missing from the evening of July 16 to early morning July 17th, 2013. Vanished. No trace.
No one has come forward that has seen him that last period of time. No one has come forward that gave him a ride to the trail-head or that saw him in the back-country. People hike, climb, and get around, even when you're out there, there are chance meetings before you get out into the thick of things at trail-heads, parking lots, etc. People would know that they've seen him or bumped into him. They would remember.
Seems to me foul play. He probably got a ride or hitched or maybe even met someone in camp to help do so, and that person knows what happened.
Someone said upstream gather the usual suspects? Who? Premonitions. Look close-by.
I keep saying pay attention to the dreams, premonitions, glasses etc. Maybe the glasses are a red-herring, but I still say pay attention. Too many very interesting coincidences and premonitions from unrelated people who knew Matt. Things are being said but not in a direct way.
PAY ATTENTION.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Aug 27, 2013 - 09:32am PT
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"It is though Matt went missing from the evening of July 16 to early morning July 17th, 2013. Vanished. No trace."
Congratulation dude. What took you so long?
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Aug 27, 2013 - 09:33am PT
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does it seem odd to anyone else that his stuff was thrown in storage and the cops were never called? do people routinely abandon their fully set up camps? Campground staff long term locals with clean backgrounds? Who made the decision to break down his camp.rifle through his stuff and throw it in storage without a word to anyone else? SOP?
Edit:..wow. pretty ugly...
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SplitPants
Social climber
LA
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Aug 27, 2013 - 09:49am PT
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Wow quite some reading this morning with my coffee.
Ron +100 for cragman comments
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