Minnesota Man Lost & Found - Peter's Mesa - 2010

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SuperstitionGuy
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Minnesota Man Lost & Found - Peter's Mesa - 2010

Post by SuperstitionGuy »

Jim,

When we arrived at the junction of 88 and the road in to Tortilla Ranch this morning to continue or search for Jesse Capen. There was a lady there waiting for her husband who had went backpacking on Tuesday morning and did not return Wednesday evening. He was doing a loop out the JF, Hollie Bacon, Red Tanks, LaBarge Canyon and Peters Trail.

We left a message with the SSAR hotline to notify the Maricopa County Sheriff's office to commence the search and told the woman to wait in her car there for the MCSO Deputy. We also told her to stop any law enforcement vehicle that she saw on 88. We went on ahead and began walking the route in reverse in hopes of meeting her husband.

When we reached the first saddle I was able to cell phone my wife and get Coopers cell phone number and call him direct. The SSAR hotline # I had used earlier was out of date and no longer in use even though the phone answered and allowed us to leave a message. I.E. Robert never got the message. He then called MCSO to have them initiate contact with the missing mans wife and commence the search.

Dennis and I hiked out to the saddle that overlooks Peters Canyon/trail as it continues on north and waited there glassing the area for the missing man. We waited and looked for two hours and then returned leaving the note on your windshield and found that the MCSO Deputy had just arrived at the junction of 88 and the road into Tortilla Ranch. He volunteered the fact that he got the message hours later from his dispatch because he had been in a training class. I.E. the official search got started many hours late and when we left the area around 6 PM they still had not sent searchers out but there was a helicopter in the air.

We hope you made it out ok and home.

Owen....
Last edited by SuperstitionGuy on Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by SuperstitionGuy »

Jim,

When you drove off 88 there were two vehicles beside the one with the trailor. One of those vehicles was the backpackers the other was his wife who should have been in the vehicle. We told her to stop and talk to all vehicles heading in to Tortilla Ranch. Obviously she did not or you would have continued on to the Peters Trailhead and joined us.

I do not know the status of the search for her husband. Was there CAMRA or MCSO vehicles at the parking lot next to 88 when you left?

I am taking my grandsons up Fish Creek tomorrow morning for a day hike. I will stop and question MCSO if they are still there.

Owen....
Jim Hatt

Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by Jim Hatt »

Hi Owen,

There was only one car parked at the trailhead when I came out this evening. It was a small dark blue car with nobody in it.

Do you know anything about the helicopters flying around the area after dark last night?

Jim
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by SuperstitionGuy »

Jim,

Yes, they were searching for the overdue backpacker that I mentioned in the post that I made earlier. I suspect that they found him as both his and her vehicle were gone and there were no MCSO vehicles at the parking lot when you left. I will call this couple tomorrow evening unless they call me first as I did ask the wife to let me know what happened. I know their names and have their telephone number but can't publish it on a website because of the confidentially of searches. Also there has been no news about this search therefore I believe it has already been completed successfully.
Jim Hatt

Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by Jim Hatt »

Thanks for the update Owen. When you talk to them get as much into as you can about what happened, and ask them if it is alright to post the details on this website. Stories with happy endings are appropriate for this topic too, and I am sure everyone would like to know why he didn't come out when he had planned to.

Jim
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by javaone »

Hi Jim, Glad you made it back safely,

As you can see, we all held down the fort for you while you were gone. :) I even chased off a couple of "Googlers" for you. :lol:

Jerry
Jim Hatt

Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by Jim Hatt »

Thanks Jerry, I moved the Google Earth topic, over into Roy and Beth's Forum (when they weren't looking). You can just send them over there. :mrgreen:
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by SuperstitionGuy »

I and my grandsons drove out as far as the Tortilla Trailhead late this morning and it was raining all the way from Apache Junction. We decided not to go down Fish Creek Hill as it would not be practical for us to hike and climb our way upstream with the amount of rain that we were experiencing.

There were two vehicles at the trailhead and I suspect that they were just day hikers. There was no evidence of a search in progress.

We returned to Tortilla Flat and the boys played alongside the creek downstream of the road while I sat in front of the resturant visiting with the snow birds. When the boys got to cold and wet we went into the resturant and had a meal before heading back to town. We also visited the Superstition Mountain museum before heading back to Queen Creek and home.
Last edited by SuperstitionGuy on Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by silent hunter »

I dont ever stay in that place in the rain. :arrow: Super guy was one of those cars you seen at tortilla park lot a new car with no license plate?
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Re: Colorado Man "Goes Missing" in the Superstition Mountains!

Post by SuperstitionGuy »

Yes! It was a four door black KIA Forte with a paper plate. I recorded the # which was 2B00670 and I am concerned as I think it was there Thursday evening around 6 PM when Dennis and I headed home. Lets hope the DPS or MCSO monitors the vehicles and how long they are parked there. We don't need any more lost hikers! Silent Hiker was that car already parked there when you went in Thursday?

My next planned search for Jesse will be Monday and I have yet to confirm transporation in and out. There is a couple of my HAZ website friends that may help me but nothing is confirmed as of yet.
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