https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scary-horror-stories--7200307
From ghostly apparitions and unexplained footsteps to sinister figures, paranormal encounters, cursed places and terrifying late-night experiences, each episode follows the moment fear becomes impossible to dismiss. These are stories built around dread, uncertainty and the chilling question of what might be waiting just beyond what you can see. When the final clue appears, will you still believe there was a harmless explanation?]]>enScience Fiction© 2026 OBOMEDIA Creatorshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/578cc2a5dd1453def6434b9ed40ca83d.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scary-horror-stories--7200307Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:03:00 +0000Creator at ObomediaCreator at Obomediacreators@obomedia.comWhat if the sound you heard in the dark wasn’t the house settling? Scary Horror Stories takes you into unsettling encounters where familiar places turn hostile, strange noises become impossible to ignore, and ordinary nights begin hiding something far...
From ghostly apparitions and unexplained footsteps to sinister figures, paranormal encounters, cursed places and terrifying late-night experiences, each episode follows the moment fear becomes impossible to dismiss. These are stories built around dread, uncertainty and the chilling question of what might be waiting just beyond what you can see. When the final clue appears, will you still believe there was a harmless explanation?]]>false04e0f2cf-ba87-53a5-b202-949b61e4da17episodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-toward-the-sound-found-640-feet-below--73180315
A woman who packed five days of food, rigged her tent with practiced care, and arranged insulin for her diabetic cat walked away from a perfectly set campsite - leaving boots, a sleeping bag still slept in, and a pot of dry pasta with two whole bouillon cubes. The search teams later spotted a figure 640 feet below the canyon rim; what did Brenda Johnson hear in the trees that made her climb toward the sound and not return for forty-one hours?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Brenda Johnson's July 11 arrival at the Hollins Pass trailhead through the discovery at Coldwater Draw, laying out the campsite evidence, the last phone call, and the initial search tracking that followed - what could explain a trained outdoor worker leaving everything and climbing toward an unknown noise?

Person: Brenda Johnson
Date: July 11-14, 2019
Location: Hollins Pass trailhead, Weyburn National Forest; Coldwater Draw 640 feet below canyon rim
Status: Missing for forty-one hours before being spotted by helicopter
Case: Abandoned camp with intact gear and undisturbed cooking pot

- Brenda left a titanium pot with water, dry pasta, and two whole bouillon cubes on a cold burner.
- She drove into the Hollins Pass trailhead in early July of 2019 and had a permit and a summit plan for July 14.
- Brenda arranged insulin care for her cat Norris with neighbor Bob Lund by phone from the trailhead on July 11; the call dropped as signal faded.
- Her campsite was three-quarters of a mile up the Saddleback Connector trail with a taut rain fly, staked guylines, and a trekking pole through the fly zipper.
- Search teams found scent moving northeast from camp toward Shatter Bench; a figure was later spotted 640 feet below the canyon rim.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180315Sun, 11 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Toward the Sound - Found 640 Feet Below A woman who packed five days of food, rigged her tent with practiced care, and arranged insulin for her diabetic cat walked away from a perfectly set campsite - leaving boots, a sleeping bag still...
A woman who packed five days of food, rigged her tent with practiced care, and arranged insulin for her diabetic cat walked away from a perfectly set campsite - leaving boots, a sleeping bag still slept in, and a pot of dry pasta with two whole bouillon cubes. The search teams later spotted a figure 640 feet below the canyon rim; what did Brenda Johnson hear in the trees that made her climb toward the sound and not return for forty-one hours?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Brenda Johnson's July 11 arrival at the Hollins Pass trailhead through the discovery at Coldwater Draw, laying out the campsite evidence, the last phone call, and the initial search tracking that followed - what could explain a trained outdoor worker leaving everything and climbing toward an unknown noise?

Person: Brenda Johnson
Date: July 11-14, 2019
Location: Hollins Pass trailhead, Weyburn National Forest; Coldwater Draw 640 feet below canyon rim
Status: Missing for forty-one hours before being spotted by helicopter
Case: Abandoned camp with intact gear and undisturbed cooking pot

- Brenda left a titanium pot with water, dry pasta, and two whole bouillon cubes on a cold burner.
- She drove into the Hollins Pass trailhead in early July of 2019 and had a permit and a summit plan for July 14.
- Brenda arranged insulin care for her cat Norris with neighbor Bob Lund by phone from the trailhead on July 11; the call dropped as signal faded.
- Her campsite was three-quarters of a mile up the Saddleback Connector trail with a taut rain fly, staked guylines, and a trekking pole through the fly zipper.
- Search teams found scent moving northeast from camp toward Shatter Bench; a figure was later spotted 640 feet below the canyon rim.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1102falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-her-journal-open-the-boot-on-sablo-river-rim--73180314
A single size seven women's hiking boot, a folded sock, and a laminated card with eleven words were all that stood between a woman’s meticulous record-keeping and a canyon that swallowed her trace; who leaves a field journal open on a car seat and never returns? This episode follows the oddest clues: a boot snagged in cottonwood roots, a stopped sentence in a dated journal entry, and a river that rose sixteen percent with no rain - what happened on the Sablo River rim?

In this episode, we walk through the sequence of discoveries from the Cuero Trailhead to the Sablo watershed, describing each physical clue found and the timeline surrounding Peggy Hall’s disappearance, and ask how a methodical hiker’s routines were interrupted in the middle of a sentence.

Person: Peggy Hall
Date: June 8-11, 2019
Location: Cuero Trailhead / Sablo River watershed, Garfield County
Status: Missing (no missing persons report on file the morning the boot was found)
Event: 16% river rise over six hours on afternoon of June 9 with no recorded rainfall

- At 6:41 AM on June 11, 2019, Ross Bell found a size seven women’s hiking boot snagged in cottonwood roots on the east bank of the Sablo River.
- The boot’s laces were tied in a double knot and the sock inside was folded down at the ankle; no scuffs or tears suggesting a fall or force were present.
- A laminated card inside the sock had eleven words in blue ballpoint: "WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, TEN PM, CALL IF I HAVEN'T CALLED YOU FIRST." followed by a phone number.
- Peggy Hall signed the Cuero Trailhead register on Saturday, June 8, listing a planned return date of June 11 and made a June 8 journal entry that stopped mid-sentence: "water in the lower Arco is higher than last time, which is odd because".
- The Sablo flow gauge recorded a 16% rise over six hours on the afternoon of June 9, with no logged rainfall or radar storm in the watershed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180314Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left Her Journal Open: The Boot on Sablo River Rim A single size seven women's hiking boot, a folded sock, and a laminated card with eleven words were all that stood between a woman’s meticulous record-keeping and a canyon that swallowed her...
A single size seven women's hiking boot, a folded sock, and a laminated card with eleven words were all that stood between a woman’s meticulous record-keeping and a canyon that swallowed her trace; who leaves a field journal open on a car seat and never returns? This episode follows the oddest clues: a boot snagged in cottonwood roots, a stopped sentence in a dated journal entry, and a river that rose sixteen percent with no rain - what happened on the Sablo River rim?

In this episode, we walk through the sequence of discoveries from the Cuero Trailhead to the Sablo watershed, describing each physical clue found and the timeline surrounding Peggy Hall’s disappearance, and ask how a methodical hiker’s routines were interrupted in the middle of a sentence.

Person: Peggy Hall
Date: June 8-11, 2019
Location: Cuero Trailhead / Sablo River watershed, Garfield County
Status: Missing (no missing persons report on file the morning the boot was found)
Event: 16% river rise over six hours on afternoon of June 9 with no recorded rainfall

- At 6:41 AM on June 11, 2019, Ross Bell found a size seven women’s hiking boot snagged in cottonwood roots on the east bank of the Sablo River.
- The boot’s laces were tied in a double knot and the sock inside was folded down at the ankle; no scuffs or tears suggesting a fall or force were present.
- A laminated card inside the sock had eleven words in blue ballpoint: "WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, TEN PM, CALL IF I HAVEN'T CALLED YOU FIRST." followed by a phone number.
- Peggy Hall signed the Cuero Trailhead register on Saturday, June 8, listing a planned return date of June 11 and made a June 8 journal entry that stopped mid-sentence: "water in the lower Arco is higher than last time, which is odd because".
- The Sablo flow gauge recorded a 16% rise over six hours on the afternoon of June 9, with no logged rainfall or radar storm in the watershed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/found-alive-how-pelham-creek-swallowed-tammy-for-eleven-days--73180313
The forest turned a routine four-mile hike into an eleven-day disappearance, with a clear day, a signed trail register, and a woman found alive 3.2 miles from the trailhead in a direction she had never planned to go - so how did the map stop matching reality? Search-and-rescue notes, a lone yellow surveying rod, and two tracking dogs that abruptly went silent at a creek crossing make this a disorienting wilderness mystery that refuses easy answers.

In this episode, we lay out the documented timeline, the people involved, and the puzzling field observations recorded by coordinators and dog handlers, and ask what the maps missed and why the terrain itself seemed to hide a hiker for more than a week.

Person: Tammy White
Date: May 10, 2019
Location: Pelham Creek trailhead
Status: Found alive after eleven days
Coordinator: John Hoffman

- Tammy signed the trail register at 3:47 PM on May 10, 2019 with an expected return of 7:00 PM.
- Search coordinators arrived by noon on May 11 and had 14 volunteers and 2 dog handlers staged.
- Tammy was found 3.2 miles from the trailhead in a direction she had not planned to go.
- Dogs tracked Tammy’s scent for 1.25 miles, crossed the creek, then stopped and went quiet after covering a 400-meter creek corridor over three hours.
- A yellow surveying rod was found propped against the register post on day one and remained an unresolved anomaly for eight days.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180313Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaFound Alive: How Pelham Creek Swallowed Tammy for Eleven Days The forest turned a routine four-mile hike into an eleven-day disappearance, with a clear day, a signed trail register, and a woman found alive 3.2 miles from the trailhead in a...
The forest turned a routine four-mile hike into an eleven-day disappearance, with a clear day, a signed trail register, and a woman found alive 3.2 miles from the trailhead in a direction she had never planned to go - so how did the map stop matching reality? Search-and-rescue notes, a lone yellow surveying rod, and two tracking dogs that abruptly went silent at a creek crossing make this a disorienting wilderness mystery that refuses easy answers.

In this episode, we lay out the documented timeline, the people involved, and the puzzling field observations recorded by coordinators and dog handlers, and ask what the maps missed and why the terrain itself seemed to hide a hiker for more than a week.

Person: Tammy White
Date: May 10, 2019
Location: Pelham Creek trailhead
Status: Found alive after eleven days
Coordinator: John Hoffman

- Tammy signed the trail register at 3:47 PM on May 10, 2019 with an expected return of 7:00 PM.
- Search coordinators arrived by noon on May 11 and had 14 volunteers and 2 dog handlers staged.
- Tammy was found 3.2 miles from the trailhead in a direction she had not planned to go.
- Dogs tracked Tammy’s scent for 1.25 miles, crossed the creek, then stopped and went quiet after covering a 400-meter creek corridor over three hours.
- A yellow surveying rod was found propped against the register post on day one and remained an unresolved anomaly for eight days.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1276falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-meadow-with-a-boot-and-no-footprints-lost-at-9-400--73180312
A single hiking boot stood upright, unlaced and dry inside, in the center of a frozen meadow pool with no tracks in the mud from any direction-yet that boot was the first sign anyone had that Jessica Keller was missing. How did a right boot end up alone on ice while the person who wore it vanished into wind, temperature drops and unexplained scent termini?

In this episode, we follow the four-day search above the Caldera Creek corridor and the odd clues that kept pointing the wrong way, from surveillance of Jessica's Subaru to canine teams that stopped at an empty spot on Rim Flats. What caused two trained tracking dogs to refuse to move past a precise point in an open meadow?

Person: Jessica Keller
Date: April 2006 (Wednesday April 5, 2006 - Thursday)
Location: Caldera Creek corridor / Rim Flats / Rim Flats
Status: Missing
Event: Single right hiking boot found upright in frozen meadow pool

- Jessica Keller was 48 years old and employed as a billing coordinator at the Farren orthopedic clinic for 11 years.
- She had delivered dinner every Thursday to her mother at Ponderosa Arms for four years without exception.
- Surveillance recorded her Subaru entering the Rim Flats trailhead parking lot at 5:22 PM; there was no footage of it returning.
- Wind at Rim Flats on Wednesday night reached sustained 19 mph, gusting to 31 mph, and temperature dropped to 28°F by 11:40 PM.
- Two dog teams (bloodhound Hooper and Belgian Malinois Petra) independently stopped at the same unmarked point near the center of Rim Flats, logged as a scent terminus, with no physical disturbance.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180312Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Meadow With a Boot and No Footprints: Lost at 9,400 A single hiking boot stood upright, unlaced and dry inside, in the center of a frozen meadow pool with no tracks in the mud from any direction-yet that boot was the first sign anyone had that...
A single hiking boot stood upright, unlaced and dry inside, in the center of a frozen meadow pool with no tracks in the mud from any direction-yet that boot was the first sign anyone had that Jessica Keller was missing. How did a right boot end up alone on ice while the person who wore it vanished into wind, temperature drops and unexplained scent termini?

In this episode, we follow the four-day search above the Caldera Creek corridor and the odd clues that kept pointing the wrong way, from surveillance of Jessica's Subaru to canine teams that stopped at an empty spot on Rim Flats. What caused two trained tracking dogs to refuse to move past a precise point in an open meadow?

Person: Jessica Keller
Date: April 2006 (Wednesday April 5, 2006 - Thursday)
Location: Caldera Creek corridor / Rim Flats / Rim Flats
Status: Missing
Event: Single right hiking boot found upright in frozen meadow pool

- Jessica Keller was 48 years old and employed as a billing coordinator at the Farren orthopedic clinic for 11 years.
- She had delivered dinner every Thursday to her mother at Ponderosa Arms for four years without exception.
- Surveillance recorded her Subaru entering the Rim Flats trailhead parking lot at 5:22 PM; there was no footage of it returning.
- Wind at Rim Flats on Wednesday night reached sustained 19 mph, gusting to 31 mph, and temperature dropped to 28°F by 11:40 PM.
- Two dog teams (bloodhound Hooper and Belgian Malinois Petra) independently stopped at the same unmarked point near the center of Rim Flats, logged as a scent terminus, with no physical disturbance.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1039falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-took-off-her-boots-someone-laced-them-back-why--73180311
A woman’s boots were found double-knotted and deliberately placed on a granite boulder at 10,300 feet with no pack, no tracks, and no one in sight - a scene witnessed by a bird photographer ten hours after the hiker sat down to adjust a liner. Who removed the boots, why were they tied back on an exposed rock, and what happened in the hours that Nicole Osborne cannot remember?

In this episode, we recount the timeline from Nicole Osborne’s solo hike into Ashford Basin through the discovery that launched a search-and-rescue operation, and we follow how the boots, the terrain, and witness reports shaped the early investigation. What does the physical evidence say about the gaps in her memory?

Person: Nicole Osborne
Date: March 14, 2019
Location: Ashford Basin, ten thousand three hundred feet
Status: Found alive after rescue
Occupation: Hydrological technician

- Nicole stopped and removed her left boot at 9:24 AM on March 14, 2019.
- A bird photographer, Denise Davis, photographed the boots at approximately 9:34 AM.
- The boots were found standing, heels flush against the uphill face, toes pointing outward, with laces double-knotted.
- Nicole had been last seen planning to return by 4 PM on March 13 after leaving at 5:50 AM in a gray Toyota Tacoma.
- The overnight low before the search dropped to 19 degrees Fahrenheit.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180311Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Took Off Her Boots. Someone Laced Them Back. Why? A woman’s boots were found double-knotted and deliberately placed on a granite boulder at 10,300 feet with no pack, no tracks, and no one in sight - a scene witnessed by a bird photographer ten...
A woman’s boots were found double-knotted and deliberately placed on a granite boulder at 10,300 feet with no pack, no tracks, and no one in sight - a scene witnessed by a bird photographer ten hours after the hiker sat down to adjust a liner. Who removed the boots, why were they tied back on an exposed rock, and what happened in the hours that Nicole Osborne cannot remember?

In this episode, we recount the timeline from Nicole Osborne’s solo hike into Ashford Basin through the discovery that launched a search-and-rescue operation, and we follow how the boots, the terrain, and witness reports shaped the early investigation. What does the physical evidence say about the gaps in her memory?

Person: Nicole Osborne
Date: March 14, 2019
Location: Ashford Basin, ten thousand three hundred feet
Status: Found alive after rescue
Occupation: Hydrological technician

- Nicole stopped and removed her left boot at 9:24 AM on March 14, 2019.
- A bird photographer, Denise Davis, photographed the boots at approximately 9:34 AM.
- The boots were found standing, heels flush against the uphill face, toes pointing outward, with laces double-knotted.
- Nicole had been last seen planning to return by 4 PM on March 13 after leaving at 5:50 AM in a gray Toyota Tacoma.
- The overnight low before the search dropped to 19 degrees Fahrenheit.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/two-boots-on-the-gate-the-woman-who-vanished-into-pine-shadows--73180310
One insulated women's pac boots, laced tight and dry, stood upright on the second rung of a cattle gate at 5:50 AM on February 5, 2025 - no coat, no pack, no gloves - facing the road as if the owner had been watching out. How did a practiced hunter who knew every drainage and peg vanish into Pallis National Forest for four days while her boots remained neatly arranged at the gate?

In this episode, we follow the timeline that began with a paper carrier's photograph and a 911 call and moves through four days of search-and-rescue, bloodhound tracking, thermal analysis, and a final discovery at 8,000 feet that challenged every assumption. What did the boots mean, and why does that single detail still resist a definitive answer?

Person: Donna Green
Date: February 5, 2025
Location: Orchard Spur Road, edge of Pallis National Forest
Status: Found alive after four days at 8,000 feet
Search-and-rescue lead: Norman Morris

- The discovery time was 5:50 AM when 14-year-old paper carrier Gina Rice photographed the boots.
- The ambient temperature at the time was 11 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Donna Green was 52 years old and had hunted this stretch for 19 years.
- A bloodhound named Wick tracked from the gate to Stand One then stopped at a granite outcropping about 200 yards along the trail.
- A thermal engineer estimated Donna had been at Stand One between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM based on a thermos that was cold but not frozen.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180310Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaTwo Boots on the Gate: The Woman Who Vanished into Pine Shadows One insulated women's pac boots, laced tight and dry, stood upright on the second rung of a cattle gate at 5:50 AM on February 5, 2025 - no coat, no pack, no gloves - facing the road...
One insulated women's pac boots, laced tight and dry, stood upright on the second rung of a cattle gate at 5:50 AM on February 5, 2025 - no coat, no pack, no gloves - facing the road as if the owner had been watching out. How did a practiced hunter who knew every drainage and peg vanish into Pallis National Forest for four days while her boots remained neatly arranged at the gate?

In this episode, we follow the timeline that began with a paper carrier's photograph and a 911 call and moves through four days of search-and-rescue, bloodhound tracking, thermal analysis, and a final discovery at 8,000 feet that challenged every assumption. What did the boots mean, and why does that single detail still resist a definitive answer?

Person: Donna Green
Date: February 5, 2025
Location: Orchard Spur Road, edge of Pallis National Forest
Status: Found alive after four days at 8,000 feet
Search-and-rescue lead: Norman Morris

- The discovery time was 5:50 AM when 14-year-old paper carrier Gina Rice photographed the boots.
- The ambient temperature at the time was 11 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Donna Green was 52 years old and had hunted this stretch for 19 years.
- A bloodhound named Wick tracked from the gate to Stand One then stopped at a granite outcropping about 200 yards along the trail.
- A thermal engineer estimated Donna had been at Stand One between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM based on a thermos that was cold but not frozen.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-lunchbox-on-the-snow-how-a-nine-year-old-vanished-and-returned--73180309
A child's lunchbox sat upright on top of the snowpack at 9,200 feet, containing an untouched peanut butter sandwich, a juice box, and a still-warm activated hand warmer-found at 6:12 a.m. after a night when temperatures reached minus 17°C. How did a nine-year-old carry that box four and a half miles through darkness and stop at a blind curve no one can see until twenty yards away?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events recorded in the trail register, witness accounts, and search-and-rescue logs to outline what happened from the November-eleven style of routine Thursday breakfasts to the hike that began on January 13, 2019 and led to the lunchbox discovery the next morning; what could explain the deliberate turn off the maintained trail and the footprints that continued into broken rock toward Ledge Steps?

Person: Paige Price
Person: Sherry Price
Date: January 13-14, 2019
Location: Forest Service Road Seven-Bravo and Merritt Creek Trailhead, Suttler County
Status: Returned (child found after night on mountain)

- The lunchbox was found at 6:12 a.m. on January 14, 2019 sitting upright on top of the snowpack at 9,200 feet.
- Inside the lunchbox were one untouched peanut butter sandwich, one juice box, and one activated hand warmer that was still warm.
- The last snowfall had ended at 11:15 p.m. the previous night, meaning the lunchbox appeared after that time.
- Sherry logged her hike at the Merritt Creek Trailhead kiosk at 11:07 a.m. on January 13, 2019 with destination "Berry Bench" and estimated return 1:00 p.m.
- Search was activated at 4:30 p.m. on January 13, 2019 after Frank Adler called 911 at 3:51 p.m.; footprints were followed past Berry Bench toward Ledge Steps at roughly 8,600 feet.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180309Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Lunchbox on the Snow: How a Nine-Year-Old Vanished and Returned A child's lunchbox sat upright on top of the snowpack at 9,200 feet, containing an untouched peanut butter sandwich, a juice box, and a still-warm activated hand warmer-found at...
A child's lunchbox sat upright on top of the snowpack at 9,200 feet, containing an untouched peanut butter sandwich, a juice box, and a still-warm activated hand warmer-found at 6:12 a.m. after a night when temperatures reached minus 17°C. How did a nine-year-old carry that box four and a half miles through darkness and stop at a blind curve no one can see until twenty yards away?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events recorded in the trail register, witness accounts, and search-and-rescue logs to outline what happened from the November-eleven style of routine Thursday breakfasts to the hike that began on January 13, 2019 and led to the lunchbox discovery the next morning; what could explain the deliberate turn off the maintained trail and the footprints that continued into broken rock toward Ledge Steps?

Person: Paige Price
Person: Sherry Price
Date: January 13-14, 2019
Location: Forest Service Road Seven-Bravo and Merritt Creek Trailhead, Suttler County
Status: Returned (child found after night on mountain)

- The lunchbox was found at 6:12 a.m. on January 14, 2019 sitting upright on top of the snowpack at 9,200 feet.
- Inside the lunchbox were one untouched peanut butter sandwich, one juice box, and one activated hand warmer that was still warm.
- The last snowfall had ended at 11:15 p.m. the previous night, meaning the lunchbox appeared after that time.
- Sherry logged her hike at the Merritt Creek Trailhead kiosk at 11:07 a.m. on January 13, 2019 with destination "Berry Bench" and estimated return 1:00 p.m.
- Search was activated at 4:30 p.m. on January 13, 2019 after Frank Adler called 911 at 3:51 p.m.; footprints were followed past Berry Bench toward Ledge Steps at roughly 8,600 feet.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-locked-the-gate-surviving-ten-weeks-inside-a-sealed-wilderness--73180308
A woman lived alone for ten weeks inside a 62-square-mile federal burn closure with a tent pitched as if she’d just arrived, a truck moved four miles away, and a gate chain showing fresh scoring-how did no one find her? What did the swapped stakes, the odometer math, and the exit cache actually reveal about why she stayed and how she survived?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events recorded by investigators, rangers, and the people who knew Patricia Smith, tracing her last known movements from Portsmith to the Seco Basin burn perimeter and the unanswered question that drove the search and the later discovery. How did a methodical 28-year-old enter a sealed wilderness, live there alone for ten weeks, and leave a trail only some would later piece together?

Person: Patricia Smith
Location: Seco Basin burn perimeter
Date: December (entered) - February 4 (tent found)
Status: Missing while inside closure; tent discovered upright
Investigator: Tom Briggs

- Patricia had a contractor access key and used it to enter a federal closure that had been locked to the public for six years.
- She wired a red drybag exit cache to the FR‑91 gate post containing three days of food and a backup fuel canister before walking in.
- Sasha Moreno noted the truck’s odometer; investigators later calculated about sixty extra miles consistent with a round trip from Portsmith to the western FR‑91 gate and back to Hollowtree Trailhead.
- Seco Basin Search and Rescue deployed 73 personnel who spent nine days covering roughly 40 square miles and followed a scent line that ended at a creek four miles southeast of the trailhead.
- On February 4, Dennis O’Brien found an orange dome tent standing upright in the snow forty meters off the road inside the sealed burn perimeter, with stakes deliberately swapped and a gate chain showing fresh scoring.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180308Sun, 04 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Locked the Gate - Surviving Ten Weeks Inside a Sealed Wilderness A woman lived alone for ten weeks inside a 62-square-mile federal burn closure with a tent pitched as if she’d just arrived, a truck moved four miles away, and a gate chain...
A woman lived alone for ten weeks inside a 62-square-mile federal burn closure with a tent pitched as if she’d just arrived, a truck moved four miles away, and a gate chain showing fresh scoring-how did no one find her? What did the swapped stakes, the odometer math, and the exit cache actually reveal about why she stayed and how she survived?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events recorded by investigators, rangers, and the people who knew Patricia Smith, tracing her last known movements from Portsmith to the Seco Basin burn perimeter and the unanswered question that drove the search and the later discovery. How did a methodical 28-year-old enter a sealed wilderness, live there alone for ten weeks, and leave a trail only some would later piece together?

Person: Patricia Smith
Location: Seco Basin burn perimeter
Date: December (entered) - February 4 (tent found)
Status: Missing while inside closure; tent discovered upright
Investigator: Tom Briggs

- Patricia had a contractor access key and used it to enter a federal closure that had been locked to the public for six years.
- She wired a red drybag exit cache to the FR‑91 gate post containing three days of food and a backup fuel canister before walking in.
- Sasha Moreno noted the truck’s odometer; investigators later calculated about sixty extra miles consistent with a round trip from Portsmith to the western FR‑91 gate and back to Hollowtree Trailhead.
- Seco Basin Search and Rescue deployed 73 personnel who spent nine days covering roughly 40 square miles and followed a scent line that ended at a creek four miles southeast of the trailhead.
- On February 4, Dennis O’Brien found an orange dome tent standing upright in the snow forty meters off the road inside the sealed burn perimeter, with stakes deliberately swapped and a gate chain showing fresh scoring.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1064falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/el-mismo-objeto-esta-en-dos-lugares-reservar-la-explicacion-tres-chaquetas-para-resolution--73180307
The jacket on her body was dry on the outside despite thirty-one hours in the rain, which suggests someone put it on Emily while she was alive - yet investigators found the very same jacket hanging on a hook in a Dellwood closet; how can one object be in two places at once? What explanation could reconcile a dry jacket, a pingoed cell ping from a living room, and a woman found with two fractured ribs and no memory of eighteen hours?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline and evidence from Emily Vaughn's disappearance and return, laying out the search tactics, the physical clues, and the unresolved data point that investigators labeled "carrier artifact." How did scent trails, water, and technology each tell different parts of the story, and which single detail refuses to resolve?

Person: Emily Vaughn
Age: 56
Location: Spur Lake loop, Kittridge backcountry east of Dellwood, Oregon
Injuries: two fractured ribs and the beginnings of a concussion
Search resources: 42 volunteers, 3 canine teams, 1 drone pilot

- Emily had been in the wilderness for 31 hours and the jacket on her was dry on the outside.
- The Spur Lake loop Emily usually did is 9 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
- Emily's husband called the county sheriff approximately 33 hours after she entered the trailhead.
- Bloodhound and German shepherd scent trails both stopped cleanly near a junction above Raker Point after almost two miles.
- Emily walked directly in the creek bed for almost a quarter mile, dissolving her scent into the water.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180307Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at Obomedia- el mismo objeto está en dos lugares. Reservar: la explicación (tres chaquetas) para Resolution The jacket on her body was dry on the outside despite thirty-one hours in the rain, which suggests someone put it on Emily while she was alive - yet...
The jacket on her body was dry on the outside despite thirty-one hours in the rain, which suggests someone put it on Emily while she was alive - yet investigators found the very same jacket hanging on a hook in a Dellwood closet; how can one object be in two places at once? What explanation could reconcile a dry jacket, a pingoed cell ping from a living room, and a woman found with two fractured ribs and no memory of eighteen hours?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline and evidence from Emily Vaughn's disappearance and return, laying out the search tactics, the physical clues, and the unresolved data point that investigators labeled "carrier artifact." How did scent trails, water, and technology each tell different parts of the story, and which single detail refuses to resolve?

Person: Emily Vaughn
Age: 56
Location: Spur Lake loop, Kittridge backcountry east of Dellwood, Oregon
Injuries: two fractured ribs and the beginnings of a concussion
Search resources: 42 volunteers, 3 canine teams, 1 drone pilot

- Emily had been in the wilderness for 31 hours and the jacket on her was dry on the outside.
- The Spur Lake loop Emily usually did is 9 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
- Emily's husband called the county sheriff approximately 33 hours after she entered the trailhead.
- Bloodhound and German shepherd scent trails both stopped cleanly near a junction above Raker Point after almost two miles.
- Emily walked directly in the creek bed for almost a quarter mile, dissolving her scent into the water.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dogs-stopped-two-miles-in-what-hides-beyond-the-shelf--73180306
A line of search dogs halted dead at a granite shelf two miles from the trailhead - not slowed, not split, stopped - while a twenty-three-year-old hiker lay somewhere beyond, her fate unknown. Thirty-one stone cairns, eleven miles of roadless terrain, and a fossil no scientist had ever recorded would later turn the search inside out; what made the dogs quit where they did?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the first missed Wednesday call to the moment a meter reader’s photographs redirected the search, following the actions of the coordinator Earl Gallagher, handler Diane Pruett, and the missing hiker Wendy Clark as the question of what happened at the granite shelf remains open.

Person: Wendy Clark
Date: October 3-10 (disappearance discovered October 7; search began October 8)
Location: Cassidy Flat trailhead / Piñon Divide, northeast of Grand Junction, Colorado
Coordinator: Earl Gallagher
Handler: Diane Pruett

- Dogs stopped at a granite shelf roughly two miles from the Cassidy Flat trailhead and would not advance past it.
- Wendy Clark was 23 years old and worked at Dunbar's, a hardware and outdoor supply store near Grand Junction.
- Wendy’s car was logged at the trailhead on the morning of Thursday, October 3; her pack and trekking poles were missing from the vehicle.
- Wendy fractured her left fibula in the dark on Friday night and crawled to a shallow depression behind a granite outcrop, seven miles in.
- Grant Evans photographed five neat stacks of flat shale plates (cairns) on or around October 15 and reported them to the sheriff’s office on day five of the search.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180306Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dogs Stopped Two Miles In - What Hides Beyond the Shelf? A line of search dogs halted dead at a granite shelf two miles from the trailhead - not slowed, not split, stopped - while a twenty-three-year-old hiker lay somewhere beyond, her fate...
A line of search dogs halted dead at a granite shelf two miles from the trailhead - not slowed, not split, stopped - while a twenty-three-year-old hiker lay somewhere beyond, her fate unknown. Thirty-one stone cairns, eleven miles of roadless terrain, and a fossil no scientist had ever recorded would later turn the search inside out; what made the dogs quit where they did?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the first missed Wednesday call to the moment a meter reader’s photographs redirected the search, following the actions of the coordinator Earl Gallagher, handler Diane Pruett, and the missing hiker Wendy Clark as the question of what happened at the granite shelf remains open.

Person: Wendy Clark
Date: October 3-10 (disappearance discovered October 7; search began October 8)
Location: Cassidy Flat trailhead / Piñon Divide, northeast of Grand Junction, Colorado
Coordinator: Earl Gallagher
Handler: Diane Pruett

- Dogs stopped at a granite shelf roughly two miles from the Cassidy Flat trailhead and would not advance past it.
- Wendy Clark was 23 years old and worked at Dunbar's, a hardware and outdoor supply store near Grand Junction.
- Wendy’s car was logged at the trailhead on the morning of Thursday, October 3; her pack and trekking poles were missing from the vehicle.
- Wendy fractured her left fibula in the dark on Friday night and crawled to a shallow depression behind a granite outcrop, seven miles in.
- Grant Evans photographed five neat stacks of flat shale plates (cairns) on or around October 15 and reported them to the sheriff’s office on day five of the search.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-granite-ledge-that-knew-philip-s-scent-unclaimed-jacket-mystery--73180305
Cold bloodhound nostrils found a scent on a bare granite shelf 9,000 feet up where not a single bootprint, scuff of lichen, or fiber could be found-yet the man they sought was three ridgelines away. Two independent search dogs both locked onto that exact ledge, and an olive‑green jacket found on the mountain has never been identified or claimed; how do those facts fit together?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Philip Anderson’s last known preparations to the moment search teams hit that granite ledge and discovered the unclaimed jacket, and we trace every concrete discrepancy that keeps the case unsettled. Can the dogs’ precision and the jacket’s mystery be reconciled with Philip’s habits and the evidence left behind?

Person: Philip Anderson
Date: September 7-10, 2022
Location: Ridgeback Trail, Tierney Range
Status: Missing
Item: Olive‑green jacket (unclaimed)

- Philip was 38 years old in summer 2022 and worked as an agricultural insurance adjuster in Dunmore.
- Philip left for an 11‑mile out‑and‑back Ridgeback Trail on the morning of Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
- Philip’s truck was at the trailhead; a folded topographic map for Ridgeback and a half‑eaten granola bar were in the cab, but his water filter and one‑liter bottle were missing.
- On the morning of September 10, 2022, bloodhound Cass climbed 400 vertical feet to a granite shelf at roughly 9,000 feet elevation and signaled a confirmed hit.
- Two search dogs, working separately with no shared handler information, both locked onto the same point on that granite ledge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180305Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Granite Ledge That Knew Philip's Scent - Unclaimed Jacket Mystery Cold bloodhound nostrils found a scent on a bare granite shelf 9,000 feet up where not a single bootprint, scuff of lichen, or fiber could be found-yet the man they sought was...
Cold bloodhound nostrils found a scent on a bare granite shelf 9,000 feet up where not a single bootprint, scuff of lichen, or fiber could be found-yet the man they sought was three ridgelines away. Two independent search dogs both locked onto that exact ledge, and an olive‑green jacket found on the mountain has never been identified or claimed; how do those facts fit together?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Philip Anderson’s last known preparations to the moment search teams hit that granite ledge and discovered the unclaimed jacket, and we trace every concrete discrepancy that keeps the case unsettled. Can the dogs’ precision and the jacket’s mystery be reconciled with Philip’s habits and the evidence left behind?

Person: Philip Anderson
Date: September 7-10, 2022
Location: Ridgeback Trail, Tierney Range
Status: Missing
Item: Olive‑green jacket (unclaimed)

- Philip was 38 years old in summer 2022 and worked as an agricultural insurance adjuster in Dunmore.
- Philip left for an 11‑mile out‑and‑back Ridgeback Trail on the morning of Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
- Philip’s truck was at the trailhead; a folded topographic map for Ridgeback and a half‑eaten granola bar were in the cab, but his water filter and one‑liter bottle were missing.
- On the morning of September 10, 2022, bloodhound Cass climbed 400 vertical feet to a granite shelf at roughly 9,000 feet elevation and signaled a confirmed hit.
- Two search dogs, working separately with no shared handler information, both locked onto the same point on that granite ledge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1068falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/wrongness-placement-the-foot-inside--73180303
A dry hiking boot, laced and upright on a single granite shelf in a storm-wet drainage, held a sock with a foot inside - and the boot, the shelf, and the surrounding rock were the only dry things for yards. The calm precision of that scene clashes with a thirty-two-hour disappearance and a woman found twelve feet away who could not move; what does that stillness mean, and how did she end up exactly where she did?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a morning photograph to the search that connected it to a missing hiker, tracing evidence on the West Shoulder of Harwick Summit to ask whether deliberate choices or something else explains the anomalies on the mountain. How do a laced boot, a notebook full of routes, and an eleven-thousand-nine-hundred-foot scent detour fit together?

Person: Beverly Bauer
Date: August 6-8, 2019
Location: West Shoulder route, Harwick Summit
Status: Found sitting against a boulder, unable to move
Item: women's Salomon boot, size 7 left, with sock and foot inside

- At 7:42 AM on August 7, 2019, Karen Cook's dog stopped at a flat granite shelf where a laced hiking boot sat upright and perfectly dry.
- Beverly Bauer was 63 years old and had logged hiking routes since the early 1990s, carrying a two-pound base kit on every outing.
- Beverly had completed the West Shoulder route eleven times previously; the route is 14 miles round trip with 4,200 feet of elevation gain, topping at 12,600 feet.
- Donna Mercer called the Harwick County Sheriff's Office at 9:17 PM on August 8 after nine unanswered calls to Beverly that evening.
- A scent team led by Meg Torres tracked Beverly from the Coldwater trailhead up 1,100 vertical feet, then the dog stopped orienting at 11,900 feet and pulled northeast for forty minutes into a boulder field.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180303Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at Obomedia- wrongness, placement, the foot inside A dry hiking boot, laced and upright on a single granite shelf in a storm-wet drainage, held a sock with a foot inside - and the boot, the shelf, and the surrounding rock were the only dry things for yards....
A dry hiking boot, laced and upright on a single granite shelf in a storm-wet drainage, held a sock with a foot inside - and the boot, the shelf, and the surrounding rock were the only dry things for yards. The calm precision of that scene clashes with a thirty-two-hour disappearance and a woman found twelve feet away who could not move; what does that stillness mean, and how did she end up exactly where she did?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a morning photograph to the search that connected it to a missing hiker, tracing evidence on the West Shoulder of Harwick Summit to ask whether deliberate choices or something else explains the anomalies on the mountain. How do a laced boot, a notebook full of routes, and an eleven-thousand-nine-hundred-foot scent detour fit together?

Person: Beverly Bauer
Date: August 6-8, 2019
Location: West Shoulder route, Harwick Summit
Status: Found sitting against a boulder, unable to move
Item: women's Salomon boot, size 7 left, with sock and foot inside

- At 7:42 AM on August 7, 2019, Karen Cook's dog stopped at a flat granite shelf where a laced hiking boot sat upright and perfectly dry.
- Beverly Bauer was 63 years old and had logged hiking routes since the early 1990s, carrying a two-pound base kit on every outing.
- Beverly had completed the West Shoulder route eleven times previously; the route is 14 miles round trip with 4,200 feet of elevation gain, topping at 12,600 feet.
- Donna Mercer called the Harwick County Sheriff's Office at 9:17 PM on August 8 after nine unanswered calls to Beverly that evening.
- A scent team led by Meg Torres tracked Beverly from the Coldwater trailhead up 1,100 vertical feet, then the dog stopped orienting at 11,900 feet and pulled northeast for forty minutes into a boulder field.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1253falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-into-the-dark-the-disappearance-of-angela-young--73180299
The isolation of a fire lookout becomes a trap: a tidy cot, a rinsed thermos, and an open paperback told Tom Estrada someone had stepped out for a moment - but Angela Young had vanished into four hundred acres of scrub oak and unnamed drainages on the night of July 12, 2019, leaving her phone and radio behind. What made a meticulous 26-year-old leave the safety of her tower into dark terrain she had never crossed, carrying a rain shell but no means to call for help?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and tangible details left at Harmon Butte that night, tracing Angela’s habits, her last log entry, and the landscape she walked into - and ask how a trained lookout could disappear without a trace.

Person: Angela Young
Date: July 12, 2019
Location: Harmon Butte fire lookout
Age: 26
Posting start: May 1, 2019

- Angela’s personal cell phone and handheld radio were left on the shelf above the cot.
- She wrote “smoke, NNE, intermittent, will verify at first light” in the logbook, with no date or time.
- She signed the logbook and radioed duty dispatcher Kevin Barr at 8:47 PM; last confirmed contact.
- She left the tower between approximately 9:30 and 10:00 PM without her radio or phone.
- Harmon Butte sits at 7,400 feet and is accessible by 12 miles of fire road plus a half-mile hike with 42 steel steps to the cab.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180299Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Into the Dark: The Disappearance of Angela Young The isolation of a fire lookout becomes a trap: a tidy cot, a rinsed thermos, and an open paperback told Tom Estrada someone had stepped out for a moment - but Angela Young had vanished...
The isolation of a fire lookout becomes a trap: a tidy cot, a rinsed thermos, and an open paperback told Tom Estrada someone had stepped out for a moment - but Angela Young had vanished into four hundred acres of scrub oak and unnamed drainages on the night of July 12, 2019, leaving her phone and radio behind. What made a meticulous 26-year-old leave the safety of her tower into dark terrain she had never crossed, carrying a rain shell but no means to call for help?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and tangible details left at Harmon Butte that night, tracing Angela’s habits, her last log entry, and the landscape she walked into - and ask how a trained lookout could disappear without a trace.

Person: Angela Young
Date: July 12, 2019
Location: Harmon Butte fire lookout
Age: 26
Posting start: May 1, 2019

- Angela’s personal cell phone and handheld radio were left on the shelf above the cot.
- She wrote “smoke, NNE, intermittent, will verify at first light” in the logbook, with no date or time.
- She signed the logbook and radioed duty dispatcher Kevin Barr at 8:47 PM; last confirmed contact.
- She left the tower between approximately 9:30 and 10:00 PM without her radio or phone.
- Harmon Butte sits at 7,400 feet and is accessible by 12 miles of fire road plus a half-mile hike with 42 steel steps to the cab.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1152falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/left-ankle-one-boot-in-a-tree-he-walked-away-broken--73180297
A single double-knotted hiking boot was found lodged four and a half feet up a red fir, forty yards off the trail-no sock, no second boot, no gear, no sign of camp. The boot was deliberately wedged and the scent trail from the trailhead stopped on bare granite; how did a moderately experienced hiker with a fractured left ankle simply disappear into the woods?

In this episode, we tell what happened when a routine day hike turned into a multi-day search and an inexplicable set of clues in the Coleville National Forest; what the search teams found and what remained missing raises the question: how far can exhaustion and terrain reshape a trail of evidence?

Person: Melvin Young
Date: June 11, 2019
Location: Coleville National Forest, Ridgeback Trailhead area
Event: Found single double-knotted hiking boot wedged in a red fir four and a half feet off the ground
Status: Pack and some gear recovered; person not found in initial search area

- Melvin signed the Ridgeback Trailhead log at 9:14 AM on June 9, 2019 with destination Copperhead Lake, seven miles in.
- The lone boot was found at 7:40 AM on June 11, 2019, forty yards off the marked trail and four and a half feet up in a red fir.
- Search dogs tracked north along the drainage past the two-mile granite crossing and the scent trail abruptly ended on bare granite.
- By June 12, a searcher found Melvin’s external-frame pack wedged in manzanita with his rain jacket, headlamp, and water filter inside.
- Melvin was moving at roughly half a mile per hour after fracturing his left ankle approximately two miles from the trailhead.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180297Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaLeft Ankle, One Boot in a Tree: He Walked Away Broken A single double-knotted hiking boot was found lodged four and a half feet up a red fir, forty yards off the trail-no sock, no second boot, no gear, no sign of camp. The boot was deliberately...
A single double-knotted hiking boot was found lodged four and a half feet up a red fir, forty yards off the trail-no sock, no second boot, no gear, no sign of camp. The boot was deliberately wedged and the scent trail from the trailhead stopped on bare granite; how did a moderately experienced hiker with a fractured left ankle simply disappear into the woods?

In this episode, we tell what happened when a routine day hike turned into a multi-day search and an inexplicable set of clues in the Coleville National Forest; what the search teams found and what remained missing raises the question: how far can exhaustion and terrain reshape a trail of evidence?

Person: Melvin Young
Date: June 11, 2019
Location: Coleville National Forest, Ridgeback Trailhead area
Event: Found single double-knotted hiking boot wedged in a red fir four and a half feet off the ground
Status: Pack and some gear recovered; person not found in initial search area

- Melvin signed the Ridgeback Trailhead log at 9:14 AM on June 9, 2019 with destination Copperhead Lake, seven miles in.
- The lone boot was found at 7:40 AM on June 11, 2019, forty yards off the marked trail and four and a half feet up in a red fir.
- Search dogs tracked north along the drainage past the two-mile granite crossing and the scent trail abruptly ended on bare granite.
- By June 12, a searcher found Melvin’s external-frame pack wedged in manzanita with his rain jacket, headlamp, and water filter inside.
- Melvin was moving at roughly half a mile per hour after fracturing his left ankle approximately two miles from the trailhead.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-beacon-on-the-vault-why-brenda-vanished-from-the-trailhead--73180296
A working avalanche beacon was found sitting dead-center on a vault toilet lid at 6:40 a.m. on May 11, 2019 - powered, dry, broadcasting on 457 kHz with its green light cycling, but no skier, no tracks, and no pack in sight. How did Brenda Rafferty’s personal transceiver end up placed with such precision at a trailhead 1,300 feet below the nearest snowpack, and what does that placement say about where she really was?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Brenda Rafferty’s last confirmed text on May 2 to the discovery of her car and the weeks of search operations that followed, laying out the search decisions, transceiver evidence, and field findings that left rescuers with more questions than answers. Was the beacon’s exact placement an accident, a clue, or a redirection?

Person: Brenda Rafferty
Date: May 2-11, 2019
Location: Harmon Creek trailhead, Saddler Range
Status: Missing
Equipment: Mammut Barryvox beacon broadcasting on 457 kHz

- Brenda Rafferty left a text to her touring partner on the night of May 2 indicating a solo tour; that was her last confirmed contact.
- Her gray Subaru Forester was found at the Harmon Creek trailhead on May 5 with windows fogged and ski boots on the back seat; SAR activated at 4:00 p.m. that day.
- Edward Young discovered a black avalanche beacon centered on the vault toilet lid at 6:40 a.m. on May 11; the beacon’s indicator light was cycling green.
- The nearest snowpack that season was 1,300 feet above the trailhead, at 4,400 feet elevation, while the trailhead sat at 3,100 feet.
- The Bolder Draw slide had a crown nearly 400 meters wide with a debris field running 600 meters down the northeast aspect; transceiver sweeps and search dogs on May 6 found no signal or sustained alerts.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180296Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Beacon on the Vault: Why Brenda Vanished from the Trailhead A working avalanche beacon was found sitting dead-center on a vault toilet lid at 6:40 a.m. on May 11, 2019 - powered, dry, broadcasting on 457 kHz with its green light cycling, but no...
A working avalanche beacon was found sitting dead-center on a vault toilet lid at 6:40 a.m. on May 11, 2019 - powered, dry, broadcasting on 457 kHz with its green light cycling, but no skier, no tracks, and no pack in sight. How did Brenda Rafferty’s personal transceiver end up placed with such precision at a trailhead 1,300 feet below the nearest snowpack, and what does that placement say about where she really was?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Brenda Rafferty’s last confirmed text on May 2 to the discovery of her car and the weeks of search operations that followed, laying out the search decisions, transceiver evidence, and field findings that left rescuers with more questions than answers. Was the beacon’s exact placement an accident, a clue, or a redirection?

Person: Brenda Rafferty
Date: May 2-11, 2019
Location: Harmon Creek trailhead, Saddler Range
Status: Missing
Equipment: Mammut Barryvox beacon broadcasting on 457 kHz

- Brenda Rafferty left a text to her touring partner on the night of May 2 indicating a solo tour; that was her last confirmed contact.
- Her gray Subaru Forester was found at the Harmon Creek trailhead on May 5 with windows fogged and ski boots on the back seat; SAR activated at 4:00 p.m. that day.
- Edward Young discovered a black avalanche beacon centered on the vault toilet lid at 6:40 a.m. on May 11; the beacon’s indicator light was cycling green.
- The nearest snowpack that season was 1,300 feet above the trailhead, at 4,400 feet elevation, while the trailhead sat at 3,100 feet.
- The Bolder Draw slide had a crown nearly 400 meters wide with a debris field running 600 meters down the northeast aspect; transceiver sweeps and search dogs on May 6 found no signal or sustained alerts.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dry-pages-frosted-rock-the-surveyor-lost-above-fenner-pass--73180295
A flat granite rock in Broken Tooth Meadow held an orange spiral-bound journal with pages open to the sky and completely dry, despite frosted surrounding rock and an overnight temperature below freezing. Why were Earl Riley’s meticulous, labeled supplies and a bone-dry journal at odds with fifteen centimeters of new snow and a near-whiteout above Fenner Pass?

In this episode, you’ll hear how a filed four-night route, a missing truck, and three SAR teams converged on a contradiction that stretched their assumptions; can the pieces of Earl Riley’s careful plan be reconciled to explain where he was and how he survived? Press play to follow the three separate clues that pulled the search in different directions.

Person: Earl Riley
Date: April 13-19, 2019
Location: Fenner Pass / Broken Tooth Meadow, Sennett National Forest, eastern Oregon
Status: Missing then found alive after 36 hours of search adjustments
Organization: Cascade Search and Rescue

- Earl Riley was 52 years old and had filed a four-night route with the forest service and left a copy with neighbor Warren Goble.
- He signed the Copperbell Creek trailhead register at 6:55 AM on April 13, the last confirmed contact.
- A cold front dropped temperatures to -6°C and deposited 15 cm of new snow above 7,500 feet between April 14 evening and April 15 morning.
- Pamela Slater, 44, led Cascade SAR and had three teams into Sennett National Forest by the morning of April 18.
- Two search dogs circled persistently in a roughly 40-meter area near a rocky depression below the Fenner Pass ridgeline for 18 minutes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180295Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaDry Pages, Frosted Rock: The Surveyor Lost Above Fenner Pass A flat granite rock in Broken Tooth Meadow held an orange spiral-bound journal with pages open to the sky and completely dry, despite frosted surrounding rock and an overnight temperature...
A flat granite rock in Broken Tooth Meadow held an orange spiral-bound journal with pages open to the sky and completely dry, despite frosted surrounding rock and an overnight temperature below freezing. Why were Earl Riley’s meticulous, labeled supplies and a bone-dry journal at odds with fifteen centimeters of new snow and a near-whiteout above Fenner Pass?

In this episode, you’ll hear how a filed four-night route, a missing truck, and three SAR teams converged on a contradiction that stretched their assumptions; can the pieces of Earl Riley’s careful plan be reconciled to explain where he was and how he survived? Press play to follow the three separate clues that pulled the search in different directions.

Person: Earl Riley
Date: April 13-19, 2019
Location: Fenner Pass / Broken Tooth Meadow, Sennett National Forest, eastern Oregon
Status: Missing then found alive after 36 hours of search adjustments
Organization: Cascade Search and Rescue

- Earl Riley was 52 years old and had filed a four-night route with the forest service and left a copy with neighbor Warren Goble.
- He signed the Copperbell Creek trailhead register at 6:55 AM on April 13, the last confirmed contact.
- A cold front dropped temperatures to -6°C and deposited 15 cm of new snow above 7,500 feet between April 14 evening and April 15 morning.
- Pamela Slater, 44, led Cascade SAR and had three teams into Sennett National Forest by the morning of April 18.
- Two search dogs circled persistently in a roughly 40-meter area near a rocky depression below the Fenner Pass ridgeline for 18 minutes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1077falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-walked-away-barefoot-the-tent-with-no-footprints--73180294
Snow swallowed sixty feet around a perfectly staked tent but left no footprints - not coming in, not going out - and the owner was missing for six days. Inside the vestibule sat size-eleven boots with loosened laces and a fully packed bag; how does a seasoned cartographer vanish after leaving his boots behind in deepening March snow?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of receipts, trailhead signatures, eyewitness accounts and search-findings that map Leon Underwood’s last known movements and the strange evidence at the bivouac; what do the bent trekking pole and the untouched microspikes tell us about where he went and why?

Person: Leon Underwood
Date: March 6-12
Location: Ansel Uplift plateau shoulder and western drainage
Status: Missing
Occupation: Contract cartographer

- Receipt timestamp: 11:44 PM on March 6 for two energy bars and an electrolyte packet at the station near plateau road.
- Trailhead register time: signed at 8:50 AM on March 7 carrying a full pack with microspikes, headlamp, camera and first-aid kit.
- Tent discovery: orange bivouac tent found on March 12 around 6:00 AM, fully erected and staked with snow unbroken for sixty feet in every direction.
- Boot details: size eleven boots in the tent vestibule with laces loosened and tongues pressed forward, suggesting intent to put them back on.
- Trekking pole found: recovered March 10 submerged in willows a quarter mile below the couloir, shaft bent and wrist loop cleanly cut.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180294Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Walked Away Barefoot: The Tent with No Footprints Snow swallowed sixty feet around a perfectly staked tent but left no footprints - not coming in, not going out - and the owner was missing for six days. Inside the vestibule sat size-eleven boots...
Snow swallowed sixty feet around a perfectly staked tent but left no footprints - not coming in, not going out - and the owner was missing for six days. Inside the vestibule sat size-eleven boots with loosened laces and a fully packed bag; how does a seasoned cartographer vanish after leaving his boots behind in deepening March snow?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of receipts, trailhead signatures, eyewitness accounts and search-findings that map Leon Underwood’s last known movements and the strange evidence at the bivouac; what do the bent trekking pole and the untouched microspikes tell us about where he went and why?

Person: Leon Underwood
Date: March 6-12
Location: Ansel Uplift plateau shoulder and western drainage
Status: Missing
Occupation: Contract cartographer

- Receipt timestamp: 11:44 PM on March 6 for two energy bars and an electrolyte packet at the station near plateau road.
- Trailhead register time: signed at 8:50 AM on March 7 carrying a full pack with microspikes, headlamp, camera and first-aid kit.
- Tent discovery: orange bivouac tent found on March 12 around 6:00 AM, fully erected and staked with snow unbroken for sixty feet in every direction.
- Boot details: size eleven boots in the tent vestibule with laces loosened and tongues pressed forward, suggesting intent to put them back on.
- Trekking pole found: recovered March 10 submerged in willows a quarter mile below the couloir, shaft bent and wrist loop cleanly cut.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1156falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-notebook-on-the-roof-how-did-it-get-there--73180293
A field notebook, dry and perfectly centered on the roof of a Subaru buried under eight inches of undisturbed snow, became the single baffling clue in a missing-person case that ended with a 28-year-old geologist found alive - and a detail no investigator can explain. How did a notebook stay dry on top of a car through twelve hours of snowfall with no footprints around it?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from last contact at 4:52 p.m. through the discovery at 6:40 a.m., the habits that made Rhonda Schultz’s absence immediately alarming, and the on-the-ground observations that sent search teams into the Alderman Creek drainage - but left them with a question no meteorologist, geologist, or rescuer has solved: who could have placed that notebook on the roof?

Person: Rhonda Schultz
Date: February 11-14
Location: Alderman Creek drainage, Hatchett County, Idaho
Status: Found alive after two nights in the field
Search coordinator: Sherry Harris

- The Subaru was buried under eight inches of snow on the roof when found at 6:40 a.m, on February 14.
- Beverly Stroud photographed the notebook on the car before touching anything after eleven winters on Forest Service Road 11.
- Rhonda’s last text was timestamped 4:52 p.m. on February 11 saying she was heading back to the transect for one more look.
- Search coordinator Sherry Harris has led more than two hundred search operations in the Alderman Creek drainage.
- Boot prints followed a steady, controlled pace toward the talus field and then stopped abruptly at the talus edge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180293Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Notebook on the Roof: How Did It Get There? A field notebook, dry and perfectly centered on the roof of a Subaru buried under eight inches of undisturbed snow, became the single baffling clue in a missing-person case that ended with a...
A field notebook, dry and perfectly centered on the roof of a Subaru buried under eight inches of undisturbed snow, became the single baffling clue in a missing-person case that ended with a 28-year-old geologist found alive - and a detail no investigator can explain. How did a notebook stay dry on top of a car through twelve hours of snowfall with no footprints around it?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from last contact at 4:52 p.m. through the discovery at 6:40 a.m., the habits that made Rhonda Schultz’s absence immediately alarming, and the on-the-ground observations that sent search teams into the Alderman Creek drainage - but left them with a question no meteorologist, geologist, or rescuer has solved: who could have placed that notebook on the roof?

Person: Rhonda Schultz
Date: February 11-14
Location: Alderman Creek drainage, Hatchett County, Idaho
Status: Found alive after two nights in the field
Search coordinator: Sherry Harris

- The Subaru was buried under eight inches of snow on the roof when found at 6:40 a.m, on February 14.
- Beverly Stroud photographed the notebook on the car before touching anything after eleven winters on Forest Service Road 11.
- Rhonda’s last text was timestamped 4:52 p.m. on February 11 saying she was heading back to the transect for one more look.
- Search coordinator Sherry Harris has led more than two hundred search operations in the Alderman Creek drainage.
- Boot prints followed a steady, controlled pace toward the talus field and then stopped abruptly at the talus edge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1015falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-vanishing-between-river-and-gate-the-empty-shore-mystery--73180292
A woman vanished from a familiar riverbend with boot prints that ended mid-stride and her bright orange fishing vest found buttoned to a gate three and a half miles away in undisturbed snow - how do you cross that gap without leaving a trace? This episode follows a missing-person case where the known facts clash with every ordinary explanation: a meticulous logbook, a seven-day survival, and a final report that trails off with one line about the dogs. What did those dogs see?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events, the gear and records Kimberly left behind, the search details, and the unresolved questions that remain, focusing on the moment her movements stopped and why her vest appeared far from any tracks.

Person: Kimberly Hughes
Date: January 7 (disappearance), found after seven days
Location: Spur Fork of the Alderman River; Kettle Ridge Wilderness, Oregon; gate three and a half miles from riverbank
Status: Found alive after seven days in a rock shelter
Age: 54

- Vest: bright orange fishing vest hung buttoned around a steel gate post with four inches of undisturbed snow around it.
- Distance: vest located three and a half miles from the riverbank where Kimberly's prints ended.
- Survival: Kimberly survived seven days in a rock shelter above the treeline in temperatures down to 3°F.
- Logbook: Kimberly kept eleven years of fishing entries in a water-stained green notebook; last entry dated the morning she disappeared.
- Tracks: boot prints on the west bank were heel-deep, matched her wader tread, and ended abruptly with no continuation.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180292Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Vanishing Between River and Gate: The Empty Shore Mystery A woman vanished from a familiar riverbend with boot prints that ended mid-stride and her bright orange fishing vest found buttoned to a gate three and a half miles away in undisturbed...
A woman vanished from a familiar riverbend with boot prints that ended mid-stride and her bright orange fishing vest found buttoned to a gate three and a half miles away in undisturbed snow - how do you cross that gap without leaving a trace? This episode follows a missing-person case where the known facts clash with every ordinary explanation: a meticulous logbook, a seven-day survival, and a final report that trails off with one line about the dogs. What did those dogs see?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events, the gear and records Kimberly left behind, the search details, and the unresolved questions that remain, focusing on the moment her movements stopped and why her vest appeared far from any tracks.

Person: Kimberly Hughes
Date: January 7 (disappearance), found after seven days
Location: Spur Fork of the Alderman River; Kettle Ridge Wilderness, Oregon; gate three and a half miles from riverbank
Status: Found alive after seven days in a rock shelter
Age: 54

- Vest: bright orange fishing vest hung buttoned around a steel gate post with four inches of undisturbed snow around it.
- Distance: vest located three and a half miles from the riverbank where Kimberly's prints ended.
- Survival: Kimberly survived seven days in a rock shelter above the treeline in temperatures down to 3°F.
- Logbook: Kimberly kept eleven years of fishing entries in a water-stained green notebook; last entry dated the morning she disappeared.
- Tracks: boot prints on the west bank were heel-deep, matched her wader tread, and ended abruptly with no continuation.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/small-hands-in-cold-clay-why-a-grown-man-vanished-uphill--73180291
A pair of child-sized handprints pressed into dark clay, palms flat and fingers splayed, were found on the bank of Whetstone Run with no missing child reported in Cutter County - and a twenty-two-year-old man vanished into the mountains the same morning. What connects those three-inch prints, a clean scent trail that stops in the middle of a creek, and forty-one hours of unexplained absence?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the bridge at Sable Branch to the clay bank a mile downstream and through the search that brought bloodhounds, trained trackers, and a forensic analyst to the scene, asking how a routine morning became a mystery and whether the footprints point to an answer.

Person: Jason Padgett
Date: December 3, 2019
Location: Whetstone Run / Sable Branch bridge
Status: Missing for forty-one hours (found on December 7)
Search coordinator: Sharon Duncan

- Two handprints measured three and one-eighth inches at their widest point, palms flat and fingers spread.
- John Hunt discovered the handprints at 6:50 AM on December 3, 2019, on the lower bank of Whetstone Run.
- Gate-card log placed Jason’s truck at the lumber yard at 7:02 AM on December 3, forty minutes after the prints were seen.
- Jason told his supervisor four words at 10:30 AM on December 3 before driving away and remaining unaccounted for forty-one hours.
- Bloodhounds trailed a strong, clean scent from the Sable Branch bridge and stopped forty yards downstream on a shallow gravel bar where the scent ended.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180291Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaSmall Hands in Cold Clay: Why a Grown Man Vanished Uphill A pair of child-sized handprints pressed into dark clay, palms flat and fingers splayed, were found on the bank of Whetstone Run with no missing child reported in Cutter County - and a...
A pair of child-sized handprints pressed into dark clay, palms flat and fingers splayed, were found on the bank of Whetstone Run with no missing child reported in Cutter County - and a twenty-two-year-old man vanished into the mountains the same morning. What connects those three-inch prints, a clean scent trail that stops in the middle of a creek, and forty-one hours of unexplained absence?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the bridge at Sable Branch to the clay bank a mile downstream and through the search that brought bloodhounds, trained trackers, and a forensic analyst to the scene, asking how a routine morning became a mystery and whether the footprints point to an answer.

Person: Jason Padgett
Date: December 3, 2019
Location: Whetstone Run / Sable Branch bridge
Status: Missing for forty-one hours (found on December 7)
Search coordinator: Sharon Duncan

- Two handprints measured three and one-eighth inches at their widest point, palms flat and fingers spread.
- John Hunt discovered the handprints at 6:50 AM on December 3, 2019, on the lower bank of Whetstone Run.
- Gate-card log placed Jason’s truck at the lumber yard at 7:02 AM on December 3, forty minutes after the prints were seen.
- Jason told his supervisor four words at 10:30 AM on December 3 before driving away and remaining unaccounted for forty-one hours.
- Bloodhounds trailed a strong, clean scent from the Sable Branch bridge and stopped forty yards downstream on a shallow gravel bar where the scent ended.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-back-nine-days-later-camera-jacket-and-a-missing-time--73180288
A woman in an orange jacket appears in an eleven‑second trail camera clip taken at 11:42 AM on November 14th-nine days after Marie Walsh was last confirmed alive-and that single image pulled a rescue team back into Sutter Ridge. The photograph, a camera trigger at 2:26 AM recorded below its rated temperature, and an empty house with a missing orange jacket and green boots rewrite the timeline: how did she walk calmly through fresh snow after nearly ten days alone?

In this episode, we lay out the precise, documented facts of Marie Walsh’s disappearance on Sutter Ridge and the sequence of evidence that refuses to fit common sense. What does the record - timestamps, a sent photograph, scent trails, and missing clothing - actually tell us about where Marie went and how long she survived?

Person: Marie Walsh
Date: November 4-15 (events centered on November 5-14)
Location: Sutter Ridge, northeastern face and Lindell Saddle area
Status: Missing at time of search initiation; photograph recorded November 14
Occupation: Radiological technician at Kittredge County medical clinic

- Trail camera mounted to a lodgepole pine recorded eleven seconds of empty road, then a woman in an orange jacket, at 11:42 AM on November 14.
- Camera also recorded a trigger at 2:26 AM when ambient temperature was below the camera’s rated operating range.
- Marie was thirty-eight, lived in Dunbar (population 4,400), and had walked a fixed 4.8-mile round trip route for seven years.
- On November 5 at 7:43 AM Marie sent a photograph (EXIF‑timestamped) of the survey marker to Patrice Holt; the image sat unseen in messages for six days.
- Search dogs found scent at the concrete survey marker on November 7, followed a northeast line roughly 300 yards, and lost scent at a drainage choked with alder and standing water.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180288Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Back Nine Days Later - Camera, Jacket, and a Missing Time A woman in an orange jacket appears in an eleven‑second trail camera clip taken at 11:42 AM on November 14th-nine days after Marie Walsh was last confirmed alive-and that single...
A woman in an orange jacket appears in an eleven‑second trail camera clip taken at 11:42 AM on November 14th-nine days after Marie Walsh was last confirmed alive-and that single image pulled a rescue team back into Sutter Ridge. The photograph, a camera trigger at 2:26 AM recorded below its rated temperature, and an empty house with a missing orange jacket and green boots rewrite the timeline: how did she walk calmly through fresh snow after nearly ten days alone?

In this episode, we lay out the precise, documented facts of Marie Walsh’s disappearance on Sutter Ridge and the sequence of evidence that refuses to fit common sense. What does the record - timestamps, a sent photograph, scent trails, and missing clothing - actually tell us about where Marie went and how long she survived?

Person: Marie Walsh
Date: November 4-15 (events centered on November 5-14)
Location: Sutter Ridge, northeastern face and Lindell Saddle area
Status: Missing at time of search initiation; photograph recorded November 14
Occupation: Radiological technician at Kittredge County medical clinic

- Trail camera mounted to a lodgepole pine recorded eleven seconds of empty road, then a woman in an orange jacket, at 11:42 AM on November 14.
- Camera also recorded a trigger at 2:26 AM when ambient temperature was below the camera’s rated operating range.
- Marie was thirty-eight, lived in Dunbar (population 4,400), and had walked a fixed 4.8-mile round trip route for seven years.
- On November 5 at 7:43 AM Marie sent a photograph (EXIF‑timestamped) of the survey marker to Patrice Holt; the image sat unseen in messages for six days.
- Search dogs found scent at the concrete survey marker on November 7, followed a northeast line roughly 300 yards, and lost scent at a drainage choked with alder and standing water.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1197falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-glove-on-the-granite-shelf-one-cartridge-no-tracks--73180287
A blaze-orange wool glove sat upright in fourteen inches of unbroken snow, nine thousand four hundred feet above sea level, four miles from the nearest human footprint - and inside it lay a single polished .30-06 cartridge. Search and rescue called its placement "consistent with deliberate human action and inconsistent with the established timeline," and yet no tracks approached or left the spot; what could have been intentional enough to leave that precise, inexplicable scene?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events, the search response, and the physical evidence recovered across the Kaibab Plateau, closing on the same unresolved image that prompted the original case notes. What does the placement of the glove, the logged GPS waypoint, and the deliberately positioned rifle tell us about where Todd Parker went - and why?

Person: Todd Parker
Location: Kaibab Plateau
Date: October 11 (Saturday)
Status: Found alive
Event: Missing person search and evidence recovery

- Glove found upright in fourteen inches of unbroken snow at 9,400 feet and four miles from the nearest human footprint.
- A single .30-06 cartridge was nested in the palm of the glove, brass polished clean.
- Parker's GPS saved waypoint N-17-3 at 6:12 PM on Saturday, logged more than two hours after companions called for help.
- Parker's rifle was found leaning against a ponderosa pine, bolt open and unloaded, with no magazine, photographed in place by the dog-team lead.
- Search began Sunday with 22 searchers, two dog teams, and a sheriff's helicopter after Parker failed to meet partners at a noon saddle point.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180287Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Glove on the Granite Shelf: One Cartridge, No Tracks A blaze-orange wool glove sat upright in fourteen inches of unbroken snow, nine thousand four hundred feet above sea level, four miles from the nearest human footprint - and inside it lay a...
A blaze-orange wool glove sat upright in fourteen inches of unbroken snow, nine thousand four hundred feet above sea level, four miles from the nearest human footprint - and inside it lay a single polished .30-06 cartridge. Search and rescue called its placement "consistent with deliberate human action and inconsistent with the established timeline," and yet no tracks approached or left the spot; what could have been intentional enough to leave that precise, inexplicable scene?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events, the search response, and the physical evidence recovered across the Kaibab Plateau, closing on the same unresolved image that prompted the original case notes. What does the placement of the glove, the logged GPS waypoint, and the deliberately positioned rifle tell us about where Todd Parker went - and why?

Person: Todd Parker
Location: Kaibab Plateau
Date: October 11 (Saturday)
Status: Found alive
Event: Missing person search and evidence recovery

- Glove found upright in fourteen inches of unbroken snow at 9,400 feet and four miles from the nearest human footprint.
- A single .30-06 cartridge was nested in the palm of the glove, brass polished clean.
- Parker's GPS saved waypoint N-17-3 at 6:12 PM on Saturday, logged more than two hours after companions called for help.
- Parker's rifle was found leaning against a ponderosa pine, bolt open and unloaded, with no magazine, photographed in place by the dog-team lead.
- Search began Sunday with 22 searchers, two dog teams, and a sheriff's helicopter after Parker failed to meet partners at a noon saddle point.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1003falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-climbed-where-no-shoes-could-reach-the-boot-on-casner-wall--73180268
A single women's hiking boot, size seven and a half, sat upright on an inaccessible ledge forty feet below a cliff rim - placed heel to wall, toe over a river gorge - and Rhonda Johnson, a careful 26-year-old hiker, was unaccounted for; how did an unequipped woman end up with a GPS track that shows a 42-foot vertical ascent on a five-point-eleven technical slab at 9:47 p.m.? What happened in the dark between the trail register and that impossible ledge?

In this episode, we follow the sixty-hour search that began after Rhonda failed to send her evening satellite check-in and her sister reported her missing, tracing bloodhound trails that abruptly stopped, GPS data that inexplicably logs a technical ascent, and the moments rescuers pieced together from gear notes, witnesses, and field logs to ask whether the record can be reconciled with the woman they knew.

Person: Rhonda Johnson
Age: 26
Occupation: Dental hygienist
Date: September 11-14
Location: Galena Basin, Casner Wall

- Rhonda signed the Piñon Meadow trailhead register at 8:52 a.m, on a Tuesday morning in September.
- A grooming salon worker found a single pink-and-gray hiking boot upright on a ledge forty feet below a cliff rim three days later.
- The boot was women's size seven and a half, with laces double-knotted and positioned heel to wall, toe hanging over the gorge.
- A bloodhound named Cass followed Rhonda's scent east from the trailhead then stopped abruptly about a quarter mile east of the Casner Wall access point.
- Rhonda's GPS recorded a 42-foot vertical ascent in approximately 11 minutes at 9:47 p.m. on September 13, ending at the rim of Casner Wall despite her carrying no climbing hardware.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180268Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Climbed Where No Shoes Could Reach: The Boot on Casner Wall A single women's hiking boot, size seven and a half, sat upright on an inaccessible ledge forty feet below a cliff rim - placed heel to wall, toe over a river gorge - and Rhonda...
A single women's hiking boot, size seven and a half, sat upright on an inaccessible ledge forty feet below a cliff rim - placed heel to wall, toe over a river gorge - and Rhonda Johnson, a careful 26-year-old hiker, was unaccounted for; how did an unequipped woman end up with a GPS track that shows a 42-foot vertical ascent on a five-point-eleven technical slab at 9:47 p.m.? What happened in the dark between the trail register and that impossible ledge?

In this episode, we follow the sixty-hour search that began after Rhonda failed to send her evening satellite check-in and her sister reported her missing, tracing bloodhound trails that abruptly stopped, GPS data that inexplicably logs a technical ascent, and the moments rescuers pieced together from gear notes, witnesses, and field logs to ask whether the record can be reconciled with the woman they knew.

Person: Rhonda Johnson
Age: 26
Occupation: Dental hygienist
Date: September 11-14
Location: Galena Basin, Casner Wall

- Rhonda signed the Piñon Meadow trailhead register at 8:52 a.m, on a Tuesday morning in September.
- A grooming salon worker found a single pink-and-gray hiking boot upright on a ledge forty feet below a cliff rim three days later.
- The boot was women's size seven and a half, with laces double-knotted and positioned heel to wall, toe hanging over the gorge.
- A bloodhound named Cass followed Rhonda's scent east from the trailhead then stopped abruptly about a quarter mile east of the Casner Wall access point.
- Rhonda's GPS recorded a 42-foot vertical ascent in approximately 11 minutes at 9:47 p.m. on September 13, ending at the rim of Casner Wall despite her carrying no climbing hardware.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dry-glove-on-the-shoreline-what-brian-saw-at-4-pm--73180234
A single right-hand leather work glove sat dry on a root ball at the water's edge while the ground around it was wet - found at Piñon Arm two days after a man vanished from a mesa cabin. The search produced a nine-day operation in remote Cibola National Forest, a caretaker's log entry timed "around four in the afternoon" describing a man moving slow on the Narrows who didn't wave back - so what happened on that ledge?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Brian Osborne's last known actions to the search team's puzzling discoveries, including the dry glove, the open caretaker's log, and the scent that stopped at the ledge; can the final entry from August 12th explain why he disappeared?

Person: Brian Osborne
Location: Escudero Mesa Cabin, Cibola National Forest
Date: August 12 (final log entry) and August 14 (glove found)
Event: Nine-day search beginning August 15
Status: Truck, gear, and dogs accounted for; person missing at time of initial search

- A right-hand leather work glove was dry on a root ball at Piñon Arm while surrounding ground was wet.
- Julie Sheridan found the glove on the morning of August 14 after pulling a kayak onto the bank.
- Brian's caretaker's log entry for August 12 reads: "Warm. Checked pump housing - gasket holding. Walk to the east overlook. Saw man on the Narrows trail, moving slow. Waved. He didn't wave back. Around four in the afternoon."
- Brian drove up to Escudero Mesa Cabin on August 9 after buying five days' provisions on August 8; his last confirmed contact was a poker call on the evening of August 10.
- Search and rescue reached the cabin on August 15 with four members and two dogs; dogs trailed confidently to the Narrows trailhead and the scent stopped at the threshold of the exposed ledge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180234Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaDry Glove on the Shoreline: What Brian Saw at 4 PM A single right-hand leather work glove sat dry on a root ball at the water's edge while the ground around it was wet - found at Piñon Arm two days after a man vanished from a mesa cabin. The search...
A single right-hand leather work glove sat dry on a root ball at the water's edge while the ground around it was wet - found at Piñon Arm two days after a man vanished from a mesa cabin. The search produced a nine-day operation in remote Cibola National Forest, a caretaker's log entry timed "around four in the afternoon" describing a man moving slow on the Narrows who didn't wave back - so what happened on that ledge?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Brian Osborne's last known actions to the search team's puzzling discoveries, including the dry glove, the open caretaker's log, and the scent that stopped at the ledge; can the final entry from August 12th explain why he disappeared?

Person: Brian Osborne
Location: Escudero Mesa Cabin, Cibola National Forest
Date: August 12 (final log entry) and August 14 (glove found)
Event: Nine-day search beginning August 15
Status: Truck, gear, and dogs accounted for; person missing at time of initial search

- A right-hand leather work glove was dry on a root ball at Piñon Arm while surrounding ground was wet.
- Julie Sheridan found the glove on the morning of August 14 after pulling a kayak onto the bank.
- Brian's caretaker's log entry for August 12 reads: "Warm. Checked pump housing - gasket holding. Walk to the east overlook. Saw man on the Narrows trail, moving slow. Waved. He didn't wave back. Around four in the afternoon."
- Brian drove up to Escudero Mesa Cabin on August 9 after buying five days' provisions on August 8; his last confirmed contact was a poker call on the evening of August 10.
- Search and rescue reached the cabin on August 15 with four members and two dogs; dogs trailed confidently to the Narrows trailhead and the scent stopped at the threshold of the exposed ledge.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1168falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-trail-rung-bare-why-debra-york-vanished-from-camp--73180202
A quiet solo camp held everything except its owner: a pot of half-cooked lentils dried to the rim, a spoon across the pot, a headlamp and topo map in place, and a pair of women's trail runners heel-to-heel at the tent vestibule. A ten-day search, 41 rescue personnel, aircraft sweeps and a GPS coordinate from a stranger's phone followed - but one small, unexplained detail from inside that camp keeps the case unsettled. What really happened to Debra York on the morning she vanished?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Debra York’s last notebook entry through the coordinated search effort and the anomalies found at camp, asking whether the clues point to an accident, a planned departure, or something else. Which single detail might change how we understand her disappearance?

Person: Debra York
Date: July 12-15, 2019
Location: Eider Creek drainage near Pinefall Wilderness boundary, Tillman County, Washington
Status: Missing (search spanned 10 days; 41 search-and-rescue personnel involved)
Occupation: Veterinary technician

- Last notebook entry recorded at 9:17 AM Saturday noting she met someone on the fire road and planned to check talus above camp.
- Two women’s trail runners, size seven, found heel-to-heel at the tent vestibule with toes pointing outward and no other footwear in camp.
- An aluminum pot of lentils was half-cooked with food dried to the sides and a spoon resting across the rim.
- Fuel canister on the stove weighed as almost entirely full, suggesting minimal stove use despite partially cooked food.
- Two independent air-scent dogs tracked scent northeast from camp and both stopped at a stream crossing roughly half a mile away with scent ending at the water.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180202Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Trail Rung Bare: Why Debra York Vanished From Camp A quiet solo camp held everything except its owner: a pot of half-cooked lentils dried to the rim, a spoon across the pot, a headlamp and topo map in place, and a pair of women's trail runners...
A quiet solo camp held everything except its owner: a pot of half-cooked lentils dried to the rim, a spoon across the pot, a headlamp and topo map in place, and a pair of women's trail runners heel-to-heel at the tent vestibule. A ten-day search, 41 rescue personnel, aircraft sweeps and a GPS coordinate from a stranger's phone followed - but one small, unexplained detail from inside that camp keeps the case unsettled. What really happened to Debra York on the morning she vanished?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Debra York’s last notebook entry through the coordinated search effort and the anomalies found at camp, asking whether the clues point to an accident, a planned departure, or something else. Which single detail might change how we understand her disappearance?

Person: Debra York
Date: July 12-15, 2019
Location: Eider Creek drainage near Pinefall Wilderness boundary, Tillman County, Washington
Status: Missing (search spanned 10 days; 41 search-and-rescue personnel involved)
Occupation: Veterinary technician

- Last notebook entry recorded at 9:17 AM Saturday noting she met someone on the fire road and planned to check talus above camp.
- Two women’s trail runners, size seven, found heel-to-heel at the tent vestibule with toes pointing outward and no other footwear in camp.
- An aluminum pot of lentils was half-cooked with food dried to the sides and a spoon resting across the rim.
- Fuel canister on the stove weighed as almost entirely full, suggesting minimal stove use despite partially cooked food.
- Two independent air-scent dogs tracked scent northeast from camp and both stopped at a stream crossing roughly half a mile away with scent ending at the water.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-the-road-why-hikers-vanish-every-june-10th--73180201
A lone size-seven hiking boot, lace neatly tied and toe pointing north, was found sitting upright in undisturbed yellow-orange dust on a locked Forest Service road with no footprints or tire marks within six feet - and it appeared during the same week a hiker vanished into the Calloway North Arm. How did that boot arrive where no one could have placed it, and what does it mean for the woman who went missing days earlier?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Diane Simpson’s meticulous trip planning to the discovery that changed the search, following the timeline from her June 10 trail register entry to the boot photographed on June 14 - and ask whether the canyon’s history of disappearances holds the answer.

Person: Diane Simpson
Date: June 10, 2019
Location: Calloway North Arm, west of the Grand Mesa
Status: Missing; found sitting in dry wash for thirty-six hours
Event: Boot photographed on locked Forest Service road on June 14

- Diane Simpson signed the trail register at 2:17 PM on June 10, 2019, noting “Good conditions. Headed north arm, three nights.”
- She habitually called her friend Joyce every Wednesday at 10:15 PM; she missed that call the night of June 12-13.
- By 12:43 AM on June 13 Joyce had called the sheriff after Diane failed to answer multiple calls.
- On June 14 at 7:41 AM Eugene Hoffman photographed a single hiking boot in the middle of a padlocked road; the boot was size seven, mid-weight trail with a red gusset.
- Diane was found sitting in a dry wash one mile west of the main trail, having spent more than thirty-six hours there with no water.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180201Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on the Road: Why Hikers Vanish Every June 10th A lone size-seven hiking boot, lace neatly tied and toe pointing north, was found sitting upright in undisturbed yellow-orange dust on a locked Forest Service road with no footprints or tire...
A lone size-seven hiking boot, lace neatly tied and toe pointing north, was found sitting upright in undisturbed yellow-orange dust on a locked Forest Service road with no footprints or tire marks within six feet - and it appeared during the same week a hiker vanished into the Calloway North Arm. How did that boot arrive where no one could have placed it, and what does it mean for the woman who went missing days earlier?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Diane Simpson’s meticulous trip planning to the discovery that changed the search, following the timeline from her June 10 trail register entry to the boot photographed on June 14 - and ask whether the canyon’s history of disappearances holds the answer.

Person: Diane Simpson
Date: June 10, 2019
Location: Calloway North Arm, west of the Grand Mesa
Status: Missing; found sitting in dry wash for thirty-six hours
Event: Boot photographed on locked Forest Service road on June 14

- Diane Simpson signed the trail register at 2:17 PM on June 10, 2019, noting “Good conditions. Headed north arm, three nights.”
- She habitually called her friend Joyce every Wednesday at 10:15 PM; she missed that call the night of June 12-13.
- By 12:43 AM on June 13 Joyce had called the sheriff after Diane failed to answer multiple calls.
- On June 14 at 7:41 AM Eugene Hoffman photographed a single hiking boot in the middle of a padlocked road; the boot was size seven, mid-weight trail with a red gusset.
- Diane was found sitting in a dry wash one mile west of the main trail, having spent more than thirty-six hours there with no water.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-glove-on-the-dry-rock-forty-missing-minutes-in-the-woods--73180200
A purple gardening glove was found bone dry, pressed into a crack four feet up a basalt outcrop while every inch of the surrounding forest was soaked - and the woman it belonged to had no memory of the forty minutes she vanished. What can explain a dry glove, a thirty-foot basalt shelf that left search dogs baffled, and a forty-five-year-old hiker who reappeared barefoot 1.4 miles off-trail with no recollection?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events on May 11, 2019, from the moment Amy Mueller and her hiking partner separated to the eleven-hour search that ended with Amy found at the base of the same outcrop where the glove was discovered. What do the physical details - the laminated route card, the scent anomaly on the basalt shelf, the dry glove - reveal about those missing forty minutes?

Person: Amy Mueller
Date: May 11, 2019
Location: Forest Road Seven-Bravo / Carver Notch Trail
Distance off-trail: 1.4 miles
Finder of glove: Todd Russo

- Amy was 45 years old and left Caldwell, Idaho to hike Carver Notch Trail, starting at 6:15 AM.
- At approximately 8:20 AM Amy and Denise separated near a creek spur; Amy’s memory stops around 8:40 AM.
- Todd Russo found a purple cotton gardening glove wedged in a rock crack at 6:40 AM; the glove was completely dry.
- Amy was found after more than ten hours of searching, barefoot at the base of the same outcrop, 1.4 miles off-trail.
- Search dogs stopped and showed scent loss across a 30-foot-wide basalt shelf approximately 400 yards north of the one-mile marker.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180200Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Glove on the Dry Rock: Forty Missing Minutes in the Woods A purple gardening glove was found bone dry, pressed into a crack four feet up a basalt outcrop while every inch of the surrounding forest was soaked - and the woman it belonged to had...
A purple gardening glove was found bone dry, pressed into a crack four feet up a basalt outcrop while every inch of the surrounding forest was soaked - and the woman it belonged to had no memory of the forty minutes she vanished. What can explain a dry glove, a thirty-foot basalt shelf that left search dogs baffled, and a forty-five-year-old hiker who reappeared barefoot 1.4 miles off-trail with no recollection?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events on May 11, 2019, from the moment Amy Mueller and her hiking partner separated to the eleven-hour search that ended with Amy found at the base of the same outcrop where the glove was discovered. What do the physical details - the laminated route card, the scent anomaly on the basalt shelf, the dry glove - reveal about those missing forty minutes?

Person: Amy Mueller
Date: May 11, 2019
Location: Forest Road Seven-Bravo / Carver Notch Trail
Distance off-trail: 1.4 miles
Finder of glove: Todd Russo

- Amy was 45 years old and left Caldwell, Idaho to hike Carver Notch Trail, starting at 6:15 AM.
- At approximately 8:20 AM Amy and Denise separated near a creek spur; Amy’s memory stops around 8:40 AM.
- Todd Russo found a purple cotton gardening glove wedged in a rock crack at 6:40 AM; the glove was completely dry.
- Amy was found after more than ten hours of searching, barefoot at the base of the same outcrop, 1.4 miles off-trail.
- Search dogs stopped and showed scent loss across a 30-foot-wide basalt shelf approximately 400 yards north of the one-mile marker.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1214falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-bench-boot-why-frost-kept-silent-while-she-wandered--73180199
Cold frost recorded no footsteps around a boot left on a bench, a calcetín folded inside and laces tied in a neat bow - yet a woman was found sixty yards away wearing a different boot; how did frost witness nothing and still hold the answer? This episode centers on that impossible silence and one baffling disappearance.

In this episode, we present the known timeline and concrete evidence from the Keller Flat incident and follow the decisions search-and-rescue made based on those facts, asking how a meticulous hiker could vanish into an undisturbed frost and return wearing a mismatched boot.

Person: Frances Moore
Age: 28
Date: April 21-22, 2019
Location: Keller Flat, Osburn National Forest / Crowe Peak north face
Status: Found alive after approximately 53 hours

- Frances’s last notebook entry on April 20, 2019 listed Keller Flat, Osburn Creek trail, north face of Crowe Peak, approximately eight hours.
- Vernon Bauer discovered the left boot on the Keller Flat bench at 7:15 AM on April 22, 2019 and did not touch it.
- Frost formed on the bench around 11:00 PM the night before, and the frost around the bench was undisturbed with no footprints or drag marks.
- Frances was found roughly sixty yards southwest of the bench after about 53 hours, wearing a right boot from a different manufacturer and with a different sole and wear pattern.
- Reconstruction places Frances near Crowe Peak’s summit in the early afternoon of April 21, 2019, after which she fell and fractured her right wrist while descending a talus field.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180199Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Bench Boot: Why Frost Kept Silent While She Wandered Cold frost recorded no footsteps around a boot left on a bench, a calcetín folded inside and laces tied in a neat bow - yet a woman was found sixty yards away wearing a different boot; how...
Cold frost recorded no footsteps around a boot left on a bench, a calcetín folded inside and laces tied in a neat bow - yet a woman was found sixty yards away wearing a different boot; how did frost witness nothing and still hold the answer? This episode centers on that impossible silence and one baffling disappearance.

In this episode, we present the known timeline and concrete evidence from the Keller Flat incident and follow the decisions search-and-rescue made based on those facts, asking how a meticulous hiker could vanish into an undisturbed frost and return wearing a mismatched boot.

Person: Frances Moore
Age: 28
Date: April 21-22, 2019
Location: Keller Flat, Osburn National Forest / Crowe Peak north face
Status: Found alive after approximately 53 hours

- Frances’s last notebook entry on April 20, 2019 listed Keller Flat, Osburn Creek trail, north face of Crowe Peak, approximately eight hours.
- Vernon Bauer discovered the left boot on the Keller Flat bench at 7:15 AM on April 22, 2019 and did not touch it.
- Frost formed on the bench around 11:00 PM the night before, and the frost around the bench was undisturbed with no footprints or drag marks.
- Frances was found roughly sixty yards southwest of the bench after about 53 hours, wearing a right boot from a different manufacturer and with a different sole and wear pattern.
- Reconstruction places Frances near Crowe Peak’s summit in the early afternoon of April 21, 2019, after which she fell and fractured her right wrist while descending a talus field.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/boots-on-the-boulder-why-a-man-left-everything-behind--73180198
Cold boots on a sunlit granite shelf: a pristine pair of hiking boots found alone on Colter Boulder at 9,200 feet, toes angled downhill and dry amid graupel that dusted the whole ridge. Nine minutes after Christine Green stopped, she called the sheriff - but why were there shoes with no person, no pack, no jacket, and a text message waiting unread for four days?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the search that unfolded after Keith Smith failed to return from a backcountry day, outlining what was found on the mountain and what key clues were missed in the first days. How did a simple phrase in a text, an empty crampon bag, and two dogs that stopped at different edges reshape the search?

Person: Keith Smith
Date: March 10-11 (key morning discovery on March 11 at 7:42 a.m.)
Location: Colter Boulder, Calder National Forest, at about 9,200 feet
Status: Missing person; search-and-rescue operation over five days
Companion: Burl, seven-year-old Australian shepherd

- Christine Green stopped on Forest Service Road 7-Echo at 7:42 a.m. on March 11 and discovered a pair of hiking boots on Colter Boulder about forty yards off the road and three hundred feet above the treeline.
- Christine called the sheriff at 7:51 a.m., nine minutes after she stopped.
- Keith Smith sent a text at 4:17 p.m. on March 10 to his sister Patrice saying, "Made it to the flats. Taking the long way back. Don't worry." Patrice did not read it until March 14.
- A mesh orange stuff sack in the bed of Keith's truck contained an empty crampon bag; the crampons themselves were not in the truck and Keith had taken them.
- Two search dogs stopped without alerting: one sat at roughly 7,000 feet after a quarter-mile scent cone, and another stopped at the snow line below Colter Boulder, each pausing at different elevations.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180198Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaBoots on the Boulder: Why a Man Left Everything Behind Cold boots on a sunlit granite shelf: a pristine pair of hiking boots found alone on Colter Boulder at 9,200 feet, toes angled downhill and dry amid graupel that dusted the whole ridge. Nine...
Cold boots on a sunlit granite shelf: a pristine pair of hiking boots found alone on Colter Boulder at 9,200 feet, toes angled downhill and dry amid graupel that dusted the whole ridge. Nine minutes after Christine Green stopped, she called the sheriff - but why were there shoes with no person, no pack, no jacket, and a text message waiting unread for four days?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the search that unfolded after Keith Smith failed to return from a backcountry day, outlining what was found on the mountain and what key clues were missed in the first days. How did a simple phrase in a text, an empty crampon bag, and two dogs that stopped at different edges reshape the search?

Person: Keith Smith
Date: March 10-11 (key morning discovery on March 11 at 7:42 a.m.)
Location: Colter Boulder, Calder National Forest, at about 9,200 feet
Status: Missing person; search-and-rescue operation over five days
Companion: Burl, seven-year-old Australian shepherd

- Christine Green stopped on Forest Service Road 7-Echo at 7:42 a.m. on March 11 and discovered a pair of hiking boots on Colter Boulder about forty yards off the road and three hundred feet above the treeline.
- Christine called the sheriff at 7:51 a.m., nine minutes after she stopped.
- Keith Smith sent a text at 4:17 p.m. on March 10 to his sister Patrice saying, "Made it to the flats. Taking the long way back. Don't worry." Patrice did not read it until March 14.
- A mesh orange stuff sack in the bed of Keith's truck contained an empty crampon bag; the crampons themselves were not in the truck and Keith had taken them.
- Two search dogs stopped without alerting: one sat at roughly 7,000 feet after a quarter-mile scent cone, and another stopped at the snow line below Colter Boulder, each pausing at different elevations.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1053falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-vanished-her-vest-hung-twelve-feet-above-the-snow--73180197
A bright orange vest hung twelve feet up on a crossbar, zipper pulls looped over bolts, and thirty feet of untouched snow stretched below with not a single print; how does a woman vanish from a familiar hunting route and leave only a lone boot impression and a vest in the sky? The scene includes a loaded rifle left in a blind, scent dogs that ran then scattered, and a tracking print standing alone on a slope-what happened in those seventy-two hours?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline of Karen Whitley’s disappearance in Hargate National Forest and the search-and-rescue response, outlining the physical evidence and the unanswered question that remains at the center of the case.

Person: Karen Whitley
Date: February 12-14, 2019
Location: Hargate National Forest, Morrow County, eastern Oregon
Status: Missing, unexplained wilderness case: Search-and-rescue documented with scent hounds, boot print, abandoned blind, and vest on pole line

- Vest found: orange vest hung flat from a crossbar, twelve feet off the ground, zipper pulls looped over the bolts
- Untouched snow: thirty feet out from the pole line crossbar with no footprints in any direction
- Blind evidence: rifle found loaded and resting in its cradle, thermos half-warm, half-eaten granola bar in the low blind
- Scent hounds: tracked south along Copse Creek for roughly a quarter mile then stopped at the frozen creek bed where the trail ended
- Boot print: single right-foot impression, size seven Danner lace-up, deep and forward-weighted on Shelf Grade about two hundred yards from either blind

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180197Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Vanished; Her Vest Hung Twelve Feet Above the Snow A bright orange vest hung twelve feet up on a crossbar, zipper pulls looped over bolts, and thirty feet of untouched snow stretched below with not a single print; how does a woman vanish from a...
A bright orange vest hung twelve feet up on a crossbar, zipper pulls looped over bolts, and thirty feet of untouched snow stretched below with not a single print; how does a woman vanish from a familiar hunting route and leave only a lone boot impression and a vest in the sky? The scene includes a loaded rifle left in a blind, scent dogs that ran then scattered, and a tracking print standing alone on a slope-what happened in those seventy-two hours?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline of Karen Whitley’s disappearance in Hargate National Forest and the search-and-rescue response, outlining the physical evidence and the unanswered question that remains at the center of the case.

Person: Karen Whitley
Date: February 12-14, 2019
Location: Hargate National Forest, Morrow County, eastern Oregon
Status: Missing, unexplained wilderness case: Search-and-rescue documented with scent hounds, boot print, abandoned blind, and vest on pole line

- Vest found: orange vest hung flat from a crossbar, twelve feet off the ground, zipper pulls looped over the bolts
- Untouched snow: thirty feet out from the pole line crossbar with no footprints in any direction
- Blind evidence: rifle found loaded and resting in its cradle, thermos half-warm, half-eaten granola bar in the low blind
- Scent hounds: tracked south along Copse Creek for roughly a quarter mile then stopped at the frozen creek bed where the trail ended
- Boot print: single right-foot impression, size seven Danner lace-up, deep and forward-weighted on Shelf Grade about two hundred yards from either blind

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1092falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoe-on-the-boulder-how-two-were-found-one-vanished--73180196
A small purple child's shoe stood upright on a granite boulder at 6,400 feet - laces tied, LED lights intact, and no footprints in the surrounding snow; a missing mother and her six-year-old daughter vanished during a January outing in the Tuckaway, and only one child was found alive. What happened on that mountain across sixty silent hours that left a shoe inexplicably planted and a trail that dissolved into nothing?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of the three-day search: the handoff at the community center, the storm that dropped six inches of snow and high winds, the discovery of Abby Reese and the baffling signals the dog teams tracked before losing the trail. How did a size four purple shoe end up standing on a boulder with no footprints around it, and where did Brenda and Lily go?

Person: Brenda Morgan
Person: Lily (age 6)
Person: Abby Reese (age 7)
Date: January 7-9
Location: Duvall Creek lower trailhead, Tuckaway ridgeline

- Brenda's last text to Tina at 2:04 PM read "found some, Lily happy."
- Deputies found Brenda's locked truck at the Duvall Creek trailhead at 7:50 PM the same day.
- Snowfall of six inches occurred in the lower elevations that afternoon; above 6,500 feet experienced wind and hard freeze.
- Abby Reese was found at 11:20 PM the night of January 8, sitting beside a ponderosa pine, unhurt and calm.
- The purple shoe on the boulder was size four, purple mesh with a cartoon rocket on the tongue and LED lights in the heel, discovered at 6:53 AM on January 9 with no surrounding footprints.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180196Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoe on the Boulder: How Two Were Found, One Vanished A small purple child's shoe stood upright on a granite boulder at 6,400 feet - laces tied, LED lights intact, and no footprints in the surrounding snow; a missing mother and her six-year-old...
A small purple child's shoe stood upright on a granite boulder at 6,400 feet - laces tied, LED lights intact, and no footprints in the surrounding snow; a missing mother and her six-year-old daughter vanished during a January outing in the Tuckaway, and only one child was found alive. What happened on that mountain across sixty silent hours that left a shoe inexplicably planted and a trail that dissolved into nothing?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of the three-day search: the handoff at the community center, the storm that dropped six inches of snow and high winds, the discovery of Abby Reese and the baffling signals the dog teams tracked before losing the trail. How did a size four purple shoe end up standing on a boulder with no footprints around it, and where did Brenda and Lily go?

Person: Brenda Morgan
Person: Lily (age 6)
Person: Abby Reese (age 7)
Date: January 7-9
Location: Duvall Creek lower trailhead, Tuckaway ridgeline

- Brenda's last text to Tina at 2:04 PM read "found some, Lily happy."
- Deputies found Brenda's locked truck at the Duvall Creek trailhead at 7:50 PM the same day.
- Snowfall of six inches occurred in the lower elevations that afternoon; above 6,500 feet experienced wind and hard freeze.
- Abby Reese was found at 11:20 PM the night of January 8, sitting beside a ponderosa pine, unhurt and calm.
- The purple shoe on the boulder was size four, purple mesh with a cartoon rocket on the tongue and LED lights in the heel, discovered at 6:53 AM on January 9 with no surrounding footprints.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-locked-campsite-she-vanished-inside-a-frozen-fire-closure--73180195
A perfectly intact campsite appeared twelve feet inside a locked federal burn closure on December 9, 2019 - a dome tent zipped shut, a folding chair with ash on the armrests, a paperback book held open by a rock, and frost riming every surface, yet no footprints between the fence and the site. How could a campsite materialize inside a sealed burn closure with a padlock untouched and no one walking in or out?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that began when Amanda Taylor, a meter reader, found the campsite and trace how that anomaly pulled search-and-rescue teams, materials scientists, and probability analysts into a fourteen-month inquiry. What did investigators learn about Beverly Casey’s disappearance that made this campsite so central to the case?

Person: Beverly Casey
Date: October 14, 2018 (last seen); December 9, 2019 (campsite found)
Location: Bracken National Forest, inside federal burn closure near Thumb Rock
Status: Missing; fourteen-month investigation launched
Event: Locked burn closure campsite discovery

- Beverly Casey retired July 2018 after 28 years as a licensed practical nurse and was 62 the summer she retired.
- Beverly left her house on Calloway Street at approximately 5:00 AM on October 14, 2018 with a handwritten note on the passenger seat reading "Back by dark. B.C."
- Beverly’s Subaru was found on Marker Road around October 25, 2018 with pine duff on the hood and tire tracks estimated to be at least seven days old.
- Inside the Subaru was a sealed, unused water filter still in its original packaging on the back seat.
- On December 9, 2019, Amanda Taylor found a dome tent zipped shut and a cold firepit twelve feet inside a locked federal burn closure with no footprints between the fence and the campsite.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180195Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Locked Campsite: She Vanished Inside a Frozen Fire Closure A perfectly intact campsite appeared twelve feet inside a locked federal burn closure on December 9, 2019 - a dome tent zipped shut, a folding chair with ash on the armrests, a...
A perfectly intact campsite appeared twelve feet inside a locked federal burn closure on December 9, 2019 - a dome tent zipped shut, a folding chair with ash on the armrests, a paperback book held open by a rock, and frost riming every surface, yet no footprints between the fence and the site. How could a campsite materialize inside a sealed burn closure with a padlock untouched and no one walking in or out?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that began when Amanda Taylor, a meter reader, found the campsite and trace how that anomaly pulled search-and-rescue teams, materials scientists, and probability analysts into a fourteen-month inquiry. What did investigators learn about Beverly Casey’s disappearance that made this campsite so central to the case?

Person: Beverly Casey
Date: October 14, 2018 (last seen); December 9, 2019 (campsite found)
Location: Bracken National Forest, inside federal burn closure near Thumb Rock
Status: Missing; fourteen-month investigation launched
Event: Locked burn closure campsite discovery

- Beverly Casey retired July 2018 after 28 years as a licensed practical nurse and was 62 the summer she retired.
- Beverly left her house on Calloway Street at approximately 5:00 AM on October 14, 2018 with a handwritten note on the passenger seat reading "Back by dark. B.C."
- Beverly’s Subaru was found on Marker Road around October 25, 2018 with pine duff on the hood and tire tracks estimated to be at least seven days old.
- Inside the Subaru was a sealed, unused water filter still in its original packaging on the back seat.
- On December 9, 2019, Amanda Taylor found a dome tent zipped shut and a cold firepit twelve feet inside a locked federal burn closure with no footprints between the fence and the campsite.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1281falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-sat-like-a-scarecrow-the-coat-that-shouldn-t-be-there--73180191
A man sits by a guardrail like a scarecrow, coat buttoned wrong, unable to say his name - found twenty-four years old on the edge of Tamarack National National after a hike where his packed rain shell and gloves were never used. Two scent dogs tracked a clean line for 1.25 miles then stopped dead in a dry draw; two days later his daypack was found hung from a branch two miles beyond that point. What happened between the scent wall at Cold Spring Draw and the pack on Ander Top?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the last confirmed sighting at the Tamarack trailhead to the launch of search-and-rescue, the scent dog corridor, and the discovery of the hung pack; we present the known facts and leave the unexplained gap between the dogs’ stop and the pack’s location as the central question.

Person: Norman Jensen
Age: 24
Location: Tamarack National National; pack found ~2 miles northeast of Cold Spring Draw
Date: Last seen Saturday, November 9; search launched Tuesday, November 12; pack found Wednesday, November 13
Status: Found sitting at edge of forest; pack recovered intact

- Norman drove 47 miles three times a week to work at an equipment rental yard and kept a strict schedule feeding two Nigerian Dwarf goats at 6:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
- Last confirmed sighting was around noon on Saturday, November 9, when coworker Frank Alcott saw Norman loading at the Tamarack trailhead and waved.
- Overnight temperatures fell to 19°F by 2:00 AM as an unexpected Arctic air mass moved in on Friday night.
- Two trained scent dogs tracked Norman’s scent northward for nearly 1.25 miles and then both stopped simultaneously at Cold Spring Draw, a dry seasonal drainage.
- A gray external-frame daypack was found hanging from a broken branch at chest height about two miles northeast of the scent-loss point containing an unused rain shell, two wrapped granola bars, gloves never worn, an empty water bottle, and a phone with a dead battery.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180191Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Sat Like A Scarecrow: The Coat That Shouldn't Be There A man sits by a guardrail like a scarecrow, coat buttoned wrong, unable to say his name - found twenty-four years old on the edge of Tamarack National National after a hike where his packed...
A man sits by a guardrail like a scarecrow, coat buttoned wrong, unable to say his name - found twenty-four years old on the edge of Tamarack National National after a hike where his packed rain shell and gloves were never used. Two scent dogs tracked a clean line for 1.25 miles then stopped dead in a dry draw; two days later his daypack was found hung from a branch two miles beyond that point. What happened between the scent wall at Cold Spring Draw and the pack on Ander Top?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the last confirmed sighting at the Tamarack trailhead to the launch of search-and-rescue, the scent dog corridor, and the discovery of the hung pack; we present the known facts and leave the unexplained gap between the dogs’ stop and the pack’s location as the central question.

Person: Norman Jensen
Age: 24
Location: Tamarack National National; pack found ~2 miles northeast of Cold Spring Draw
Date: Last seen Saturday, November 9; search launched Tuesday, November 12; pack found Wednesday, November 13
Status: Found sitting at edge of forest; pack recovered intact

- Norman drove 47 miles three times a week to work at an equipment rental yard and kept a strict schedule feeding two Nigerian Dwarf goats at 6:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
- Last confirmed sighting was around noon on Saturday, November 9, when coworker Frank Alcott saw Norman loading at the Tamarack trailhead and waved.
- Overnight temperatures fell to 19°F by 2:00 AM as an unexpected Arctic air mass moved in on Friday night.
- Two trained scent dogs tracked Norman’s scent northward for nearly 1.25 miles and then both stopped simultaneously at Cold Spring Draw, a dry seasonal drainage.
- A gray external-frame daypack was found hanging from a broken branch at chest height about two miles northeast of the scent-loss point containing an unused rain shell, two wrapped granola bars, gloves never worn, an empty water bottle, and a phone with a dead battery.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1085falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cairn-line-woman-s-stone-message-leading-into-silence--73180183
A line of thirty-seven carefully spaced cairns was Marie Rafferty’s last visible message in a November-cold forest - each stone placed about 300 feet apart on a bearing aimed eleven miles into roadless country. Why would an experienced hydrology technician who fell in a frozen streambed stop leaving a scent trail at mile three while cairns continued beyond the break?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the phone call that ended normally to the discovery at the Talloway Creek trailhead, detailing what was found on the ground and the questions search teams confronted. Could those precision-placed stones be a route, a plea, or something else entirely?

Person: Marie Rafferty
Date: October 9-14 (call on October 9; incident October 12-14)
Location: Talloway Creek trailhead and roadless Drover corridor
Distance: 11 miles to the point the cairns pointed toward
Cairns: 37 stones spaced approximately 300 feet apart

- Marie spoke for 42 minutes with her brother Kevin on October 9 at 9:15 p.m.
- Temperatures dropped 20 degrees Fahrenheit in six hours on October 12 with two inches of wet snow above 6,000 feet.
- Marie slipped and slid approximately 20 feet down a frozen channel and then walked nearly 100 yards inside the streambed to exit.
- Dogs on the search reached mile three where the scent trail ended abruptly while 34 additional cairns stood beyond that point.
- Ranger Pete Carver left a courtesy notice on Marie’s gray pickup on October 13 after it sat in the trailhead lot for more than one night, not reporting it as missing.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180183Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cairn Line: Woman's Stone Message Leading Into Silence A line of thirty-seven carefully spaced cairns was Marie Rafferty’s last visible message in a November-cold forest - each stone placed about 300 feet apart on a bearing aimed eleven miles...
A line of thirty-seven carefully spaced cairns was Marie Rafferty’s last visible message in a November-cold forest - each stone placed about 300 feet apart on a bearing aimed eleven miles into roadless country. Why would an experienced hydrology technician who fell in a frozen streambed stop leaving a scent trail at mile three while cairns continued beyond the break?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the phone call that ended normally to the discovery at the Talloway Creek trailhead, detailing what was found on the ground and the questions search teams confronted. Could those precision-placed stones be a route, a plea, or something else entirely?

Person: Marie Rafferty
Date: October 9-14 (call on October 9; incident October 12-14)
Location: Talloway Creek trailhead and roadless Drover corridor
Distance: 11 miles to the point the cairns pointed toward
Cairns: 37 stones spaced approximately 300 feet apart

- Marie spoke for 42 minutes with her brother Kevin on October 9 at 9:15 p.m.
- Temperatures dropped 20 degrees Fahrenheit in six hours on October 12 with two inches of wet snow above 6,000 feet.
- Marie slipped and slid approximately 20 feet down a frozen channel and then walked nearly 100 yards inside the streambed to exit.
- Dogs on the search reached mile three where the scent trail ended abruptly while 34 additional cairns stood beyond that point.
- Ranger Pete Carver left a courtesy notice on Marie’s gray pickup on October 13 after it sat in the trailhead lot for more than one night, not reporting it as missing.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1178falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-folded-jacket-below-the-trail-where-did-cynthia-go--73180165
A dry rain jacket, folded with sleeves tucked neatly underneath and marked "C. McCARTHY," was found four hundred vertical feet below the nearest trail on a granite ledge called the Spinner Shelf - four and a half miles from the trailhead - with no boot prints or path leading to it. Who left a perfectly folded jacket in a place no one could have walked to, and where was Cynthia McCarthy when it arrived?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the concrete evidence from the trail register to the photograph that launched a search, asking how a careful, experienced hiker who planned trips by weather could vanish while leaving a single, meticulously folded jacket behind.

Person: Cynthia McCarthy
Date: September 8-9, 2017
Location: Spinner Shelf on the Sennick River, four and a half miles downstream from nearest trail crossing
Status: Missing
Occupation: Dental hygienist

- The jacket was found at 7:14 a.m. on September 9, 2017, by Douglas Hall, a local fisherman, on the Spinner Shelf.
- The Spinner Shelf is four hundred vertical feet below the nearest trail and four and a half miles from that trail crossing.
- The jacket was dry and folded flat with sleeves tucked underneath; Cynthia's name "C. McCARTHY" was written on the collar in black marker on white athletic tape.
- Cynthia signed the trailhead register at 8:10 a.m. on September 8, 2017, listing the Pennick Loop for one night out and wrote the entry twice, with the destination crossed out on the second line.
- Diane Wagner, with nineteen years in Ridgeline County Search and Rescue, had the jacket on a table by 8:40 a.m. and made three calls before 9:00 a.m. to determine how the jacket arrived.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180165Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Folded Jacket Below the Trail: Where Did Cynthia Go? A dry rain jacket, folded with sleeves tucked neatly underneath and marked "C. McCARTHY," was found four hundred vertical feet below the nearest trail on a granite ledge called the Spinner...
A dry rain jacket, folded with sleeves tucked neatly underneath and marked "C. McCARTHY," was found four hundred vertical feet below the nearest trail on a granite ledge called the Spinner Shelf - four and a half miles from the trailhead - with no boot prints or path leading to it. Who left a perfectly folded jacket in a place no one could have walked to, and where was Cynthia McCarthy when it arrived?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the concrete evidence from the trail register to the photograph that launched a search, asking how a careful, experienced hiker who planned trips by weather could vanish while leaving a single, meticulously folded jacket behind.

Person: Cynthia McCarthy
Date: September 8-9, 2017
Location: Spinner Shelf on the Sennick River, four and a half miles downstream from nearest trail crossing
Status: Missing
Occupation: Dental hygienist

- The jacket was found at 7:14 a.m. on September 9, 2017, by Douglas Hall, a local fisherman, on the Spinner Shelf.
- The Spinner Shelf is four hundred vertical feet below the nearest trail and four and a half miles from that trail crossing.
- The jacket was dry and folded flat with sleeves tucked underneath; Cynthia's name "C. McCARTHY" was written on the collar in black marker on white athletic tape.
- Cynthia signed the trailhead register at 8:10 a.m. on September 8, 2017, listing the Pennick Loop for one night out and wrote the entry twice, with the destination crossed out on the second line.
- Diane Wagner, with nineteen years in Ridgeline County Search and Rescue, had the jacket on a table by 8:40 a.m. and made three calls before 9:00 a.m. to determine how the jacket arrived.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-dry-topo-map-lay-under-a-soaked-dead-woman-s-palm--73180159
A single, impossible detail - the topographic map under Frances Dempsey's right palm was structurally uncreased and completely dry while everything around her was soaked - stopped the deputy medical examiner cold on August 9, 2011. The paper map bears a pencil circle marking a point roughly 200 meters north of her body; why that circle was there and how the map stayed dry remain unanswered. What did Frances find beyond the mapped routes, and what did searchers miss?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Frances Dempsey's last known movements, the search and rescue efforts that traced her to Rim Notch, and the physical evidence that refused to fit the expected story. How did a meticulous, experienced hiker with a precise hand-drawn sketch end up where no published map had accurately drawn the terrain?

Person: Frances Dempsey
Date: August 6-9, 2011
Location: Aldene River side of the Laramie Bench range; near Donner Lake and Brecker Peak
Status: Body found by Melissa Quinn in a gravel drainage on August 9, 2011
Case: Unresolved anomalies in search evidence and terrain mapping

- Frances signed the Donner Lake Trailhead register at 5:51 a.m. on August 6, 2011; that is the last confirmed record of her alive.
- A second register entry, "T. Burris" at 6:08 a.m. the same morning, listed a non-working phone number and an untraceable name.
- Frances's hand-drawn sketch annotated a low point along the ridge at approximately 10,800 feet, cutting about 1.5 miles off the longer route through Fenwick Saddle.
- Dog teams tracked Frances's scent steadily past the four-mile split to Rim Notch, where the scent trail ended at roughly 10,800 feet.
- The topographic map found under Frances's right palm was folded flat with its north edge up, structurally uncreased, and completely dry despite the surrounding ground being wet from overnight rain.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180159Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaA dry topo map lay under a soaked dead woman's palm A single, impossible detail - the topographic map under Frances Dempsey's right palm was structurally uncreased and completely dry while everything around her was soaked - stopped the deputy...
A single, impossible detail - the topographic map under Frances Dempsey's right palm was structurally uncreased and completely dry while everything around her was soaked - stopped the deputy medical examiner cold on August 9, 2011. The paper map bears a pencil circle marking a point roughly 200 meters north of her body; why that circle was there and how the map stayed dry remain unanswered. What did Frances find beyond the mapped routes, and what did searchers miss?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Frances Dempsey's last known movements, the search and rescue efforts that traced her to Rim Notch, and the physical evidence that refused to fit the expected story. How did a meticulous, experienced hiker with a precise hand-drawn sketch end up where no published map had accurately drawn the terrain?

Person: Frances Dempsey
Date: August 6-9, 2011
Location: Aldene River side of the Laramie Bench range; near Donner Lake and Brecker Peak
Status: Body found by Melissa Quinn in a gravel drainage on August 9, 2011
Case: Unresolved anomalies in search evidence and terrain mapping

- Frances signed the Donner Lake Trailhead register at 5:51 a.m. on August 6, 2011; that is the last confirmed record of her alive.
- A second register entry, "T. Burris" at 6:08 a.m. the same morning, listed a non-working phone number and an untraceable name.
- Frances's hand-drawn sketch annotated a low point along the ridge at approximately 10,800 feet, cutting about 1.5 miles off the longer route through Fenwick Saddle.
- Dog teams tracked Frances's scent steadily past the four-mile split to Rim Notch, where the scent trail ended at roughly 10,800 feet.
- The topographic map found under Frances's right palm was folded flat with its north edge up, structurally uncreased, and completely dry despite the surrounding ground being wet from overnight rain.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/wren-hollow-at-11-14-p-m-the-lookout-who-walked-away--73180153
At 11:14 p.m. a lookout who never missed a check-in wrote a single, strange line: "Wren Hollow, something moving, not deer" - a place name she claimed never to have heard and that did not appear on any maps she carried. How did Patricia Young, found alive eleven days later eight miles northeast of the tower with a fractured fibula and no memory, name the exact drainage where she was found?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Patricia's last routine radio call to the discovery of the hidden logbook entry, detailing the conditions at the Sentinel Knob tower, the search procedures, and the baffling scent break that stopped tracking dogs cold. What happened between her precise evening routine and the moment she walked into the dark toward a name she said she'd never heard?

Person: Patricia Young
Date: July 16, 2012
Location: Sentinel Knob cab, 8,200 feet, Morrow National Forest
Event: Eleven-day disappearance; found eight miles northeast under a rock overhang
Status: Alive when found; fractured fibula and severe dehydration

- Patricia logged one entry at 8:47 p.m. noting clear skies, southwest wind 12 mph, and 61 degrees.
- At approximately 11:14 p.m. she wrote "Wren Hollow, something moving, not deer" in less controlled handwriting.
- The access road, Rim Service Drive, is nine miles of single-lane gravel from the tower to the roadhead.
- Search-and-rescue volunteers numbered twelve on the initial team assembled about nine hours after the tower was checked.
- Tracking dogs followed a scent for about 1.5 miles before stopping at a bench where a mineral-rich seasonal seep disrupted the scent.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180153Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaWren Hollow at 11:14 p.m.: The Lookout Who Walked Away At 11:14 p.m. a lookout who never missed a check-in wrote a single, strange line: "Wren Hollow, something moving, not deer" - a place name she claimed never to have heard and that did not...
At 11:14 p.m. a lookout who never missed a check-in wrote a single, strange line: "Wren Hollow, something moving, not deer" - a place name she claimed never to have heard and that did not appear on any maps she carried. How did Patricia Young, found alive eleven days later eight miles northeast of the tower with a fractured fibula and no memory, name the exact drainage where she was found?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Patricia's last routine radio call to the discovery of the hidden logbook entry, detailing the conditions at the Sentinel Knob tower, the search procedures, and the baffling scent break that stopped tracking dogs cold. What happened between her precise evening routine and the moment she walked into the dark toward a name she said she'd never heard?

Person: Patricia Young
Date: July 16, 2012
Location: Sentinel Knob cab, 8,200 feet, Morrow National Forest
Event: Eleven-day disappearance; found eight miles northeast under a rock overhang
Status: Alive when found; fractured fibula and severe dehydration

- Patricia logged one entry at 8:47 p.m. noting clear skies, southwest wind 12 mph, and 61 degrees.
- At approximately 11:14 p.m. she wrote "Wren Hollow, something moving, not deer" in less controlled handwriting.
- The access road, Rim Service Drive, is nine miles of single-lane gravel from the tower to the roadhead.
- Search-and-rescue volunteers numbered twelve on the initial team assembled about nine hours after the tower was checked.
- Tracking dogs followed a scent for about 1.5 miles before stopping at a bench where a mineral-rich seasonal seep disrupted the scent.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-left-his-boots-in-the-lot-found-36-hours-1-5-miles-away--73180150
Fog had soaked every surface in Calder National Forest except for the ground beneath a single pair of dry boots left in a gravel lot at 7:47 a.m. - and the truck they matched was parked, keys inside, a mile from where a hiker would later be found alive after 36 hours. What happened between a planned solo overnight and a missing man whose boots sat alone in the wet - and why did two different witnesses describe the same clothing miles apart in impossible time?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the people involved as the search unfolds and evidence is pieced together to ask the question that opened the case: how does an experienced, prepared 28-year-old hiker vanish from a trail and reappear injured in terrain people “never notice”?

Person: Ross Schmidt
Date: June 13-18, 2019
Location: Calder National Forest, Fenwick Lake area
Status: Found alive, injured
Witness: Diane Bailey

- Boots: Merrell Moab size 11, coyote brown, receipt in the glove box of a 2013 Ford Ranger
- First sighting: Mark and Susan Finley saw a man 4 miles from trailhead around 2:00 p.m., arm pressed to chest, favoring right leg
- Second sighting overlap: Tim Burrell saw a gray-and-green-clad figure at Calder National (7 miles) at 3:40 p.m., a pace inconsistent with the earlier sighting
- Discovery detail: Boots were dry while surrounding gravel was wet from overnight fog; boots placed after fog lifted
- Search timeline: Diane Bailey called the ranger station at 8:02 a.m.; the case required five days, a search-and-rescue team, and forensic boot leather examination

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180150Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Left His Boots in the Lot - Found 36 Hours, 1.5 Miles Away Fog had soaked every surface in Calder National Forest except for the ground beneath a single pair of dry boots left in a gravel lot at 7:47 a.m. - and the truck they matched was parked,...
Fog had soaked every surface in Calder National Forest except for the ground beneath a single pair of dry boots left in a gravel lot at 7:47 a.m. - and the truck they matched was parked, keys inside, a mile from where a hiker would later be found alive after 36 hours. What happened between a planned solo overnight and a missing man whose boots sat alone in the wet - and why did two different witnesses describe the same clothing miles apart in impossible time?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the people involved as the search unfolds and evidence is pieced together to ask the question that opened the case: how does an experienced, prepared 28-year-old hiker vanish from a trail and reappear injured in terrain people “never notice”?

Person: Ross Schmidt
Date: June 13-18, 2019
Location: Calder National Forest, Fenwick Lake area
Status: Found alive, injured
Witness: Diane Bailey

- Boots: Merrell Moab size 11, coyote brown, receipt in the glove box of a 2013 Ford Ranger
- First sighting: Mark and Susan Finley saw a man 4 miles from trailhead around 2:00 p.m., arm pressed to chest, favoring right leg
- Second sighting overlap: Tim Burrell saw a gray-and-green-clad figure at Calder National (7 miles) at 3:40 p.m., a pace inconsistent with the earlier sighting
- Discovery detail: Boots were dry while surrounding gravel was wet from overnight fog; boots placed after fog lifted
- Search timeline: Diane Bailey called the ranger station at 8:02 a.m.; the case required five days, a search-and-rescue team, and forensic boot leather examination

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1237falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-signal-on-the-road-why-a-buried-beacon-blinked-alone--73180147
A lone avalanche transceiver blinked amber on a road sign at 6:14 AM on May 9, 2019, transmitting a buried-alive signal into empty air 6,900 feet up with the nearest snowpack 1,300 vertical feet above - so why was it there with no skier attached? Who left a precise route note warning of considerable north-aspect hazard and then vanished from her planned return time?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the trailhead register to the pullout photo that redirected a search, tracing the routine habits and careful planning of the missing skier and the moment that pulled rescuers off their initial assumptions. What link connects a laminated routine card, a photo taken by a sixteen-year-old delivery driver, and an orange flash seen high on Ember Ridge?

Person: Frances Rafferty
Date: May 7, 2019 (reported overdue), May 9, 2019 (device photographed)
Location: Pinnaker Valley Road pullout; Ember Ridge / upper Ember cirque
Status: Missing
Event: Avalanche transceiver found blinking amber on a signpost at 6:14 AM

- Crystal Hunt photographed the transceiver at 6:14 AM on May 9, 2019.
- The device was transmitting at 6,900 feet of elevation with the nearest snowpack 1,300 vertical feet above.
- Frances Rafferty was reported overdue at 4:30 PM on May 7, 2019; entry showed planned return at 3:00 PM.
- Frances had 22 seasons on Ember Ridge and noted "Considerable, north aspects above 8,500" in the trail register at 7:02 AM.
- Roy O'Connor had eight people and two avalanche dogs at the trailhead by 6:00 PM on May 7, 2019.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180147Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Signal on the Road: Why a Buried-Beacon Blinked Alone A lone avalanche transceiver blinked amber on a road sign at 6:14 AM on May 9, 2019, transmitting a buried-alive signal into empty air 6,900 feet up with the nearest snowpack 1,300 vertical...
A lone avalanche transceiver blinked amber on a road sign at 6:14 AM on May 9, 2019, transmitting a buried-alive signal into empty air 6,900 feet up with the nearest snowpack 1,300 vertical feet above - so why was it there with no skier attached? Who left a precise route note warning of considerable north-aspect hazard and then vanished from her planned return time?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the trailhead register to the pullout photo that redirected a search, tracing the routine habits and careful planning of the missing skier and the moment that pulled rescuers off their initial assumptions. What link connects a laminated routine card, a photo taken by a sixteen-year-old delivery driver, and an orange flash seen high on Ember Ridge?

Person: Frances Rafferty
Date: May 7, 2019 (reported overdue), May 9, 2019 (device photographed)
Location: Pinnaker Valley Road pullout; Ember Ridge / upper Ember cirque
Status: Missing
Event: Avalanche transceiver found blinking amber on a signpost at 6:14 AM

- Crystal Hunt photographed the transceiver at 6:14 AM on May 9, 2019.
- The device was transmitting at 6,900 feet of elevation with the nearest snowpack 1,300 vertical feet above.
- Frances Rafferty was reported overdue at 4:30 PM on May 7, 2019; entry showed planned return at 3:00 PM.
- Frances had 22 seasons on Ember Ridge and noted "Considerable, north aspects above 8,500" in the trail register at 7:02 AM.
- Roy O'Connor had eight people and two avalanche dogs at the trailhead by 6:00 PM on May 7, 2019.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-her-journal-found-72-hours-too-late-at-emmons-pass--73180143
Cold, precise, and almost bureaucratic, a journal left beneath a windshield wiper traced eight days of survival and a wrong turn that nearly killed a twenty-three-year-old technician-why did a GPS ping mislead rescuers for an entire week?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Nicole Wright’s last confirmed sighting to the moment her journal was found, and we trace how a single configuration error and a posted work schedule became the difference between life and death-how did those missed signals steer search teams away from where she actually was?

Person: Nicole Wright
Date: April 16-24
Location: Emmons Pass / Caldwell Forks area
Occupation: Environmental monitoring technician
Finder: Donna Gardner

- Nicole’s last confirmed visual sighting was at approximately 8:15 AM on April 16 by volunteer Frank Ibarra at the lower parking area footbridge.
- A GPS logger transmitted a single position fix at 11:04 AM on April 16 (lower eastern approach) and then went silent.
- The GPS unit had been recording internally without broadcasting due to a wrong setting; its internal track was retrieved on April 25.
- Eight inches of new snow fell above treeline during a squall on April 17 while Nicole was already on the ridge.
- Donna Gardner found a plastic bag containing Nicole’s journal under her windshield wiper at 6:47 AM on April 24 after the grader sat untouched in the yard for exactly 72 hours.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180143Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left Her Journal - Found 72 Hours Too Late at Emmons Pass Cold, precise, and almost bureaucratic, a journal left beneath a windshield wiper traced eight days of survival and a wrong turn that nearly killed a twenty-three-year-old technician-why...
Cold, precise, and almost bureaucratic, a journal left beneath a windshield wiper traced eight days of survival and a wrong turn that nearly killed a twenty-three-year-old technician-why did a GPS ping mislead rescuers for an entire week?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Nicole Wright’s last confirmed sighting to the moment her journal was found, and we trace how a single configuration error and a posted work schedule became the difference between life and death-how did those missed signals steer search teams away from where she actually was?

Person: Nicole Wright
Date: April 16-24
Location: Emmons Pass / Caldwell Forks area
Occupation: Environmental monitoring technician
Finder: Donna Gardner

- Nicole’s last confirmed visual sighting was at approximately 8:15 AM on April 16 by volunteer Frank Ibarra at the lower parking area footbridge.
- A GPS logger transmitted a single position fix at 11:04 AM on April 16 (lower eastern approach) and then went silent.
- The GPS unit had been recording internally without broadcasting due to a wrong setting; its internal track was retrieved on April 25.
- Eight inches of new snow fell above treeline during a squall on April 17 while Nicole was already on the ridge.
- Donna Gardner found a plastic bag containing Nicole’s journal under her windshield wiper at 6:47 AM on April 24 after the grader sat untouched in the yard for exactly 72 hours.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1182falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-came-back-tent-intact-footprints-nowhere-blue-ink-unanswered--73180139
The air on Sorrel Mesa held a small, impossible silence: an orange tent stood perfectly pitched in eleven inches of fresh snow with not a single footprint leading to it or away from it - and a thirty-eight-year-old woman was missing. What happened between the campsite and that blank snow, and why was the only oddity a blue-ink diary entry in a woman who always wrote in black?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Nicole Mueller’s three-day traverse, the early-arriving storm that pinned her on the plateau, and the discovery at the relay station that left rescuers baffled; we close asking how one unexplained blue pen and an untouched ring of snow fit into the rest of the evidence.

Person: Nicole Mueller
Age: 38
Date: March 5-9, 2019
Location: Sorrel Mesa, Whitlow Trail and relay station
Witness: Gail O'Connor

- Eleven inches of fresh snow surrounded the orange single-wall tent on every side with no footprints breaking the surface.
- Nicole left a diary entry on March 5 before departure written in blue ink despite her habit of writing in black.
- Nicole had previously crossed Sorrel Mesa in February 2016 and January 2018 and carried a laminated map and detailed preparations.
- The storm arrived thirty-six hours earlier than forecast on the afternoon of March 7, reducing visibility to about thirty feet.
- Nicole set her emergency tent in a depression near the north edge of a two-hundred-meter boulder field after drifting off the Whitlow Trail.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180139Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Came Back - Tent Intact, Footprints Nowhere, Blue Ink Unanswered The air on Sorrel Mesa held a small, impossible silence: an orange tent stood perfectly pitched in eleven inches of fresh snow with not a single footprint leading to it or away...
The air on Sorrel Mesa held a small, impossible silence: an orange tent stood perfectly pitched in eleven inches of fresh snow with not a single footprint leading to it or away from it - and a thirty-eight-year-old woman was missing. What happened between the campsite and that blank snow, and why was the only oddity a blue-ink diary entry in a woman who always wrote in black?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Nicole Mueller’s three-day traverse, the early-arriving storm that pinned her on the plateau, and the discovery at the relay station that left rescuers baffled; we close asking how one unexplained blue pen and an untouched ring of snow fit into the rest of the evidence.

Person: Nicole Mueller
Age: 38
Date: March 5-9, 2019
Location: Sorrel Mesa, Whitlow Trail and relay station
Witness: Gail O'Connor

- Eleven inches of fresh snow surrounded the orange single-wall tent on every side with no footprints breaking the surface.
- Nicole left a diary entry on March 5 before departure written in blue ink despite her habit of writing in black.
- Nicole had previously crossed Sorrel Mesa in February 2016 and January 2018 and carried a laminated map and detailed preparations.
- The storm arrived thirty-six hours earlier than forecast on the afternoon of March 7, reducing visibility to about thirty feet.
- Nicole set her emergency tent in a depression near the north edge of a two-hundred-meter boulder field after drifting off the Whitlow Trail.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-walked-out-alive-the-stones-had-been-turned--73180133
The morning runner found a forty-foot circle of flat andesite slabs flipped pale-side up and a lone men's size eleven boot sitting sixty feet from the nearest stone-so deliberate it suggested intention, not accident. How did a sixty-three-year-old geology professor with strict solo-hiking rules and a functioning locator beacon end up one hundred and twelve feet uphill from that boot with a compound fibula fracture and no memory of the event?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from Roger Wilson signing out the department Subaru to the Goose Creek loop discovery and the search and rescue response, and we ask how the turned stones, the lone boot, and the scent-stopping point by two trailing dogs fit together.

Person: Roger Wilson
Date: February 7-10 (year not provided)
Location: Goose Creek loop / Palisade Slide
Status: Survived; hospitalized with a compound fibula fracture
Case: Unexplained survival and scene anomalies

- Roger Wilson was 63 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, and 170 pounds.
- Pamela White discovered the stone circle and the single boot at 7:48 AM on February 9 after four years of running the Goose Creek loop.
- The stone circle measured roughly 40 feet across with dozens of flat andesite slabs flipped to show their pale undersides.
- The lone boot was a men's Vasque Sundowner size 11, laces tied and tongue in place, found sitting 60 feet from the nearest stone.
- Searchers later located a blood smear on an andesite slab indicating a fall approximately 112 feet uphill from the boot.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180133Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Walked Out Alive - The Stones Had Been Turned The morning runner found a forty-foot circle of flat andesite slabs flipped pale-side up and a lone men's size eleven boot sitting sixty feet from the nearest stone-so deliberate it suggested...
The morning runner found a forty-foot circle of flat andesite slabs flipped pale-side up and a lone men's size eleven boot sitting sixty feet from the nearest stone-so deliberate it suggested intention, not accident. How did a sixty-three-year-old geology professor with strict solo-hiking rules and a functioning locator beacon end up one hundred and twelve feet uphill from that boot with a compound fibula fracture and no memory of the event?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from Roger Wilson signing out the department Subaru to the Goose Creek loop discovery and the search and rescue response, and we ask how the turned stones, the lone boot, and the scent-stopping point by two trailing dogs fit together.

Person: Roger Wilson
Date: February 7-10 (year not provided)
Location: Goose Creek loop / Palisade Slide
Status: Survived; hospitalized with a compound fibula fracture
Case: Unexplained survival and scene anomalies

- Roger Wilson was 63 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, and 170 pounds.
- Pamela White discovered the stone circle and the single boot at 7:48 AM on February 9 after four years of running the Goose Creek loop.
- The stone circle measured roughly 40 feet across with dozens of flat andesite slabs flipped to show their pale undersides.
- The lone boot was a men's Vasque Sundowner size 11, laces tied and tongue in place, found sitting 60 feet from the nearest stone.
- Searchers later located a blood smear on an andesite slab indicating a fall approximately 112 feet uphill from the boot.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-came-back-from-the-river-but-something-stayed-behind--73180129
The river gave her back a body that was alive but hollowed by hypothermia and cognitive collapse; damp waders with river clay and gravel sat deliberately on a bench as if someone had planned her return. How did a twenty-six-year-old nurse vanish from a favorite stretch of water and reappear fifteen days later in a granite canyon no one had searched?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the morning Pamela Zeller disappeared to the moment she was carried out alive yet severely injured, and we trace the gaps in the search that left a secret stretch of river undiscovered - where did she go and why was no one looking there?

Person: Pamela Zeller
Age: 26
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Date: January 7 (disappearance) and fifteen days later (rescue)
Location: granite canyon between two rocks, south of Forest Road Fourteen

- Waders were found sitting upright on a bench with river clay on the left shin and fine gravel packed into the soles.
- Pamela had been missing for eleven days when the dampness in the waders first stopped Crystal Carter at the gate.
- Derek Pruitt, 31, called 9-1-1 at 10:47 a.m. after noticing Pamela was gone from the north bank where they fish opposite sides.
- Search dogs found a limestone outcropping three hundred yards south of Derek’s last confirmed sighting, where the trail ended due to stone and a wind shift.
- Pamela survived fifteen nights by melting snow in an aluminum cup with a cigarette lighter, and was found with severe hypothermia, a fractured right ankle, and abnormal blood sodium levels.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180129Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Came Back From the River - But Something Stayed Behind The river gave her back a body that was alive but hollowed by hypothermia and cognitive collapse; damp waders with river clay and gravel sat deliberately on a bench as if someone had...
The river gave her back a body that was alive but hollowed by hypothermia and cognitive collapse; damp waders with river clay and gravel sat deliberately on a bench as if someone had planned her return. How did a twenty-six-year-old nurse vanish from a favorite stretch of water and reappear fifteen days later in a granite canyon no one had searched?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the morning Pamela Zeller disappeared to the moment she was carried out alive yet severely injured, and we trace the gaps in the search that left a secret stretch of river undiscovered - where did she go and why was no one looking there?

Person: Pamela Zeller
Age: 26
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Date: January 7 (disappearance) and fifteen days later (rescue)
Location: granite canyon between two rocks, south of Forest Road Fourteen

- Waders were found sitting upright on a bench with river clay on the left shin and fine gravel packed into the soles.
- Pamela had been missing for eleven days when the dampness in the waders first stopped Crystal Carter at the gate.
- Derek Pruitt, 31, called 9-1-1 at 10:47 a.m. after noticing Pamela was gone from the north bank where they fish opposite sides.
- Search dogs found a limestone outcropping three hundred yards south of Derek’s last confirmed sighting, where the trail ended due to stone and a wind shift.
- Pamela survived fifteen nights by melting snow in an aluminum cup with a cigarette lighter, and was found with severe hypothermia, a fractured right ankle, and abnormal blood sodium levels.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>939falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/two-small-mud-handprints-and-a-man-who-shouldn-t-have-survived--73180125
Two child-sized handprints pressed into gray silt beside Talus Creek, each 4.5 inches from palm to fingertip with fingers curled inward - and no missing child was ever reported in Garfield County. A 48-year-old man, Clifford Norris, had been in the water for three days in December and should not have survived that cold; what connects those small prints to a hiker who knew the forest like his own neighborhood?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from Clifford's last visit to his brother on Wednesday to the discovery of his truck at Hollowtop Trailhead and the search that followed, presenting the scene details and uncovered anomalies that keep the case unresolved. How did Clifford, who named the beaver dam as his destination, end up moving away from it and leaving a day pack placed upright by a root ball?

Person: Clifford Norris
Date last seen: Friday, December 6, 2019
Location: Talus Creek / Halcomb National Forest
Finder of day pack: Scott Halverson
Search coordinator: Monica Petersen

- Truck located at Hollowtop Trailhead with windows fogged from the inside, observed the morning of December 6.
- Scent trail picked up by dogs ran northeast toward Spur Bench about 1.5 miles up the plateau, then went cold.
- Day pack found on December 7 under a root ball a quarter mile above the beaver dam, upright with zipper closed and emergency whistle still clipped.
- Water bottle in the pack contained about one-third of its water; phone was found dead in the side pocket.
- Handprints at Talus Creek measured 4.5 inches from palm to fingertip with fingers curved inward, and no child footprints appeared on the bank.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180125Sat, 29 Aug 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaTwo Small Mud Handprints and a Man Who Shouldn't Have Survived Two child-sized handprints pressed into gray silt beside Talus Creek, each 4.5 inches from palm to fingertip with fingers curled inward - and no missing child was ever reported in...
Two child-sized handprints pressed into gray silt beside Talus Creek, each 4.5 inches from palm to fingertip with fingers curled inward - and no missing child was ever reported in Garfield County. A 48-year-old man, Clifford Norris, had been in the water for three days in December and should not have survived that cold; what connects those small prints to a hiker who knew the forest like his own neighborhood?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from Clifford's last visit to his brother on Wednesday to the discovery of his truck at Hollowtop Trailhead and the search that followed, presenting the scene details and uncovered anomalies that keep the case unresolved. How did Clifford, who named the beaver dam as his destination, end up moving away from it and leaving a day pack placed upright by a root ball?

Person: Clifford Norris
Date last seen: Friday, December 6, 2019
Location: Talus Creek / Halcomb National Forest
Finder of day pack: Scott Halverson
Search coordinator: Monica Petersen

- Truck located at Hollowtop Trailhead with windows fogged from the inside, observed the morning of December 6.
- Scent trail picked up by dogs ran northeast toward Spur Bench about 1.5 miles up the plateau, then went cold.
- Day pack found on December 7 under a root ball a quarter mile above the beaver dam, upright with zipper closed and emergency whistle still clipped.
- Water bottle in the pack contained about one-third of its water; phone was found dead in the side pocket.
- Handprints at Talus Creek measured 4.5 inches from palm to fingertip with fingers curved inward, and no child footprints appeared on the bank.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1180falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-camera-caught-her-walking-then-the-forest-swallowed-vicki--73180122
A chest-mounted trail camera recorded eleven seconds at 6:47 AM on November 19, 2019: a woman in a dark green jacket walking east into trees four and a half miles from where her trail ended - and then nothing. The search for Vicki Barnes had been suspended two days earlier, her backpack was found upright in a talus gap with her rain jacket and gloves still inside, and her scent trail stopped cleanly at the slope; how could someone vanish with so many precise traces and no physical explanation?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events, the puzzling physical evidence, and the unanswered details that frustrate searchers and investigators alike - from Vicki’s methodical routine to the notebook sketch that matches no mapped ridgeline - and ask what the evidence really allows us to believe about where she went.

Person: Vicki Barnes
Date: November 19, 2019 (camera footage at 6:47 AM)
Location: east of Survey Point Seven; four and a half miles from trail end
Status: missing (search suspended two days earlier)
Age: 32

- Trail camera recorded eleven seconds of footage showing a woman in a dark green jacket walking east through the frame at 6:47 AM.
- Vicki had been missing for six days when the camera recorded her; the public search had been suspended two days prior.
- Her backpack was found upright wedged in a gap on a talus slope with her rain jacket and thin wool gloves folded inside.
- A scent trail tracked by a search-and-rescue dog ended abruptly at the edge of the talus with no physical barrier such as water, cliff, or road.
- She had drawn a topographic sketch of a ridgeline with a notch and three hash marks in her purple notebook that does not match any mapped terrain in the area she planned to assess.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180122Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Camera Caught Her Walking - Then the Forest Swallowed Vicki A chest-mounted trail camera recorded eleven seconds at 6:47 AM on November 19, 2019: a woman in a dark green jacket walking east into trees four and a half miles from where her trail...
A chest-mounted trail camera recorded eleven seconds at 6:47 AM on November 19, 2019: a woman in a dark green jacket walking east into trees four and a half miles from where her trail ended - and then nothing. The search for Vicki Barnes had been suspended two days earlier, her backpack was found upright in a talus gap with her rain jacket and gloves still inside, and her scent trail stopped cleanly at the slope; how could someone vanish with so many precise traces and no physical explanation?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events, the puzzling physical evidence, and the unanswered details that frustrate searchers and investigators alike - from Vicki’s methodical routine to the notebook sketch that matches no mapped ridgeline - and ask what the evidence really allows us to believe about where she went.

Person: Vicki Barnes
Date: November 19, 2019 (camera footage at 6:47 AM)
Location: east of Survey Point Seven; four and a half miles from trail end
Status: missing (search suspended two days earlier)
Age: 32

- Trail camera recorded eleven seconds of footage showing a woman in a dark green jacket walking east through the frame at 6:47 AM.
- Vicki had been missing for six days when the camera recorded her; the public search had been suspended two days prior.
- Her backpack was found upright wedged in a gap on a talus slope with her rain jacket and thin wool gloves folded inside.
- A scent trail tracked by a search-and-rescue dog ended abruptly at the edge of the talus with no physical barrier such as water, cliff, or road.
- She had drawn a topographic sketch of a ridgeline with a notch and three hash marks in her purple notebook that does not match any mapped terrain in the area she planned to assess.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-boot-on-arrowhead-river-31-hours-unaccounted-for--73180119
A dry hunting boot, upright on a gravel bar while everything around it was beaded with frost and condensation - no sock, no blood, no owner - turned a routine October fishing morning into a thirty-one-hour search in the Shoshone-Lemhi National Forest. How did a man with thirty-three years of experience, a personal locator beacon, and two trusted partners end up two and a half miles from camp with one boot missing and no memory of the night?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the October twelfth arrival to the October fourteenth discovery, outlining the movements, injuries, and search that followed, and asking why a beacon went unused and why the boot remained inexplicably dry.

Person: Ronald Kowalski
Date: October 12-14, 2011
Location: Cutter Drainage, Shoshone-Lemhi National Forest
Finder: Richard Berry
Search duration: 31 hours

- Ronald Kowalski had hunted the same Cutter Drainage for thirty-three consecutive years.
- Ronald fell and lacerated his right forearm and twisted his right ankle at approximately seven thousand feet.
- Ronald traveled roughly two and a half miles over about fourteen hours during a night with temperatures in the low twenties.
- Richard Berry had fished the Arrowhead River for twelve years and found the boot on the morning of October 14, 2011.
- The hunting boot was a tan-and-brown lace-up, size eleven or twelve, standing upright with no sock inside and completely dry despite surrounding frost and condensation.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180119Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Boot on Arrowhead River: 31 Hours Unaccounted For A dry hunting boot, upright on a gravel bar while everything around it was beaded with frost and condensation - no sock, no blood, no owner - turned a routine October fishing morning into a...
A dry hunting boot, upright on a gravel bar while everything around it was beaded with frost and condensation - no sock, no blood, no owner - turned a routine October fishing morning into a thirty-one-hour search in the Shoshone-Lemhi National Forest. How did a man with thirty-three years of experience, a personal locator beacon, and two trusted partners end up two and a half miles from camp with one boot missing and no memory of the night?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the October twelfth arrival to the October fourteenth discovery, outlining the movements, injuries, and search that followed, and asking why a beacon went unused and why the boot remained inexplicably dry.

Person: Ronald Kowalski
Date: October 12-14, 2011
Location: Cutter Drainage, Shoshone-Lemhi National Forest
Finder: Richard Berry
Search duration: 31 hours

- Ronald Kowalski had hunted the same Cutter Drainage for thirty-three consecutive years.
- Ronald fell and lacerated his right forearm and twisted his right ankle at approximately seven thousand feet.
- Ronald traveled roughly two and a half miles over about fourteen hours during a night with temperatures in the low twenties.
- Richard Berry had fished the Arrowhead River for twelve years and found the boot on the morning of October 14, 2011.
- The hunting boot was a tan-and-brown lace-up, size eleven or twelve, standing upright with no sock inside and completely dry despite surrounding frost and condensation.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1210falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-climbed-her-gps-she-woke-alone-on-kessler-wall-ledge--73180114
A pair of strangers carried Megan Kowalski’s GPS to the summit of Kessler Wall at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2022 - a fifty-one-minute ascent recorded with unaltered timestamps. The climbers left no registration, no trace in the trailhead log, and then vanished; four days later Kowalski woke injured in a drainage ditch clutching the same device. Who were those two climbers, and how did they know exactly where she would end up?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events across sixty-eight hours in the Ashford-Prentice wilderness, from Kowalski’s meticulous trip preparation to the GPS track that defies physical explanation. We cover the GPS evidence, eyewitness accounts, and search-and-rescue assessments that culminate in the central unanswered question: who were the two climbers on Kessler Wall?

Person: Megan Kowalski, age 44
Date: September 13-27, 2022 (trip plan) and September 17, 2022 (GPS summit)
Location: Kessler Wall; Aldermoor Trailhead; Pell Creek Meadow; Ashford-Prentice wilderness
Status: Kowalski found injured in a drainage ditch four days after the recorded summit

- GPS timestamp recorded a summit of Kessler Wall at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2022.
- The ascent from Pell Creek Meadow to the summit was completed in fifty-one minutes per the GPS track.
- Kowalski handed her GPS to two climbers in Pell Creek Meadow and received it back fifty-one minutes later.
- Kowalski was found injured with a fractured leg and alone in a drainage ditch four days after the GPS summit.
- Search-and-rescue arrived at Aldermoor Trailhead at 11:00 AM on September 19 after a Bluetooth handshake logged by county surveyor equipment at 11:14 AM on September 17.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180114Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThey Climbed Her GPS - She Woke Alone on Kessler Wall Ledge A pair of strangers carried Megan Kowalski’s GPS to the summit of Kessler Wall at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2022 - a fifty-one-minute ascent recorded with unaltered timestamps. The...
A pair of strangers carried Megan Kowalski’s GPS to the summit of Kessler Wall at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2022 - a fifty-one-minute ascent recorded with unaltered timestamps. The climbers left no registration, no trace in the trailhead log, and then vanished; four days later Kowalski woke injured in a drainage ditch clutching the same device. Who were those two climbers, and how did they know exactly where she would end up?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events across sixty-eight hours in the Ashford-Prentice wilderness, from Kowalski’s meticulous trip preparation to the GPS track that defies physical explanation. We cover the GPS evidence, eyewitness accounts, and search-and-rescue assessments that culminate in the central unanswered question: who were the two climbers on Kessler Wall?

Person: Megan Kowalski, age 44
Date: September 13-27, 2022 (trip plan) and September 17, 2022 (GPS summit)
Location: Kessler Wall; Aldermoor Trailhead; Pell Creek Meadow; Ashford-Prentice wilderness
Status: Kowalski found injured in a drainage ditch four days after the recorded summit

- GPS timestamp recorded a summit of Kessler Wall at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2022.
- The ascent from Pell Creek Meadow to the summit was completed in fifty-one minutes per the GPS track.
- Kowalski handed her GPS to two climbers in Pell Creek Meadow and received it back fifty-one minutes later.
- Kowalski was found injured with a fractured leg and alone in a drainage ditch four days after the GPS summit.
- Search-and-rescue arrived at Aldermoor Trailhead at 11:00 AM on September 19 after a Bluetooth handshake logged by county surveyor equipment at 11:14 AM on September 17.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1086falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-walked-away-from-the-fire-the-mug-on-the-porch-mystery--73180109
Steam had stopped rising from a white ceramic mug left on the porch railing, and a thin skin had formed across the coffee-an image that suggests someone stepped away for just a moment and never returned. The search that followed spanned seven days across the isolated Klamath Plateau, involved dog teams and helicopters, and centered on a 28-year-old caretaker whose last radio call mentioned clear skies and a woodpecker; what happened to him after he walked north into the Stikkel Breaks?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the morning Cheryl Morris found the open door and the mug through the launch of the search, tracing the documented details in Carl Edwards’s log and the evidence left on the basalt. Why would a man described as organized and reliable leave a cabin in the evening with only day-walk gear and not return?

Person: Carl Edwards
Date: August 15, 2017 (last radio check-in) and August 19, 2017 (mug discovered)
Location: Pellerin Cabin, edge of the Stikkel Breaks, Klamath Plateau, eleven miles east of Crater Falls, Oregon
Status: Found alive eleven days after search began
Author: Carl Edwards (maintenance log entries)

- Cheryl Morris arrived at Pellerin Cabin at 9:43 AM on August 19, 2017, and found the front door standing wide open.
- The white ceramic mug on the porch railing had a thin skin across the coffee, indicating it had cooled for hours.
- Carl’s final radio check-in was on the morning of August 15, 2017, when he mentioned clear skies and a woodpecker.
- Carl had been the seasonal caretaker at Pellerin Cabin, arriving June 3, 2017, and logged his first entry that day in a green spiral-bound maintenance log.
- A backpack was found standing upright with straps buckled two and a half miles from the cabin during the subsequent search.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180109Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Walked Away From the Fire - The Mug on the Porch Mystery Steam had stopped rising from a white ceramic mug left on the porch railing, and a thin skin had formed across the coffee-an image that suggests someone stepped away for just a moment and...
Steam had stopped rising from a white ceramic mug left on the porch railing, and a thin skin had formed across the coffee-an image that suggests someone stepped away for just a moment and never returned. The search that followed spanned seven days across the isolated Klamath Plateau, involved dog teams and helicopters, and centered on a 28-year-old caretaker whose last radio call mentioned clear skies and a woodpecker; what happened to him after he walked north into the Stikkel Breaks?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the morning Cheryl Morris found the open door and the mug through the launch of the search, tracing the documented details in Carl Edwards’s log and the evidence left on the basalt. Why would a man described as organized and reliable leave a cabin in the evening with only day-walk gear and not return?

Person: Carl Edwards
Date: August 15, 2017 (last radio check-in) and August 19, 2017 (mug discovered)
Location: Pellerin Cabin, edge of the Stikkel Breaks, Klamath Plateau, eleven miles east of Crater Falls, Oregon
Status: Found alive eleven days after search began
Author: Carl Edwards (maintenance log entries)

- Cheryl Morris arrived at Pellerin Cabin at 9:43 AM on August 19, 2017, and found the front door standing wide open.
- The white ceramic mug on the porch railing had a thin skin across the coffee, indicating it had cooled for hours.
- Carl’s final radio check-in was on the morning of August 15, 2017, when he mentioned clear skies and a woodpecker.
- Carl had been the seasonal caretaker at Pellerin Cabin, arriving June 3, 2017, and logged his first entry that day in a green spiral-bound maintenance log.
- A backpack was found standing upright with straps buckled two and a half miles from the cabin during the subsequent search.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-a-burning-stove-found-60-hours-later-saying-one-night--73180106
A lit camp stove, a scorched pot of rice, a fleece draped over an empty chair by a creek - a woman who logged every trip and called her neighbor before leaving vanished from a granite shelf campsite, and her body was found 60 hours later saying only "One Night." How did someone so meticulous disappear from a site that showed no struggle, no note, and a scent trail that ended on a sun-baked one-acre slab?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Cynthia Hensley's departure to the search that unfolded at Decker Basin, recounting the campsite details, the single through-hiker who shared the site, and the investigative choices that left a crucial clue overlooked - the water filter - while the dogs, drone, and rim teams searched different directions. What did that filter and the scent trail really mean for the search that stretched into three days?

Person: Cynthia Hensley
Date: July 7-9 (entry July 7; scene found July 9)
Location: Decker Basin, Voss Creek Trailhead
Status: Found 60 hours later
Age: 56

- Cynthia logged 42 backcountry trips over 11 years, with 41 overnight trips before this outing.
- She called neighbor Diane Corbett the evening before departure and fed her four chickens at 6:15 a.m. every morning for four years.
- The stove and scorching rice were discovered at 7:00 a.m. on July 9, still hot enough to show active burning earlier that morning.
- Tracking dogs followed a scent northeast for 600 yards before the trail ended on a one-acre south-facing granite slab.
- Search teams arrived at the trailhead at 9:20 a.m. on July 9 with two teams, four dogs, and a drone unit; the water filter at the creek was catalogued during the July 9 evidence walk.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180106Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left a Burning Stove - Found 60 Hours Later, Saying One Night A lit camp stove, a scorched pot of rice, a fleece draped over an empty chair by a creek - a woman who logged every trip and called her neighbor before leaving vanished from a...
A lit camp stove, a scorched pot of rice, a fleece draped over an empty chair by a creek - a woman who logged every trip and called her neighbor before leaving vanished from a granite shelf campsite, and her body was found 60 hours later saying only "One Night." How did someone so meticulous disappear from a site that showed no struggle, no note, and a scent trail that ended on a sun-baked one-acre slab?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Cynthia Hensley's departure to the search that unfolded at Decker Basin, recounting the campsite details, the single through-hiker who shared the site, and the investigative choices that left a crucial clue overlooked - the water filter - while the dogs, drone, and rim teams searched different directions. What did that filter and the scent trail really mean for the search that stretched into three days?

Person: Cynthia Hensley
Date: July 7-9 (entry July 7; scene found July 9)
Location: Decker Basin, Voss Creek Trailhead
Status: Found 60 hours later
Age: 56

- Cynthia logged 42 backcountry trips over 11 years, with 41 overnight trips before this outing.
- She called neighbor Diane Corbett the evening before departure and fed her four chickens at 6:15 a.m. every morning for four years.
- The stove and scorching rice were discovered at 7:00 a.m. on July 9, still hot enough to show active burning earlier that morning.
- Tracking dogs followed a scent northeast for 600 yards before the trail ended on a one-acre south-facing granite slab.
- Search teams arrived at the trailhead at 9:20 a.m. on July 9 with two teams, four dogs, and a drone unit; the water filter at the creek was catalogued during the July 9 evidence walk.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-the-map-and-the-canyon-that-moves-you--73180099
A solitary boot stood upright on gravel at 4:47 a.m. on June 14, 2019 - heel centered, containing a crisp hand-drawn map with the word "water" circled inside, and six and a half miles away a 23-year-old woman was missing; how did a scent trail simply stop on bare sandstone and why had prior hikers disappeared in the same seven-day June window across decades? What connection ties the boot, the map, and the canyon’s uncanny pattern of vanishings?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the people involved from the moment Todd Bennett photographed the boot through the early search days, presenting the evidence found on scene and the historical incidents in the same drainage; can the physical clues - the map, the stopped scent, the full pack left below the only filtered water source - point to what happened to Jennifer Perry?

Person: Jennifer Perry
Date: June 11-14, 2019
Location: Vermillion Fork Canyon / Ocher Arm drainage
Age: 23
Item found: woman's size 7 left brown leather boot with hand-drawn map inside

- Photo taken at 4:47 a.m. on June 14, 2019 by 16-year-old newspaper carrier Todd Bennett on a gravel access road outside Dunmore, Colorado.
- The map inside the boot was hand-drawn on notebook paper, ink dry and paper crisp, and matched the map Jennifer drew the night before her trip with "water" circled.
- Scent dogs followed Jennifer's trail from Saddleback Trailhead into Vermillion Fork and Ocher Arm, then the scent abruptly ended on bare sandstone at the Ocher Arm junction.
- Volunteer Pete Vargas found Jennifer's pack full approximately 800 meters below the only water source that required filtration, with the filter in the pack and water located above it.
- Incident history shows two prior events in the same drainage: Doug Ferris missing in June 2003 (found June 15, four miles away with a broken ankle and no memory) and Sandra Pruitt missing June 9, 1988 (found deceased June 17 from hyperthermia and dehydration).

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180099Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot, The Map, and the Canyon That Moves You A solitary boot stood upright on gravel at 4:47 a.m. on June 14, 2019 - heel centered, containing a crisp hand-drawn map with the word "water" circled inside, and six and a half miles away a...
A solitary boot stood upright on gravel at 4:47 a.m. on June 14, 2019 - heel centered, containing a crisp hand-drawn map with the word "water" circled inside, and six and a half miles away a 23-year-old woman was missing; how did a scent trail simply stop on bare sandstone and why had prior hikers disappeared in the same seven-day June window across decades? What connection ties the boot, the map, and the canyon’s uncanny pattern of vanishings?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the people involved from the moment Todd Bennett photographed the boot through the early search days, presenting the evidence found on scene and the historical incidents in the same drainage; can the physical clues - the map, the stopped scent, the full pack left below the only filtered water source - point to what happened to Jennifer Perry?

Person: Jennifer Perry
Date: June 11-14, 2019
Location: Vermillion Fork Canyon / Ocher Arm drainage
Age: 23
Item found: woman's size 7 left brown leather boot with hand-drawn map inside

- Photo taken at 4:47 a.m. on June 14, 2019 by 16-year-old newspaper carrier Todd Bennett on a gravel access road outside Dunmore, Colorado.
- The map inside the boot was hand-drawn on notebook paper, ink dry and paper crisp, and matched the map Jennifer drew the night before her trip with "water" circled.
- Scent dogs followed Jennifer's trail from Saddleback Trailhead into Vermillion Fork and Ocher Arm, then the scent abruptly ended on bare sandstone at the Ocher Arm junction.
- Volunteer Pete Vargas found Jennifer's pack full approximately 800 meters below the only water source that required filtration, with the filter in the pack and water located above it.
- Incident history shows two prior events in the same drainage: Doug Ferris missing in June 2003 (found June 15, four miles away with a broken ankle and no memory) and Sandra Pruitt missing June 9, 1988 (found deceased June 17 from hyperthermia and dehydration).

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-forty-minute-window-why-she-vanished-and-came-back-silent--73180096
A single women's size seven hiking boot on a gravel shoulder, a right-foot Vibram print with no mate in soft mud, and a trail of scent that stops as if the air were cut - how does forty minutes erase a person? The evidence points to a precise two-mile mark on the Ridgeline Trail and a gap in time that has never been explained: what happened in that forty-minute window?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Megan Cooper signing the Ridgeline trail register at 7:52 a.m. to search-and-rescue arriving the next evening, laying out the physical evidence, witness sightings, and scent and footprint patterns that define the unanswered question at the center of the case: how did she vanish and reappear with no memory?

Person: Megan Cooper
Date: May 9, 2019 (boot found at 6:14 a.m.; prints found May 9 at 2:40 p.m.)
Location: Sycamore Bench access road / Ridgeline Trail / Orvaine Bench Slope
Status: Found alive, hypothermic and scraped; no memory of events
Coordinator: Michael Dixon

- Boot: single women's size seven hiking boot, gray and coral, laced double-knotted, found on gravel shoulder at 6:14 a.m.
- Trail register: signed at 7:52 a.m., destination Shepherd's Point, estimated return 1:00 p.m.
- Scent trail: tracking dog followed Megan's scent two miles then stopped abruptly at the log bridge over Fern Creek.
- Footprints on trail: pattern of size-seven Vibram outsole prints leading into lodgepole slope starting where scent stopped.
- Mud print: single right-foot women's size seven print with deep toe pressure found in mud seam at lower edge of third drainage at 2:40 p.m., with no corresponding left-foot print.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180096Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Forty-Minute Window: Why She Vanished and Came Back Silent A single women's size seven hiking boot on a gravel shoulder, a right-foot Vibram print with no mate in soft mud, and a trail of scent that stops as if the air were cut - how does forty...
A single women's size seven hiking boot on a gravel shoulder, a right-foot Vibram print with no mate in soft mud, and a trail of scent that stops as if the air were cut - how does forty minutes erase a person? The evidence points to a precise two-mile mark on the Ridgeline Trail and a gap in time that has never been explained: what happened in that forty-minute window?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Megan Cooper signing the Ridgeline trail register at 7:52 a.m. to search-and-rescue arriving the next evening, laying out the physical evidence, witness sightings, and scent and footprint patterns that define the unanswered question at the center of the case: how did she vanish and reappear with no memory?

Person: Megan Cooper
Date: May 9, 2019 (boot found at 6:14 a.m.; prints found May 9 at 2:40 p.m.)
Location: Sycamore Bench access road / Ridgeline Trail / Orvaine Bench Slope
Status: Found alive, hypothermic and scraped; no memory of events
Coordinator: Michael Dixon

- Boot: single women's size seven hiking boot, gray and coral, laced double-knotted, found on gravel shoulder at 6:14 a.m.
- Trail register: signed at 7:52 a.m., destination Shepherd's Point, estimated return 1:00 p.m.
- Scent trail: tracking dog followed Megan's scent two miles then stopped abruptly at the log bridge over Fern Creek.
- Footprints on trail: pattern of size-seven Vibram outsole prints leading into lodgepole slope starting where scent stopped.
- Mud print: single right-foot women's size seven print with deep toe pressure found in mud seam at lower edge of third drainage at 2:40 p.m., with no corresponding left-foot print.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-the-rock-how-the-wilderness-lost-holly-snyder--73180094
A single dry women's hiking boot, upright and fully laced, was found on a granite slab beside a service road two days after Holly Snyder vanished - as if someone had just set it down and walked away. Seventeen volunteers, two scent dogs and a helicopter scoured forty-one miles of wilderness, yet the dogs twice stopped on open snow with no physical trace and a set of men's boot prints ended in nothing; what happened in those four days that left survival confirmed but resolution impossible?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events from Holly's last message to her sister through the four-day search effort, laying out the physical evidence recovered and the unexplained terminations that baffled experienced searchers. How did a seasoned sixty-two-year-old hiker with decades of backcountry experience and a forgotten personal locator beacon disappear into terrain that offered both answers and maddening gaps?

Person: Holly Snyder
Date: April 15-19, 2019
Location: Harrow Creek drainage, Pitchstone backcountry near Varnell, Montana
Status: Missing after four days of search
Case: Unexplained scent terminations and a dry boot found

- Holly Snyder was 62 years old and had more than 30 years of experience walking the Pitchstone backcountry.
- Holly drove 32 miles every Wednesday for four years to visit her sister Norma before going missing.
- Holly texted her sister on April 14, 2019 at 4:17 p.m. saying she planned a two-night loop and would be back Wednesday morning.
- Searchers found Holly's Subaru at 10:15 p.m. on April 15 with her personal locator beacon left on the driver's seat.
- Donna Kelce’s scent dog followed scent 2.5 miles northeast across open flat and stopped twice within eight meters of the same point on consecutive days with no physical evidence found.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180094Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on the Rock: How the Wilderness Lost Holly Snyder A single dry women's hiking boot, upright and fully laced, was found on a granite slab beside a service road two days after Holly Snyder vanished - as if someone had just set it down and...
A single dry women's hiking boot, upright and fully laced, was found on a granite slab beside a service road two days after Holly Snyder vanished - as if someone had just set it down and walked away. Seventeen volunteers, two scent dogs and a helicopter scoured forty-one miles of wilderness, yet the dogs twice stopped on open snow with no physical trace and a set of men's boot prints ended in nothing; what happened in those four days that left survival confirmed but resolution impossible?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events from Holly's last message to her sister through the four-day search effort, laying out the physical evidence recovered and the unexplained terminations that baffled experienced searchers. How did a seasoned sixty-two-year-old hiker with decades of backcountry experience and a forgotten personal locator beacon disappear into terrain that offered both answers and maddening gaps?

Person: Holly Snyder
Date: April 15-19, 2019
Location: Harrow Creek drainage, Pitchstone backcountry near Varnell, Montana
Status: Missing after four days of search
Case: Unexplained scent terminations and a dry boot found

- Holly Snyder was 62 years old and had more than 30 years of experience walking the Pitchstone backcountry.
- Holly drove 32 miles every Wednesday for four years to visit her sister Norma before going missing.
- Holly texted her sister on April 14, 2019 at 4:17 p.m. saying she planned a two-night loop and would be back Wednesday morning.
- Searchers found Holly's Subaru at 10:15 p.m. on April 15 with her personal locator beacon left on the driver's seat.
- Donna Kelce’s scent dog followed scent 2.5 miles northeast across open flat and stopped twice within eight meters of the same point on consecutive days with no physical evidence found.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1093falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/boots-on-the-boulder-who-walked-them-there-in-silence--73180091
A pair of hiking boots, perfectly aligned, laces tucked inside and pointing north, sat on a granite boulder the size of a car with no tracks leading to or away from them-found in a clean circle of bare rock surrounded by fresh snow at 9,200 feet. How did those boots get there when the man who owned them had been missing for 31 hours?

In this episode, we walk through the search-and-rescue operation on the Capstone trail that recovered a hiker alive yet left rescuers baffled by a single unresolved piece of physical evidence: who carried the boots? You’ll hear the timeline from the last logbook entry to the dog team’s direct alert and the question that still haunts the report.

Person: Chad Lane
Date: March 9, 2023
Location: Capstone trail, elevation 9,200 feet
Status: Recovered alive
Author: Crystal Erickson (Harlow County Search and Rescue report)

- Last logbook entry written at 05:30 on March 8 with seven words: "Zero five thirty. Clear. Temp approx eighteen Fahrenheit. Going up."
- Boots found on top of a granite boulder roughly the size of a car, fifteen feet off the trail.
- No tracks led up to the boulder and no tracks led away; snow around the boulder was unbroken in every direction.
- Dog Tuck tracked from the tent northeast about a quarter mile and then sat at the granite dome where the boots were located, showing no scent trail continuing north or south.
- Crystal Erickson wrote then crossed out "Who carried the boots" in the field marked "Unresolved Physical Evidence" on the March 29 report.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180091Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaBoots on the Boulder: Who Walked Them There in Silence? A pair of hiking boots, perfectly aligned, laces tucked inside and pointing north, sat on a granite boulder the size of a car with no tracks leading to or away from them-found in a clean...
A pair of hiking boots, perfectly aligned, laces tucked inside and pointing north, sat on a granite boulder the size of a car with no tracks leading to or away from them-found in a clean circle of bare rock surrounded by fresh snow at 9,200 feet. How did those boots get there when the man who owned them had been missing for 31 hours?

In this episode, we walk through the search-and-rescue operation on the Capstone trail that recovered a hiker alive yet left rescuers baffled by a single unresolved piece of physical evidence: who carried the boots? You’ll hear the timeline from the last logbook entry to the dog team’s direct alert and the question that still haunts the report.

Person: Chad Lane
Date: March 9, 2023
Location: Capstone trail, elevation 9,200 feet
Status: Recovered alive
Author: Crystal Erickson (Harlow County Search and Rescue report)

- Last logbook entry written at 05:30 on March 8 with seven words: "Zero five thirty. Clear. Temp approx eighteen Fahrenheit. Going up."
- Boots found on top of a granite boulder roughly the size of a car, fifteen feet off the trail.
- No tracks led up to the boulder and no tracks led away; snow around the boulder was unbroken in every direction.
- Dog Tuck tracked from the tent northeast about a quarter mile and then sat at the granite dome where the boots were located, showing no scent trail continuing north or south.
- Crystal Erickson wrote then crossed out "Who carried the boots" in the field marked "Unresolved Physical Evidence" on the March 29 report.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-the-porch-why-a-lace-nearly-killed-her--73180088
A single size-eight Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boot, unlaced with a dry wool sock inside, sat alone on a porch step and sent forty-one search and rescue volunteers the wrong way - how could a knotted lace nearly kill a careful, experienced hunter? What tiny mistake turned two decades of terrain knowledge into a life-or-death navigation error?

In this episode, you’ll hear the sequence of events from Teresa Hunter’s Maine-to-the-minute logbook entry through the fall that shattered her leg, the decisions she made afterward, and the small overlooked clue that redirected the entire search - could one lace explain everything?

Person: Teresa Hunter
Age: 48
Location: Dunbar cabin, Goliath Creek block, Cassidy National Forest
Temperature: 18 degrees Fahrenheit that morning
Searchers: 41 volunteers

- One Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boot, size eight, right foot, was found upright on the top porch step with a dry wool sock inside.
- Teresa had been gone for six days before anyone could explain why only one boot remained.
- The logbook entry for February 7 reads: Stand One, 5:30 to 8:45, 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Teresa crawled roughly 100 yards after her fall and dropped seven feet into a hidden void beneath the snow.
- She climbed to a south-facing ledge fourteen feet up the eastern face of Greer Box canyon and spent the night there with a compound fibula fracture.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180088Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on the Porch: Why a Lace Nearly Killed Her A single size-eight Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boot, unlaced with a dry wool sock inside, sat alone on a porch step and sent forty-one search and rescue volunteers the wrong way - how could a...
A single size-eight Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boot, unlaced with a dry wool sock inside, sat alone on a porch step and sent forty-one search and rescue volunteers the wrong way - how could a knotted lace nearly kill a careful, experienced hunter? What tiny mistake turned two decades of terrain knowledge into a life-or-death navigation error?

In this episode, you’ll hear the sequence of events from Teresa Hunter’s Maine-to-the-minute logbook entry through the fall that shattered her leg, the decisions she made afterward, and the small overlooked clue that redirected the entire search - could one lace explain everything?

Person: Teresa Hunter
Age: 48
Location: Dunbar cabin, Goliath Creek block, Cassidy National Forest
Temperature: 18 degrees Fahrenheit that morning
Searchers: 41 volunteers

- One Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boot, size eight, right foot, was found upright on the top porch step with a dry wool sock inside.
- Teresa had been gone for six days before anyone could explain why only one boot remained.
- The logbook entry for February 7 reads: Stand One, 5:30 to 8:45, 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Teresa crawled roughly 100 yards after her fall and dropped seven feet into a hidden void beneath the snow.
- She climbed to a south-facing ledge fourteen feet up the eastern face of Greer Box canyon and spent the night there with a compound fibula fracture.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1258falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoe-on-the-post-how-pinehart-meadow-swallowed-them-night--73180086
A pink size-four-to-six velcro sneaker stood upright on a guardrail post at 7,800 feet, the toe pointing outward and a phone number written on the inside strap - placed there when no one had yet reported anyone missing. Thirty-six hours, twenty-three searchers, two search dogs and a state patrol helicopter later, the central question remained: how did a mother and her four-year-old end up above 7,900 feet on a January night when every natural feature should have sent them the other way?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a routine Thursday morning in a small town through the evening a husband reported his wife and daughter missing, and into a coordinated search that tracked a scent from a parked blue Subaru up Coldwater Grade. What was found on the trail, on a guardrail post, and by the handlers raises a single unsettling idea: where did they go and why would they have left a child's shoe so deliberately?

Person: Alice Gallagher
Person: Penny Gallagher
Date: January 8-9, 2019
Location: Pinehart Meadow / Coldwater Grade
Searchers: 23 volunteers plus state patrol helicopter

- The shoe was discovered upright on a guardrail post at 7,800 feet elevation.
- The shoe was a pink velcro sneaker, size four-to-six, with a phone number written on the velcro strap.
- Alice was reported missing by her husband Marcus at 4:47 PM on January 8, 2019 after she failed to respond to messages.
- Search-and-rescue activated within hours and by 8:00 PM eight volunteers were searching with headlamps.
- Two search dogs, Colt (Belgian Malinois) and Bess (Labrador), were brought and Colt immediately locked onto a scent from the blue Subaru.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180086Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoe on the Post: How Pinehart Meadow Swallowed Them Night A pink size-four-to-six velcro sneaker stood upright on a guardrail post at 7,800 feet, the toe pointing outward and a phone number written on the inside strap - placed there when no...
A pink size-four-to-six velcro sneaker stood upright on a guardrail post at 7,800 feet, the toe pointing outward and a phone number written on the inside strap - placed there when no one had yet reported anyone missing. Thirty-six hours, twenty-three searchers, two search dogs and a state patrol helicopter later, the central question remained: how did a mother and her four-year-old end up above 7,900 feet on a January night when every natural feature should have sent them the other way?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a routine Thursday morning in a small town through the evening a husband reported his wife and daughter missing, and into a coordinated search that tracked a scent from a parked blue Subaru up Coldwater Grade. What was found on the trail, on a guardrail post, and by the handlers raises a single unsettling idea: where did they go and why would they have left a child's shoe so deliberately?

Person: Alice Gallagher
Person: Penny Gallagher
Date: January 8-9, 2019
Location: Pinehart Meadow / Coldwater Grade
Searchers: 23 volunteers plus state patrol helicopter

- The shoe was discovered upright on a guardrail post at 7,800 feet elevation.
- The shoe was a pink velcro sneaker, size four-to-six, with a phone number written on the velcro strap.
- Alice was reported missing by her husband Marcus at 4:47 PM on January 8, 2019 after she failed to respond to messages.
- Search-and-rescue activated within hours and by 8:00 PM eight volunteers were searching with headlamps.
- Two search dogs, Colt (Belgian Malinois) and Bess (Labrador), were brought and Colt immediately locked onto a scent from the blue Subaru.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1182falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/staked-calendar-in-a-closed-forest-the-four-frosted-marks--73180084
A laminated calendar, hammered into the soil of a wilderness area closed for six years, held four pencil dates and a tent peg carbon-dated to 12-16 months - yet no missing-person record matched. Who would drive stakes into a closed burn unit, mark four precise October dates, and disappear without a trace?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries from a campsite on an exposed ridgeline to the items found nearby, and the life of the missing surveyor whose routine made her absence startling. What were those four marks recording, and why did a fifty-two-year-old cartographer with eleven years of backcountry experience keep returning to forbidden land?

Person: Laura Russo
Date: October 6; October 9; October 13; October 14
Location: Graybeck Prescribed Burn Unit
Status: Missing (reported October 21)
Event: Search and Rescue entry December 11

- The wilderness area had been closed to the public for six years when a calendar was staked into the ground.
- Rangers counted four pencil marks on the calendar dated October 6, 9, 13, and 14.
- Carbon dating of the tent-stake wood placed the marks at 12 to 16 months old.
- Laura Russo, age 52, had entered the Graybeck unit four times in the nine days before she vanished.
- The search and rescue team entered the unit on December 11 with six people and two dogs.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180084Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaStaked Calendar in a Closed Forest: The Four Frosted Marks A laminated calendar, hammered into the soil of a wilderness area closed for six years, held four pencil dates and a tent peg carbon-dated to 12-16 months - yet no missing-person record...
A laminated calendar, hammered into the soil of a wilderness area closed for six years, held four pencil dates and a tent peg carbon-dated to 12-16 months - yet no missing-person record matched. Who would drive stakes into a closed burn unit, mark four precise October dates, and disappear without a trace?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries from a campsite on an exposed ridgeline to the items found nearby, and the life of the missing surveyor whose routine made her absence startling. What were those four marks recording, and why did a fifty-two-year-old cartographer with eleven years of backcountry experience keep returning to forbidden land?

Person: Laura Russo
Date: October 6; October 9; October 13; October 14
Location: Graybeck Prescribed Burn Unit
Status: Missing (reported October 21)
Event: Search and Rescue entry December 11

- The wilderness area had been closed to the public for six years when a calendar was staked into the ground.
- Rangers counted four pencil marks on the calendar dated October 6, 9, 13, and 14.
- Carbon dating of the tent-stake wood placed the marks at 12 to 16 months old.
- Laura Russo, age 52, had entered the Graybeck unit four times in the nine days before she vanished.
- The search and rescue team entered the unit on December 11 with six people and two dogs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1200falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-jacket-that-came-back-wrong-one-man-two-closets--73180081
A man found breathing on a riverbank with skin the color of old wax, wearing a canvas jacket that later turned up hanging in his father's closet seventy miles away - both jackets could not exist at once. The jacket bore a taped repair and a collar curl known intimately to Curtis Long, yet photographs show the collar label read a different initial; what happened in the missing forty hours?

In this episode, we tell what unfolded over forty baffling hours after Marvin Long left for a planned solo trip and was later discovered hypothermic by the Kessler River, and why searchers and medics kept returning to one persistent question: how did the jacket move and where did those forty hours go?

Person: Marvin Long
Date: November 9, 2014
Location: Kessler River gravel bar; Cutrock trailhead and Cutrock Path on Crestfall Mesa
Status: Found alive with core temperature 91°F; reported forty-hour memory gap
Person: Curtis Long

- Marvin Long was 46 years old at the time and worked as a maintenance supervisor at the Cutter Springs water treatment plant.
- Marvin left for Cutrock trailhead on November 7 after loading a sealed dry bag and did not unpack it; the dry bag remained sealed in his truck three days later.
- Lisa White found Marvin at dawn on November 9 breathing barely on the Kessler River water's edge.
- Marvin’s core temperature on arrival at Creston Regional Medical Center was 91 degrees Fahrenheit; medical staff warmed him slowly and by the following day he could speak in full sentences.
- A responding officer misread the collar label in a photograph (reading an M instead of a C), delaying identification of the jacket’s true owner by four days.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180081Sun, 16 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Jacket That Came Back Wrong: One Man, Two Closets A man found breathing on a riverbank with skin the color of old wax, wearing a canvas jacket that later turned up hanging in his father's closet seventy miles away - both jackets could not exist...
A man found breathing on a riverbank with skin the color of old wax, wearing a canvas jacket that later turned up hanging in his father's closet seventy miles away - both jackets could not exist at once. The jacket bore a taped repair and a collar curl known intimately to Curtis Long, yet photographs show the collar label read a different initial; what happened in the missing forty hours?

In this episode, we tell what unfolded over forty baffling hours after Marvin Long left for a planned solo trip and was later discovered hypothermic by the Kessler River, and why searchers and medics kept returning to one persistent question: how did the jacket move and where did those forty hours go?

Person: Marvin Long
Date: November 9, 2014
Location: Kessler River gravel bar; Cutrock trailhead and Cutrock Path on Crestfall Mesa
Status: Found alive with core temperature 91°F; reported forty-hour memory gap
Person: Curtis Long

- Marvin Long was 46 years old at the time and worked as a maintenance supervisor at the Cutter Springs water treatment plant.
- Marvin left for Cutrock trailhead on November 7 after loading a sealed dry bag and did not unpack it; the dry bag remained sealed in his truck three days later.
- Lisa White found Marvin at dawn on November 9 breathing barely on the Kessler River water's edge.
- Marvin’s core temperature on arrival at Creston Regional Medical Center was 91 degrees Fahrenheit; medical staff warmed him slowly and by the following day he could speak in full sentences.
- A responding officer misread the collar label in a photograph (reading an M instead of a C), delaying identification of the jacket’s true owner by four days.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/left-capped-cairns-why-he-followed-eleven-stones-into-silence--73180079
A line of eleven precisely stacked sandstone cairns, each capped slightly off-center to the left, led deep into trailless canyon country where no maintained route existed - and one man followed them. The stacks were spaced about thirty-five to forty yards, a mathematical trace cutting northeast into terrain that became vertical and technically inaccessible; who made them, and why did one surveyor keep walking toward a ledge he could not climb down from?

In this episode, we tell what happened from the morning Kelly Christensen found the cairns to the search teams who followed the line into the canyon, and we ask how routine habits and a set of precise field notes might explain a disappearance.

Person: Ronald Graham
Date: October 9 (cairn discovery), search began October 12, tent found October 14
Location: Copperline Road trailhead to a ledge six miles northeast in Mabry Wilderness
Status: Tent found intact on a narrow ledge; person missing
Case: Eleven left-capped cairns spaced 35-40 yards running northeast

- Eleven sandstone cairns were found in a straight line, each with a thin capstone set slightly off-center to the left.
- Cairns were spaced roughly thirty-five to forty yards apart running northeast into trailless canyon country.
- Ronald Graham's permit filed at the Mabry Wilderness boundary listed a five-day geological survey in the northeast sector, signed and placed under his truck wiper.
- A torn notebook page in Graham's handwriting mentioned wind directions and the phrase "Capstone goes left... Eleven to the top of the pour-off, maybe twelve."
- Search teams located Graham's orange-and-gray tent on a narrow ledge approximately six miles northeast of the trailhead on October 14; the ledge required technical descent and was inaccessible by helicopter.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180079Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaLeft-Capped Cairns: Why He Followed Eleven Stones Into Silence A line of eleven precisely stacked sandstone cairns, each capped slightly off-center to the left, led deep into trailless canyon country where no maintained route existed - and one man...
A line of eleven precisely stacked sandstone cairns, each capped slightly off-center to the left, led deep into trailless canyon country where no maintained route existed - and one man followed them. The stacks were spaced about thirty-five to forty yards, a mathematical trace cutting northeast into terrain that became vertical and technically inaccessible; who made them, and why did one surveyor keep walking toward a ledge he could not climb down from?

In this episode, we tell what happened from the morning Kelly Christensen found the cairns to the search teams who followed the line into the canyon, and we ask how routine habits and a set of precise field notes might explain a disappearance.

Person: Ronald Graham
Date: October 9 (cairn discovery), search began October 12, tent found October 14
Location: Copperline Road trailhead to a ledge six miles northeast in Mabry Wilderness
Status: Tent found intact on a narrow ledge; person missing
Case: Eleven left-capped cairns spaced 35-40 yards running northeast

- Eleven sandstone cairns were found in a straight line, each with a thin capstone set slightly off-center to the left.
- Cairns were spaced roughly thirty-five to forty yards apart running northeast into trailless canyon country.
- Ronald Graham's permit filed at the Mabry Wilderness boundary listed a five-day geological survey in the northeast sector, signed and placed under his truck wiper.
- A torn notebook page in Graham's handwriting mentioned wind directions and the phrase "Capstone goes left... Eleven to the top of the pour-off, maybe twelve."
- Search teams located Graham's orange-and-gray tent on a narrow ledge approximately six miles northeast of the trailhead on October 14; the ledge required technical descent and was inaccessible by helicopter.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/left-the-dog-never-returned-the-bonnett-shelf-mystery--73180076
A man left his dog calm and alive in a locked Subaru with the windows cracked two inches and a half-full water dish - and did not return for six days. The body of evidence points to a single impulsive turn off a familiar trail that rewrites every assumption: how did someone with eleven logged trips vanish after choosing a path he had never put on his permit?

In this episode, we follow the timeline, the search, and the one unexplained piece of evidence that redirected Sable County Search and Rescue away from where Steven Tucker had actually gone; what forced a deliberate man to take an unplanned route, and what gap in the record still won’t close?

Person: Steven Tucker
Date: Friday, September 13, 2019 (departure); Tuesday, September 16, 2019 (car found)
Location: Bonnett Lake trailhead / Bonnett junction and Sable Rim connector
Status: Missing at time search began; search lasted six days
Search coordinator: Janet Gray

- Tucker was 54 years old and had hiked the Bonnett Lake corridor eleven times before the trip.
- He texted at 2:53 PM on Friday that he was "Starting in. Back Sunday. Pepper's with me today."
- Pepper, a nine-year-old black Labrador mix with degenerative hip disease, was found calm inside the Subaru on Tuesday morning.
- The Subaru's front windows were cracked exactly two inches and the water dish on the passenger seat was half full when found.
- The driver's seat was pushed back farther than a person of five feet nine inches would typically set it; Tucker was five feet nine.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180076Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaLeft the Dog, Never Returned: The Bonnett Shelf Mystery A man left his dog calm and alive in a locked Subaru with the windows cracked two inches and a half-full water dish - and did not return for six days. The body of evidence points to a single...
A man left his dog calm and alive in a locked Subaru with the windows cracked two inches and a half-full water dish - and did not return for six days. The body of evidence points to a single impulsive turn off a familiar trail that rewrites every assumption: how did someone with eleven logged trips vanish after choosing a path he had never put on his permit?

In this episode, we follow the timeline, the search, and the one unexplained piece of evidence that redirected Sable County Search and Rescue away from where Steven Tucker had actually gone; what forced a deliberate man to take an unplanned route, and what gap in the record still won’t close?

Person: Steven Tucker
Date: Friday, September 13, 2019 (departure); Tuesday, September 16, 2019 (car found)
Location: Bonnett Lake trailhead / Bonnett junction and Sable Rim connector
Status: Missing at time search began; search lasted six days
Search coordinator: Janet Gray

- Tucker was 54 years old and had hiked the Bonnett Lake corridor eleven times before the trip.
- He texted at 2:53 PM on Friday that he was "Starting in. Back Sunday. Pepper's with me today."
- Pepper, a nine-year-old black Labrador mix with degenerative hip disease, was found calm inside the Subaru on Tuesday morning.
- The Subaru's front windows were cracked exactly two inches and the water dish on the passenger seat was half full when found.
- The driver's seat was pushed back farther than a person of five feet nine inches would typically set it; Tucker was five feet nine.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1094falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/boots-standing-upright-she-woke-up-nine-miles-from-any-trail--73180074
A pair of unlashed boots stood perfectly parallel beside an unconscious woman nine miles from the nearest trail - body temperature 94.1°F, found in a dry gravel wash at 6:40 AM. Who arranged those boots upright in a basalt slot no maintained trail reaches, and why do scuff marks lead deeper into the wilderness rather than out?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline, equipment logs, and scene details from Heather Pruitt’s trip into the Cohassett backcountry to ask how a practiced navigator ended up immobile in a slot canyon with her headlamp run dead. What happened after her light died around 8 PM, and what do those boots and scuff marks really mean?

Person: Heather Pruitt
Date: August 14, 2019
Location: Tenmile drainage, Cohassett backcountry
Status: Found unconscious, body temperature 94.1°F
Equipment: Black Diamond Spot headlamp with three AAA cells

- Heather left Bend at 5:40 AM and signed the Kellner trail register at 7:02 AM.
- The Kellner Trail gains 4,100 feet over 6.5 miles to the Aldercap summit at 9,400 feet.
- The headlamp logged approximately nine hours of continuous runtime starting around 11:00 AM and died around 8:00 PM.
- Jessica Young found Heather at 6:40 AM and called 911 at 6:42 AM; the call lasted 11 minutes.
- The case was officially closed eight days later with the finding that Heather navigated a non-standard descent and was recovered in good condition.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180074Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:00:36 +0000Creator at ObomediaBoots Standing Upright: She Woke Up Nine Miles From Any Trail A pair of unlashed boots stood perfectly parallel beside an unconscious woman nine miles from the nearest trail - body temperature 94.1°F, found in a dry gravel wash at 6:40 AM. Who...
A pair of unlashed boots stood perfectly parallel beside an unconscious woman nine miles from the nearest trail - body temperature 94.1°F, found in a dry gravel wash at 6:40 AM. Who arranged those boots upright in a basalt slot no maintained trail reaches, and why do scuff marks lead deeper into the wilderness rather than out?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline, equipment logs, and scene details from Heather Pruitt’s trip into the Cohassett backcountry to ask how a practiced navigator ended up immobile in a slot canyon with her headlamp run dead. What happened after her light died around 8 PM, and what do those boots and scuff marks really mean?

Person: Heather Pruitt
Date: August 14, 2019
Location: Tenmile drainage, Cohassett backcountry
Status: Found unconscious, body temperature 94.1°F
Equipment: Black Diamond Spot headlamp with three AAA cells

- Heather left Bend at 5:40 AM and signed the Kellner trail register at 7:02 AM.
- The Kellner Trail gains 4,100 feet over 6.5 miles to the Aldercap summit at 9,400 feet.
- The headlamp logged approximately nine hours of continuous runtime starting around 11:00 AM and died around 8:00 PM.
- Jessica Young found Heather at 6:40 AM and called 911 at 6:42 AM; the call lasted 11 minutes.
- The case was officially closed eight days later with the finding that Heather navigated a non-standard descent and was recovered in good condition.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1042falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-boots-on-the-catwalk-she-vanished-from-a-locked-tower--73180071
A pair of size nine hiking boots sat heel-to-toe, perfectly dry on a rain-soaked catwalk railing sixty-three feet above a canyon - and the woman who owned them had vanished from a locked lookout where her cot was made and the logbook closed. How did someone leave boots balanced like that in a fifty-three minute window while everything else inside the tower shows she finished her shift and went to sleep?

In this episode, we tell the story as recorded in logs, witness statements, and search notes: the routine of a thirty-four-year-old lookout, the morning a supply runner found empty boots on the railing, and the search and evidence that followed. What did the boot prints and the odd silt impressions around the Anchor boulder actually mean?

Person: Dena Marsh
Date: July 13-14, 2011
Location: Wren Peak Lookout, Aldervane National Forest
Status: Missing from a locked tower
Event: Search and rescue response beginning July 14

- Boots found balanced heel-to-toe on catwalk railing sixty-three feet above canyon floor with tongues folded forward.
- Rain stopped at 4:47 AM; boots were dry and placed within a fifty-three minute window before Keith Rice arrived at ~5:40 AM.
- Final logbook entry dated July 13 read: "Clear... Off watch." pen clipped in the spine.
- Dena was thirty-four and had six consecutive summers at Wren Peak plus four years as a wildland firefighter.
- Trail of size nine women's boot prints found eighty yards northeast of the Anchor boulder, pressed deeper into silt than expected for her weight.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180071Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Boots on the Catwalk: She Vanished from a Locked Tower A pair of size nine hiking boots sat heel-to-toe, perfectly dry on a rain-soaked catwalk railing sixty-three feet above a canyon - and the woman who owned them had vanished from a...
A pair of size nine hiking boots sat heel-to-toe, perfectly dry on a rain-soaked catwalk railing sixty-three feet above a canyon - and the woman who owned them had vanished from a locked lookout where her cot was made and the logbook closed. How did someone leave boots balanced like that in a fifty-three minute window while everything else inside the tower shows she finished her shift and went to sleep?

In this episode, we tell the story as recorded in logs, witness statements, and search notes: the routine of a thirty-four-year-old lookout, the morning a supply runner found empty boots on the railing, and the search and evidence that followed. What did the boot prints and the odd silt impressions around the Anchor boulder actually mean?

Person: Dena Marsh
Date: July 13-14, 2011
Location: Wren Peak Lookout, Aldervane National Forest
Status: Missing from a locked tower
Event: Search and rescue response beginning July 14

- Boots found balanced heel-to-toe on catwalk railing sixty-three feet above canyon floor with tongues folded forward.
- Rain stopped at 4:47 AM; boots were dry and placed within a fifty-three minute window before Keith Rice arrived at ~5:40 AM.
- Final logbook entry dated July 13 read: "Clear... Off watch." pen clipped in the spine.
- Dena was thirty-four and had six consecutive summers at Wren Peak plus four years as a wildland firefighter.
- Trail of size nine women's boot prints found eighty yards northeast of the Anchor boulder, pressed deeper into silt than expected for her weight.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1088falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-pack-that-walked-away-missing-hiker-one-missing-carabiner--73180070
A lone green internal-frame pack was found upright and buckled in the middle of a gravel road, hip belt cinched and shoulder straps clipped with a small silver carabiner - and its owner had been missing for thirty-six hours. A topographic map was gone, a sweater remained buried in the lower compartment, and the pack pointed the exact opposite way from the parked truck; how did an experienced solo hiker vanish and leave her pack dressed but empty?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries and responses after Michelle Fleming failed to return from a June 1998 weekend hike. We trace the items found, the timing of the missing-person report and the search response, and the unsettling contradictions that keep the question open: what happened on those trails?

Person: Michelle Fleming
Date: June 6-8, 1998
Location: Forest Service Road 14-Echo; Rimtop Trailhead; Kettrick Valley
Status: Missing after leaving Rimtop Trail on June 6
Case: Personal effects found upright on road six-tenths of a mile from trailhead

- The pack was found on Tuesday morning at 7:40 a.m., six-tenths of a mile east of Rimtop Trailhead.
- The owner’s truck, a gray 1992 Ford Ranger, remained parked at the trailhead to the west.
- Inside the pack: an opened bag of mixed nuts nearly full and standing upright, and a rolled wool sweater in the lower compartment.
- The shoulder straps were clipped together at the tips with a small silver carabiner that remained attached to the pack.
- Two witnesses saw Michelle at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday about two miles above the trailhead, moving and limping slightly on the right side.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180070Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Pack That Walked Away: Missing Hiker, One Missing Carabiner A lone green internal-frame pack was found upright and buckled in the middle of a gravel road, hip belt cinched and shoulder straps clipped with a small silver carabiner - and its...
A lone green internal-frame pack was found upright and buckled in the middle of a gravel road, hip belt cinched and shoulder straps clipped with a small silver carabiner - and its owner had been missing for thirty-six hours. A topographic map was gone, a sweater remained buried in the lower compartment, and the pack pointed the exact opposite way from the parked truck; how did an experienced solo hiker vanish and leave her pack dressed but empty?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries and responses after Michelle Fleming failed to return from a June 1998 weekend hike. We trace the items found, the timing of the missing-person report and the search response, and the unsettling contradictions that keep the question open: what happened on those trails?

Person: Michelle Fleming
Date: June 6-8, 1998
Location: Forest Service Road 14-Echo; Rimtop Trailhead; Kettrick Valley
Status: Missing after leaving Rimtop Trail on June 6
Case: Personal effects found upright on road six-tenths of a mile from trailhead

- The pack was found on Tuesday morning at 7:40 a.m., six-tenths of a mile east of Rimtop Trailhead.
- The owner’s truck, a gray 1992 Ford Ranger, remained parked at the trailhead to the west.
- Inside the pack: an opened bag of mixed nuts nearly full and standing upright, and a rolled wool sweater in the lower compartment.
- The shoulder straps were clipped together at the tips with a small silver carabiner that remained attached to the pack.
- Two witnesses saw Michelle at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday about two miles above the trailhead, moving and limping slightly on the right side.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1065falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-chirp-beneath-the-meadow-buried-beacon-eleven-days-missing--73180069
A rhythmic chirp rises from eight feet beneath packed earth in a dry meadow where the nearest snowpack sits 1,300 feet above - and a county utility worker is the first to hear it. A two-week search follows strange clues: ski tracks that stop and restart around a body-shaped hollow, a set of boots buckled and placed upright with no other gear nearby - so how did a trained ski-patrol volunteer end up missing for eleven days with a buried signal calling from below?

In this episode, we tell the episode's sequence of events from first call to case closure, following the search-and-rescue timeline, the found evidence on the moraine and treeline, and the official records that marked one detail unexplained - the buried chirp. What do the tracks, the boots, and the underground signal add up to?

Person: Roger Collins
Age: 26
Date filed: April 28
Planned return: April 30
Location: upper Wetherton drainage

- Utility worker Nicole Davis called sheriff's dispatch at 6:22 AM after hearing a rhythmic chirp coming from eight feet underground.
- Roger filed a backcountry ski plan on April 28 listing route "upper Wetherton drainage" and left the printed plan on his kitchen table.
- Roger's routine included a weekly Wednesday call to his mother; she reported him missing after he failed to call by Wednesday evening and alerted the county by May 1.
- On search Day 3, surveyor Chris Aldred found clean parallel ski tracks that stopped at a six-foot-long, shoulder-width depression in the snow, then resumed 15 feet past it with one pole plant and no continuation.
- On search Day 6, two SAR volunteers found Roger's boots upright and buckled, side by side on a flat rock shelf at treeline with no skis, poles, pack, gloves, or extra layers present.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180069Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:00:07 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Chirp Beneath the Meadow: Buried Beacon, Eleven Days Missing A rhythmic chirp rises from eight feet beneath packed earth in a dry meadow where the nearest snowpack sits 1,300 feet above - and a county utility worker is the first to hear it. A...
A rhythmic chirp rises from eight feet beneath packed earth in a dry meadow where the nearest snowpack sits 1,300 feet above - and a county utility worker is the first to hear it. A two-week search follows strange clues: ski tracks that stop and restart around a body-shaped hollow, a set of boots buckled and placed upright with no other gear nearby - so how did a trained ski-patrol volunteer end up missing for eleven days with a buried signal calling from below?

In this episode, we tell the episode's sequence of events from first call to case closure, following the search-and-rescue timeline, the found evidence on the moraine and treeline, and the official records that marked one detail unexplained - the buried chirp. What do the tracks, the boots, and the underground signal add up to?

Person: Roger Collins
Age: 26
Date filed: April 28
Planned return: April 30
Location: upper Wetherton drainage

- Utility worker Nicole Davis called sheriff's dispatch at 6:22 AM after hearing a rhythmic chirp coming from eight feet underground.
- Roger filed a backcountry ski plan on April 28 listing route "upper Wetherton drainage" and left the printed plan on his kitchen table.
- Roger's routine included a weekly Wednesday call to his mother; she reported him missing after he failed to call by Wednesday evening and alerted the county by May 1.
- On search Day 3, surveyor Chris Aldred found clean parallel ski tracks that stopped at a six-foot-long, shoulder-width depression in the snow, then resumed 15 feet past it with one pole plant and no continuation.
- On search Day 6, two SAR volunteers found Roger's boots upright and buckled, side by side on a flat rock shelf at treeline with no skis, poles, pack, gloves, or extra layers present.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-notebook-that-walked-out-of-the-wilderness--73180066
A small blue‑ballpoint journal appeared forty yards off a well‑traveled trail with two entries dated after its owner vanished, and there were no footprints, no broken brush and no sign of how it got there - so how did Wendy Underwood’s notebook travel from deep in Saddleback National Forest to a ponderosa pine near Harrow Creek trailhead? Search teams found a stopped scent line over running water, a rock overhang with fresh writing dated April 14, and one survivor account that left the official record with an unclosed question.

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the precise discoveries that turned a routine wilderness search into an unresolved mystery, tracking where Wendy was last seen, what her notebook contained, and how searchers tried to reconcile a vanished trail with a journal that seemingly walked out of the woods; what does the evidence actually say?

Person: Wendy Underwood
Date missing: April 12
Location: Harrow Creek trail, Saddleback National Forest
Investigator: Valerie Bowers
Survivor: one confirmed

- At 6:15 a.m. on April 19, jogger Nancy Owens found a notebook in a gap in a ponderosa pine forty yards off the main trail.
- The notebook contained two dates written in blue ballpoint that Wendy had written after she disappeared.
- Wendy was last seen April 12 after parking a green 2009 Tacoma at Harrow Creek trailhead and leaving wallet, keys, and change of clothes inside the vehicle.
- Dogs following Wendy’s scent hit a creek at mile 2.4 and circled the crossing for nearly two hours but could not find any continuation of the trail.
- Wendy wrote a journal entry dated April 14 from a shallow rock overhang forty feet above a stone fire ring stating she had eaten her last food and was staying put.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180066Sun, 09 Aug 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Notebook That Walked Out of the Wilderness A small blue‑ballpoint journal appeared forty yards off a well‑traveled trail with two entries dated after its owner vanished, and there were no footprints, no broken brush and no sign of how it got...
A small blue‑ballpoint journal appeared forty yards off a well‑traveled trail with two entries dated after its owner vanished, and there were no footprints, no broken brush and no sign of how it got there - so how did Wendy Underwood’s notebook travel from deep in Saddleback National Forest to a ponderosa pine near Harrow Creek trailhead? Search teams found a stopped scent line over running water, a rock overhang with fresh writing dated April 14, and one survivor account that left the official record with an unclosed question.

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the precise discoveries that turned a routine wilderness search into an unresolved mystery, tracking where Wendy was last seen, what her notebook contained, and how searchers tried to reconcile a vanished trail with a journal that seemingly walked out of the woods; what does the evidence actually say?

Person: Wendy Underwood
Date missing: April 12
Location: Harrow Creek trail, Saddleback National Forest
Investigator: Valerie Bowers
Survivor: one confirmed

- At 6:15 a.m. on April 19, jogger Nancy Owens found a notebook in a gap in a ponderosa pine forty yards off the main trail.
- The notebook contained two dates written in blue ballpoint that Wendy had written after she disappeared.
- Wendy was last seen April 12 after parking a green 2009 Tacoma at Harrow Creek trailhead and leaving wallet, keys, and change of clothes inside the vehicle.
- Dogs following Wendy’s scent hit a creek at mile 2.4 and circled the crossing for nearly two hours but could not find any continuation of the trail.
- Wendy wrote a journal entry dated April 14 from a shallow rock overhang forty feet above a stone fire ring stating she had eaten her last food and was staying put.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-orange-bivy-no-footprints-no-exit-just-silence--73180064
A bright orange bivy sat undisturbed at 9,200 feet for at least six days with fourteen inches of pristine snow around it - no outgoing tracks, no incoming tracks, and a headlamp switched on inside. How could a practiced solo wilderness traveler like Constance Weaver vanish without a trace while her emergency planning and routine said she would return?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events, on-the-ground search findings, and the physical evidence recovered at the bivouac to show what is known and what remains unexplained. Was this an impossible disappearance, or is there an explanation hidden in the details of Connie’s trips and the timing of the storm?

Person: Constance Marie Weaver
Date: March 16, 2019 (last signed trail register)
Location: Decker Saddle trailhead and plateau shelf at 9,200 feet
Status: Missing
Event: Orange single-wall bivy found intact with no footprints

- Connie updated a laminated care card for her rabbit and signed the trail register at 7:52 AM on March 16 with a 4:00 PM return time.
- Two prior solo overnights in Harmon Basin occurred in August and September 2018; she held a Wilderness First Responder certification.
- Searchers recorded 14 inches of fresh snow between March 18 and March 20 that covered Harmon Basin.
- The bivy was discovered by Janet Norris from a vehicle on March 22; Deputy Frank Sebo documented the shelter that afternoon.
- Inside the bivy: a sleeping bag rolled to its stuff-sack at the foot end and a headlamp switched on, with all four stakes driven to full depth in frozen ground.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180064Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:00:05 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Orange Bivy: No Footprints, No Exit, Just Silence A bright orange bivy sat undisturbed at 9,200 feet for at least six days with fourteen inches of pristine snow around it - no outgoing tracks, no incoming tracks, and a headlamp switched on...
A bright orange bivy sat undisturbed at 9,200 feet for at least six days with fourteen inches of pristine snow around it - no outgoing tracks, no incoming tracks, and a headlamp switched on inside. How could a practiced solo wilderness traveler like Constance Weaver vanish without a trace while her emergency planning and routine said she would return?

In this episode, we present the sequence of events, on-the-ground search findings, and the physical evidence recovered at the bivouac to show what is known and what remains unexplained. Was this an impossible disappearance, or is there an explanation hidden in the details of Connie’s trips and the timing of the storm?

Person: Constance Marie Weaver
Date: March 16, 2019 (last signed trail register)
Location: Decker Saddle trailhead and plateau shelf at 9,200 feet
Status: Missing
Event: Orange single-wall bivy found intact with no footprints

- Connie updated a laminated care card for her rabbit and signed the trail register at 7:52 AM on March 16 with a 4:00 PM return time.
- Two prior solo overnights in Harmon Basin occurred in August and September 2018; she held a Wilderness First Responder certification.
- Searchers recorded 14 inches of fresh snow between March 18 and March 20 that covered Harmon Basin.
- The bivy was discovered by Janet Norris from a vehicle on March 22; Deputy Frank Sebo documented the shelter that afternoon.
- Inside the bivy: a sleeping bag rolled to its stuff-sack at the foot end and a headlamp switched on, with all four stakes driven to full depth in frozen ground.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1034falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-came-back-cold-60-hours-inside-the-inverted-field--73180062
The stones were flipped face-down in an eighty-by-forty-foot oval, forty-one in total, some weighing up to seventy pounds, and the snow between them was crushed flat while the perimeter remained untouched-what could have rearranged them without leaving a trail? What happened to the woman who trusted her boots and hammer more than anything else?

In this episode, we present the sequence of discoveries and statements that unfolded at the Serrano Breaks after a local bookkeeper found the site; we describe the missing-person timeline, the condition of the inverted field, and the items located near the drainage, asking how those details fit the question at the center of the case.

Person: Nicole Williams
Person: Michelle Hansen
Location: Serrano Breaks
Date: February 13-19 (disappearance and search timeline)
Event: Inverted field of forty-one overturned stones

- The oval measured eighty feet long and forty feet wide with forty-one stones flipped dark side down.
- Stones ranged from fist-sized to slabs estimated at fifty to seventy pounds.
- The snow inside the oval was crushed flat while the snow at the perimeter was untouched.
- Michelle Hansen was last seen at her truck at the Ochoa Trailhead after calling her sister on Wednesday, February 13 at around 10:15 p.m.
- Michelle’s field pack was found upright against a boulder with its outer pocket unzipped, containing a rain cover stowed neatly, three-quarters of a water bottle, two granola bars, a field notebook, a dead GPS unit, and her geological hammer.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180062Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:00:05 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Came Back Cold: 60 Hours Inside the Inverted Field The stones were flipped face-down in an eighty-by-forty-foot oval, forty-one in total, some weighing up to seventy pounds, and the snow between them was crushed flat while the perimeter...
The stones were flipped face-down in an eighty-by-forty-foot oval, forty-one in total, some weighing up to seventy pounds, and the snow between them was crushed flat while the perimeter remained untouched-what could have rearranged them without leaving a trail? What happened to the woman who trusted her boots and hammer more than anything else?

In this episode, we present the sequence of discoveries and statements that unfolded at the Serrano Breaks after a local bookkeeper found the site; we describe the missing-person timeline, the condition of the inverted field, and the items located near the drainage, asking how those details fit the question at the center of the case.

Person: Nicole Williams
Person: Michelle Hansen
Location: Serrano Breaks
Date: February 13-19 (disappearance and search timeline)
Event: Inverted field of forty-one overturned stones

- The oval measured eighty feet long and forty feet wide with forty-one stones flipped dark side down.
- Stones ranged from fist-sized to slabs estimated at fifty to seventy pounds.
- The snow inside the oval was crushed flat while the snow at the perimeter was untouched.
- Michelle Hansen was last seen at her truck at the Ochoa Trailhead after calling her sister on Wednesday, February 13 at around 10:15 p.m.
- Michelle’s field pack was found upright against a boulder with its outer pocket unzipped, containing a rain cover stowed neatly, three-quarters of a water bottle, two granola bars, a field notebook, a dead GPS unit, and her geological hammer.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/boots-by-the-riverbank-why-he-vanished-without-a-sound--73180060
A man’s fishing rod leaned against a birch, laces tucked in, socks folded on top - and Richard Farrell was gone with no splash, no snapped branch, no footprints in the frost; a fifty-one-hour search followed and one small detail in the incident report still had no answer. How did a forty-six-year-old experienced outdoorsman disappear from a frozen riverbank with his boots left neatly behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of that morning and the search that came after, listening to witness accounts and official findings to lay out what was found and what was never explained - could a single misstep on unstable shale be the whole story?

Person: Richard Farrell
Date: January 11
Location: Paunsett River, Narrows; north bank and birch tree
Status: Missing then found (body recovered)
Search duration: Fifty-one hours

- Gary Thorpe called 9-1-1 at roughly 9:40 a.m, after finding the boots on the north bank.
- Temperature at the search site was 22 degrees Fahrenheit during the operation.
- Dog teams tracked for about 40 minutes before losing scent at a granite ledge 430 feet above the river.
- The Paunsett Narrows is a 30-foot-wide channel that drops 40 feet per mile and never fully freezes.
- Tom Abell had been fishing on the south bank for 15-20 minutes and looked up to find the north bank empty.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180060Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaBoots By The Riverbank: Why He Vanished Without a Sound A man’s fishing rod leaned against a birch, laces tucked in, socks folded on top - and Richard Farrell was gone with no splash, no snapped branch, no footprints in the frost; a fifty-one-hour...
A man’s fishing rod leaned against a birch, laces tucked in, socks folded on top - and Richard Farrell was gone with no splash, no snapped branch, no footprints in the frost; a fifty-one-hour search followed and one small detail in the incident report still had no answer. How did a forty-six-year-old experienced outdoorsman disappear from a frozen riverbank with his boots left neatly behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of that morning and the search that came after, listening to witness accounts and official findings to lay out what was found and what was never explained - could a single misstep on unstable shale be the whole story?

Person: Richard Farrell
Date: January 11
Location: Paunsett River, Narrows; north bank and birch tree
Status: Missing then found (body recovered)
Search duration: Fifty-one hours

- Gary Thorpe called 9-1-1 at roughly 9:40 a.m, after finding the boots on the north bank.
- Temperature at the search site was 22 degrees Fahrenheit during the operation.
- Dog teams tracked for about 40 minutes before losing scent at a granite ledge 430 feet above the river.
- The Paunsett Narrows is a 30-foot-wide channel that drops 40 feet per mile and never fully freezes.
- Tom Abell had been fishing on the south bank for 15-20 minutes and looked up to find the north bank empty.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1097falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/handprints-in-the-mud-how-a-seven-year-old-survived-impossible-cold--73180056
A seven-year-old walked out into a December night when the temperature was below freezing, left two child-sized handprints pressed deep in the mud with no footprints to or from them, and was later found breathing under a limestone ledge one mile downstream after nearly forty hours in water at thirty-eight degrees Fahrenheit - how did she survive? What detail in the mud haunted a state forensic analyst for his whole career?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the evening Cody Burke vanished to the moment searchers found her, laying out the timeline, the scene at Cold Mill Run, and the specific anomalies that puzzled rescuers and analysts - can the handprints and a tied sneaker explain how she lived?

Person: Cody Burke
Date: December 7-9
Location: Cold Mill Run, near Millhaven Road and Vance Road bridge
Temperature: Water at thirty-eight degrees Fahrenheit
Find: Child found breathing under a limestone ledge one mile downstream

- Cody Burke was seven years old and wore size three pink sneakers that she had recently learned to tie.
- At approximately 8:15 PM on December 7, neighbor Tom Aldrich saw Cody briefly in slippers at the front hall.
- Sometime between 8:15 and 8:40 PM Cody changed from slippers into tied sneakers and left the unlocked back door.
- A volunteer sweep team found a single tied pink size-three sneaker on the gravel near the Vance Road bridge around 10:30 PM.
- Searchers found two deep, clear child-sized handprints pressed into the soft mud of the bank with no footprints leading to or away from them.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180056Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaHandprints in the Mud: How a Seven-Year-Old Survived Impossible Cold A seven-year-old walked out into a December night when the temperature was below freezing, left two child-sized handprints pressed deep in the mud with no footprints to or from...
A seven-year-old walked out into a December night when the temperature was below freezing, left two child-sized handprints pressed deep in the mud with no footprints to or from them, and was later found breathing under a limestone ledge one mile downstream after nearly forty hours in water at thirty-eight degrees Fahrenheit - how did she survive? What detail in the mud haunted a state forensic analyst for his whole career?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the evening Cody Burke vanished to the moment searchers found her, laying out the timeline, the scene at Cold Mill Run, and the specific anomalies that puzzled rescuers and analysts - can the handprints and a tied sneaker explain how she lived?

Person: Cody Burke
Date: December 7-9
Location: Cold Mill Run, near Millhaven Road and Vance Road bridge
Temperature: Water at thirty-eight degrees Fahrenheit
Find: Child found breathing under a limestone ledge one mile downstream

- Cody Burke was seven years old and wore size three pink sneakers that she had recently learned to tie.
- At approximately 8:15 PM on December 7, neighbor Tom Aldrich saw Cody briefly in slippers at the front hall.
- Sometime between 8:15 and 8:40 PM Cody changed from slippers into tied sneakers and left the unlocked back door.
- A volunteer sweep team found a single tied pink size-three sneaker on the gravel near the Vance Road bridge around 10:30 PM.
- Searchers found two deep, clear child-sized handprints pressed into the soft mud of the bank with no footprints leading to or away from them.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-bootprint-at-the-notch-why-the-dogs-turned-east--73180054
A single size 10½ left boot print in frozen soil pointed northwest from the granite edge of the Notch, but search dogs three miles back had stopped and one turned east - sending rescuers the wrong way for eleven days. How did a careful, experienced hiker vanish into repetition of trees and return to solid rock, leaving handlers and the final report with an unanswered contradiction?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, the decisions and the field evidence that shaped the search for one man and the unanswered question that followed: did a single decision at a bend in the trail change everything, or did something about the scent and terrain mislead the dogs and the people who trusted them?

Person: Stanley Holmes
Date: November 9-22, 2022
Location: Ochre Pines forest, Hobb's Run bend and the Notch
Status: Found after eleven days; survived to tell parts of the story
Coordinator: Kathleen Clark, Ochre County search-and-rescue

- Stanley signed the trailhead register at Gulch Road at 7:52 AM on November 9.
- The initial search radius was set two miles from Hobb's Run bend based on probability methods.
- Doug Ferris's lead shepherd displayed a refusal posture at Hobb's Run, turned its head east and would not commit.
- A single size 10½ left boot print was found at the granite edge of the Notch on November 22 by county surveyor Vernon Zimmerman.
- Sixty-one pages of operational notes failed to resolve why dogs indicated east while Stanley had gone north.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180054Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Bootprint at the Notch: Why the Dogs Turned East A single size 10½ left boot print in frozen soil pointed northwest from the granite edge of the Notch, but search dogs three miles back had stopped and one turned east - sending rescuers the...
A single size 10½ left boot print in frozen soil pointed northwest from the granite edge of the Notch, but search dogs three miles back had stopped and one turned east - sending rescuers the wrong way for eleven days. How did a careful, experienced hiker vanish into repetition of trees and return to solid rock, leaving handlers and the final report with an unanswered contradiction?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, the decisions and the field evidence that shaped the search for one man and the unanswered question that followed: did a single decision at a bend in the trail change everything, or did something about the scent and terrain mislead the dogs and the people who trusted them?

Person: Stanley Holmes
Date: November 9-22, 2022
Location: Ochre Pines forest, Hobb's Run bend and the Notch
Status: Found after eleven days; survived to tell parts of the story
Coordinator: Kathleen Clark, Ochre County search-and-rescue

- Stanley signed the trailhead register at Gulch Road at 7:52 AM on November 9.
- The initial search radius was set two miles from Hobb's Run bend based on probability methods.
- Doug Ferris's lead shepherd displayed a refusal posture at Hobb's Run, turned its head east and would not commit.
- A single size 10½ left boot print was found at the granite edge of the Notch on November 22 by county surveyor Vernon Zimmerman.
- Sixty-one pages of operational notes failed to resolve why dogs indicated east while Stanley had gone north.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1050falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-the-lid-how-a-hunter-walked-into-vanishing-country--73180051
A single size ten men's hunting boot, blaze-orange insulation, laced tight and placed upright on a concrete tank lid in frost - found four days after a twenty-two-year-old hunter walked into Cutter Basin and didn't come out. The boot was centered with deliberate precision, the sole dry while frost covered the ground around it; how does one explain a boot waiting as if its owner would return? What happened to Wayne Bailey in those four days?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of events from October 17-20, 2011, tracing the movements of Wayne Bailey, the observations of his two hunting companions, and the search-and-rescue response that found the boot and a tracking-dog terminus on a rocky bench. We present the known physical evidence and the unanswered questions that kept coordinator Patricia Porter returning to the case.

Person: Wayne Bailey
Date: October 17-20, 2011
Location: Cutter Basin, elevation roughly 8,000 feet
Status: Found missing then located by search teams; no fall or struggle evident
Search coordinator: Patricia Porter

- Dale Cooper discovered a single men's hunting boot size ten, blaze-orange insulation, laced tight, sitting upright on a concrete tank access lid on October 20, 2011.
- The boot's sole was dry while frost covered every inch of ground around it the morning it was found.
- Wayne Bailey, age 22, entered Cutter Basin on October 17, 2011, and was last seen by companions on October 19 during a mid-morning push upslope.
- Companions Roy Ashe and Paul Geiger reported Bailey vanished "like a door had opened in the forest and closed behind someone" during a corridor move around 6:15 a.m, on October 19.
- Tracking dogs located a terminus on a fractured sandstone bench roughly 40 by 60 feet at about 8,000 feet elevation where there was no blood, no gear, no disturbance in the frost, and no sign of a fall or camp.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180051Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on the Lid: How a Hunter Walked Into Vanishing Country A single size ten men's hunting boot, blaze-orange insulation, laced tight and placed upright on a concrete tank lid in frost - found four days after a twenty-two-year-old hunter...
A single size ten men's hunting boot, blaze-orange insulation, laced tight and placed upright on a concrete tank lid in frost - found four days after a twenty-two-year-old hunter walked into Cutter Basin and didn't come out. The boot was centered with deliberate precision, the sole dry while frost covered the ground around it; how does one explain a boot waiting as if its owner would return? What happened to Wayne Bailey in those four days?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of events from October 17-20, 2011, tracing the movements of Wayne Bailey, the observations of his two hunting companions, and the search-and-rescue response that found the boot and a tracking-dog terminus on a rocky bench. We present the known physical evidence and the unanswered questions that kept coordinator Patricia Porter returning to the case.

Person: Wayne Bailey
Date: October 17-20, 2011
Location: Cutter Basin, elevation roughly 8,000 feet
Status: Found missing then located by search teams; no fall or struggle evident
Search coordinator: Patricia Porter

- Dale Cooper discovered a single men's hunting boot size ten, blaze-orange insulation, laced tight, sitting upright on a concrete tank access lid on October 20, 2011.
- The boot's sole was dry while frost covered every inch of ground around it the morning it was found.
- Wayne Bailey, age 22, entered Cutter Basin on October 17, 2011, and was last seen by companions on October 19 during a mid-morning push upslope.
- Companions Roy Ashe and Paul Geiger reported Bailey vanished "like a door had opened in the forest and closed behind someone" during a corridor move around 6:15 a.m, on October 19.
- Tracking dogs located a terminus on a fractured sandstone bench roughly 40 by 60 feet at about 8,000 feet elevation where there was no blood, no gear, no disturbance in the frost, and no sign of a fall or camp.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1226falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-yellow-boot-on-broken-ledge-a-cliffside-mystery-revealed--73180049
A single yellow boot, laces trailing and sole facing outward, sat wedged 180 feet up a basalt cliff while the woman it did not belong to lay a mile away with a broken leg - how did a boot appear on Broken Ledge with no rope, harness, or person nearby? The strange boot launched a full search-and-rescue response across central Oregon high country, but the central question remains: who placed it and why?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Marcia Lane’s planned solo trip, the search operations that followed, and the puzzling physical evidence found at the cliff and nearby bench to explore how a prepared, experienced hiker ended up a mile from an inexplicable boot. What do the GPS track, boot prints, dog alerts, and missing gear tell us about that afternoon?

Person: Marcia Lane
Date: September 8-12, 2019
Location: Broken Ledge / Maury Loop Traverse, central Oregon
Status: Found alive with a broken leg one mile from cliff
Event: Yellow boot wedged 180 feet up basalt face; inReach last signal at 2:17 PM

- Boot found by Carol Jones at 7:15 AM, wedged in a crack 180 feet up the face of Broken Ledge.
- Marcia Lane was 38 years old and left a trip plan at the Crook County Sheriff’s Office on September 8, 2019.
- Marcia’s inReach logged crossing 6.2 miles in 136 minutes (approx. 2.8 mph) on September 10.
- Rainfall: about two inches fell across the high country the evening of September 9, and a cold front moved in.
- Search teams found boot prints on a bench about a quarter mile from Broken Ledge, oriented toward the cliff with no return prints.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180049Sun, 02 Aug 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Yellow Boot on Broken Ledge: A Cliffside Mystery Revealed A single yellow boot, laces trailing and sole facing outward, sat wedged 180 feet up a basalt cliff while the woman it did not belong to lay a mile away with a broken leg - how did a...
A single yellow boot, laces trailing and sole facing outward, sat wedged 180 feet up a basalt cliff while the woman it did not belong to lay a mile away with a broken leg - how did a boot appear on Broken Ledge with no rope, harness, or person nearby? The strange boot launched a full search-and-rescue response across central Oregon high country, but the central question remains: who placed it and why?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of Marcia Lane’s planned solo trip, the search operations that followed, and the puzzling physical evidence found at the cliff and nearby bench to explore how a prepared, experienced hiker ended up a mile from an inexplicable boot. What do the GPS track, boot prints, dog alerts, and missing gear tell us about that afternoon?

Person: Marcia Lane
Date: September 8-12, 2019
Location: Broken Ledge / Maury Loop Traverse, central Oregon
Status: Found alive with a broken leg one mile from cliff
Event: Yellow boot wedged 180 feet up basalt face; inReach last signal at 2:17 PM

- Boot found by Carol Jones at 7:15 AM, wedged in a crack 180 feet up the face of Broken Ledge.
- Marcia Lane was 38 years old and left a trip plan at the Crook County Sheriff’s Office on September 8, 2019.
- Marcia’s inReach logged crossing 6.2 miles in 136 minutes (approx. 2.8 mph) on September 10.
- Rainfall: about two inches fell across the high country the evening of September 9, and a cold front moved in.
- Search teams found boot prints on a bench about a quarter mile from Broken Ledge, oriented toward the cliff with no return prints.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1031falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-followed-a-hum-into-the-pines-surviving-four-miles-on-a-broken-ankle--73180045
The terror is simple: a sixty-one-year-old woman walking alone through dark Montana pines with a fractured ankle, guided only by a low mechanical hum and a torn notebook. What led her to leave a dry creek bed and walk four and a half miles without a map or beacon, and how did a navy ceramic mug become part of the trail that saved her?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, the recovered notebook entries, the search response, and the small, overlooked objects that shaped what happened-asking whether her survival was luck, technique, or something in between.

Date: August 14, 2019
Person: Marie Webb
Location: Aldecott National Forest
Status: Missing then found alive with fractured left lateral malleolus
Event: Walked approximately 4.5 miles guided by a mechanical hum

- Marie Webb was sixty-one years old and a retired high school librarian at the time of the incident.
- Bloodhounds traced her scent one mile and a quarter northeast from Finch Place to a dry creek crossing where the trail stopped.
- Marie fractured the left lateral malleolus after stepping on a shifting rock at the creek bed.
- She logged time, direction, terrain features, and her condition in a torn spiral notebook recovered later.
- The guiding sound was a battery-charging unit that ran forty minutes each morning and evening at a wildlife research station.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180045Sat, 01 Aug 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Followed a Hum Into the Pines - Surviving Four Miles on a Broken Ankle The terror is simple: a sixty-one-year-old woman walking alone through dark Montana pines with a fractured ankle, guided only by a low mechanical hum and a torn notebook....
The terror is simple: a sixty-one-year-old woman walking alone through dark Montana pines with a fractured ankle, guided only by a low mechanical hum and a torn notebook. What led her to leave a dry creek bed and walk four and a half miles without a map or beacon, and how did a navy ceramic mug become part of the trail that saved her?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, the recovered notebook entries, the search response, and the small, overlooked objects that shaped what happened-asking whether her survival was luck, technique, or something in between.

Date: August 14, 2019
Person: Marie Webb
Location: Aldecott National Forest
Status: Missing then found alive with fractured left lateral malleolus
Event: Walked approximately 4.5 miles guided by a mechanical hum

- Marie Webb was sixty-one years old and a retired high school librarian at the time of the incident.
- Bloodhounds traced her scent one mile and a quarter northeast from Finch Place to a dry creek crossing where the trail stopped.
- Marie fractured the left lateral malleolus after stepping on a shifting rock at the creek bed.
- She logged time, direction, terrain features, and her condition in a torn spiral notebook recovered later.
- The guiding sound was a battery-charging unit that ran forty minutes each morning and evening at a wildlife research station.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-folded-cheese-what-the-wilderness-took-and-left-behind--73180042
A cold campsite, a neatly arranged snack, and a folded square of sharp cheddar that was supposed to be sealed - an ordinary object that became the strangest clue in a missing person case. What could explain a resealed bear canister, a removed block of cheese, and a woman who vanished five days earlier?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline and evidence found at a backcountry campsite and follow the initial actions of search teams, detectives, and a tracking bloodhound to ask the question left in the case file: how did that cheese get folded and who was the last person with Peggy Edwards?

Person: Peggy Edwards
Date: July 14 (camp site found at 6:40 AM)
Location: FS Road Seven, Echo trailhead, upper ridge loop
Status: Missing for five days before campsite discovered
Case: Lead detective noted unexplained detail about the cheese

- Peggy Edwards was 26 years old and lived in Duvall where she worked as a veterinary technician.
- She signed the trail register at 4:52 PM on July 9 listing upper ridge loop and a return date of July 15.
- The campsite contained a tent, an unlit stove with a pot of water, three slices of summer sausage, and a folded square of sharp cheddar.
- Gene Farris stated the cheese had been packed sealed in its original wrapper and the bear canister was latched when found.
- Bloodhound Duchess tracked from the campsite toward the trailhead, along the lot edge, then onto a service track for roughly 80 yards before turning back.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180042Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Folded Cheese: What the Wilderness Took and Left Behind A cold campsite, a neatly arranged snack, and a folded square of sharp cheddar that was supposed to be sealed - an ordinary object that became the strangest clue in a missing person case....
A cold campsite, a neatly arranged snack, and a folded square of sharp cheddar that was supposed to be sealed - an ordinary object that became the strangest clue in a missing person case. What could explain a resealed bear canister, a removed block of cheese, and a woman who vanished five days earlier?

In this episode, we walk through the timeline and evidence found at a backcountry campsite and follow the initial actions of search teams, detectives, and a tracking bloodhound to ask the question left in the case file: how did that cheese get folded and who was the last person with Peggy Edwards?

Person: Peggy Edwards
Date: July 14 (camp site found at 6:40 AM)
Location: FS Road Seven, Echo trailhead, upper ridge loop
Status: Missing for five days before campsite discovered
Case: Lead detective noted unexplained detail about the cheese

- Peggy Edwards was 26 years old and lived in Duvall where she worked as a veterinary technician.
- She signed the trail register at 4:52 PM on July 9 listing upper ridge loop and a return date of July 15.
- The campsite contained a tent, an unlit stove with a pot of water, three slices of summer sausage, and a folded square of sharp cheddar.
- Gene Farris stated the cheese had been packed sealed in its original wrapper and the bear canister was latched when found.
- Bloodhound Duchess tracked from the campsite toward the trailhead, along the lot edge, then onto a service track for roughly 80 yards before turning back.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1100falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-crossed-the-canyon-boot-upright-scent-vanished-why--73180039
A single hiking boot stood upright on a four-inch limestone ledge nine hundred feet above Karroway Canyon, laces double-knotted and tongue folded back - yet no owner in sight and scent that ended abruptly on the rock. How did Michelle Mitchell, a 48-year-old solo hiker with a decade of desert experience, leave a boot placed upright on the east rim when her trail vanished in the slickrock below?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the morning Michelle signed a trail kiosk to the discovery of the boot and a blank registration form wedged under a stone - and the question that haunted rescuers: did she cross the canyon deliberately, and if so, why leave a boot upright where no evidence of a trail survives?

Person: Michelle Mitchell, 48
Date: June 3-11, 2019
Location: Karroway Canyon, Westwall and Eastrim rims
Status: Missing (no memory of carrying boot east)
Finder: Rachel Simpson, utility lineman, photographed boot at 7:42 AM on June 11

- Michelle signed the Westwall kiosk at 8:51 AM on June 3, the last confirmed record.
- Michelle was reported missing by her sister Nancy on June 7 after weekly calls went unanswered.
- Scent tracking dogs stopped abruptly on slickrock two miles north of the Soldier Creek junction on June 8.
- A blank Eastrim trail registration form was found folded under a flat stone about 300 yards from a western pour-off.
- On June 10 Michelle spent a night on a four-inch eastern ledge with her right foot wrapped in rain fly and about four ounces of water left.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180039Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Crossed the Canyon-Boot Upright, Scent Vanished, Why? A single hiking boot stood upright on a four-inch limestone ledge nine hundred feet above Karroway Canyon, laces double-knotted and tongue folded back - yet no owner in sight and scent that...
A single hiking boot stood upright on a four-inch limestone ledge nine hundred feet above Karroway Canyon, laces double-knotted and tongue folded back - yet no owner in sight and scent that ended abruptly on the rock. How did Michelle Mitchell, a 48-year-old solo hiker with a decade of desert experience, leave a boot placed upright on the east rim when her trail vanished in the slickrock below?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the morning Michelle signed a trail kiosk to the discovery of the boot and a blank registration form wedged under a stone - and the question that haunted rescuers: did she cross the canyon deliberately, and if so, why leave a boot upright where no evidence of a trail survives?

Person: Michelle Mitchell, 48
Date: June 3-11, 2019
Location: Karroway Canyon, Westwall and Eastrim rims
Status: Missing (no memory of carrying boot east)
Finder: Rachel Simpson, utility lineman, photographed boot at 7:42 AM on June 11

- Michelle signed the Westwall kiosk at 8:51 AM on June 3, the last confirmed record.
- Michelle was reported missing by her sister Nancy on June 7 after weekly calls went unanswered.
- Scent tracking dogs stopped abruptly on slickrock two miles north of the Soldier Creek junction on June 8.
- A blank Eastrim trail registration form was found folded under a flat stone about 300 yards from a western pour-off.
- On June 10 Michelle spent a night on a four-inch eastern ledge with her right foot wrapped in rain fly and about four ounces of water left.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1109falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-the-post-how-julie-walked-out-of-the-woods--73180037
A dry hiking boot sat upright on a four-foot marker post at the wilderness boundary, clean as if placed there an hour earlier - after eleven days of searching turned up nothing. What could explain a boot with no pollen or dust at the edge of a mountain trail and a vanishing that left dogs stopped on a granite slab like someone had simply walked out of the woods?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence from the first call to search-and-rescue through the puzzling discoveries that shifted the search outward, asking how a seasoned hiker could disappear from familiar terrain and reappear in fragments at the wilderness boundary.

Person: Julie Erickson
Date: May 14, 2019 (disappearance) and May 25, 2019 (boot found)
Location: Arrowgrass Loop, Perdew, Braden County, Washington
Status: Missing at time of initial search; boot recovered at wilderness boundary
Case: Search-and-rescue operation lasted eleven days with grid searches and dog teams

- Julie Erickson was 32 years old and a dental hygienist from Sutter Lane who regularly hiked Arrowgrass Loop.
- Julie and coworker Amy Tran started the hike at 9:15 AM on May 14, 2019; Amy reached the parking area and called 911 at 3:41 PM.
- Search-and-rescue arrived at 4:50 PM on May 14 and conducted hasty teams and grid searches from May 14-16 with no conclusive findings.
- Tracking dogs lost scent at a flat granite shelf called the Slab roughly a mile above the creek drainage; one dog later gave a weak "ghost" indication downslope toward the creek.
- On May 19, a volunteering searching the creek corridor found a trekking pole with Julie's initials standing upright in the creek bank about 200 yards below the culvert at the wilderness boundary.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180037Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on the Post: How Julie Walked Out of the Woods A dry hiking boot sat upright on a four-foot marker post at the wilderness boundary, clean as if placed there an hour earlier - after eleven days of searching turned up nothing. What could...
A dry hiking boot sat upright on a four-foot marker post at the wilderness boundary, clean as if placed there an hour earlier - after eleven days of searching turned up nothing. What could explain a boot with no pollen or dust at the edge of a mountain trail and a vanishing that left dogs stopped on a granite slab like someone had simply walked out of the woods?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence from the first call to search-and-rescue through the puzzling discoveries that shifted the search outward, asking how a seasoned hiker could disappear from familiar terrain and reappear in fragments at the wilderness boundary.

Person: Julie Erickson
Date: May 14, 2019 (disappearance) and May 25, 2019 (boot found)
Location: Arrowgrass Loop, Perdew, Braden County, Washington
Status: Missing at time of initial search; boot recovered at wilderness boundary
Case: Search-and-rescue operation lasted eleven days with grid searches and dog teams

- Julie Erickson was 32 years old and a dental hygienist from Sutter Lane who regularly hiked Arrowgrass Loop.
- Julie and coworker Amy Tran started the hike at 9:15 AM on May 14, 2019; Amy reached the parking area and called 911 at 3:41 PM.
- Search-and-rescue arrived at 4:50 PM on May 14 and conducted hasty teams and grid searches from May 14-16 with no conclusive findings.
- Tracking dogs lost scent at a flat granite shelf called the Slab roughly a mile above the creek drainage; one dog later gave a weak "ghost" indication downslope toward the creek.
- On May 19, a volunteering searching the creek corridor found a trekking pole with Julie's initials standing upright in the creek bank about 200 yards below the culvert at the wilderness boundary.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>993falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-eight-foot-silence-how-a-meadow-erased-a-man-s-trail--73180035
The dogs ran out of scent in the middle of a dry meadow-an eight-foot patch where two independent tracking dogs stopped dead, twice, on different days and in different weather. A sock packed with gray-blue clay from a drainage eleven road miles away turned up at a meter lid, and Kevin Barnes’s organized, dry pack was found untouched two hundred meters from a fresh heel impression-what erased his trail and why did the scent simply end?

In this episode, we present the sequence of discoveries and the factual anomalies that baffled searchers and investigators, from the Sellner Trailhead sign-in to the exact locations where scent and evidence diverged. What could make a live trail stop at one eight-foot patch while scattered items and a matching heel print point in different directions?

Person: Kevin Barnes
Date: April 7 sign-in; April 26 meter discovery; missing for 19 days
Location: Sellner Trailhead, Bench meadow, drainage two hundred meters below the Bench
Status: Found alive; anomalous trail evidence
Case: Grid search activated April 10; dogs lost scent twice at same spot

- Kevin Barnes signed the Sellner Trailhead register at 6:14 AM on April 7 and did not sign out.
- Two bloodhound teams tracked a consistent scent corridor about four miles from the lot and both stopped at the same eight-foot patch in the meadow.
- Kevin’s pack was found latched, organized, and dry on April 15, containing a water filter, rain shell, headlamp, two energy bars, and an emergency bivy.
- A wool sock turned up under a cast-iron lid on Sycamore Loop Road on April 26, inside-out and packed with gray-blue clay and subalpine pine needles from a drainage eleven road miles away.
- A forensic cast of a heel impression in gray-blue clay found in a creek bank on April 17 matched Kevin’s trail runners.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180035Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:00:24 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Eight-Foot Silence: How a Meadow Erased a Man's Trail The dogs ran out of scent in the middle of a dry meadow-an eight-foot patch where two independent tracking dogs stopped dead, twice, on different days and in different weather. A sock packed...
The dogs ran out of scent in the middle of a dry meadow-an eight-foot patch where two independent tracking dogs stopped dead, twice, on different days and in different weather. A sock packed with gray-blue clay from a drainage eleven road miles away turned up at a meter lid, and Kevin Barnes’s organized, dry pack was found untouched two hundred meters from a fresh heel impression-what erased his trail and why did the scent simply end?

In this episode, we present the sequence of discoveries and the factual anomalies that baffled searchers and investigators, from the Sellner Trailhead sign-in to the exact locations where scent and evidence diverged. What could make a live trail stop at one eight-foot patch while scattered items and a matching heel print point in different directions?

Person: Kevin Barnes
Date: April 7 sign-in; April 26 meter discovery; missing for 19 days
Location: Sellner Trailhead, Bench meadow, drainage two hundred meters below the Bench
Status: Found alive; anomalous trail evidence
Case: Grid search activated April 10; dogs lost scent twice at same spot

- Kevin Barnes signed the Sellner Trailhead register at 6:14 AM on April 7 and did not sign out.
- Two bloodhound teams tracked a consistent scent corridor about four miles from the lot and both stopped at the same eight-foot patch in the meadow.
- Kevin’s pack was found latched, organized, and dry on April 15, containing a water filter, rain shell, headlamp, two energy bars, and an emergency bivy.
- A wool sock turned up under a cast-iron lid on Sycamore Loop Road on April 26, inside-out and packed with gray-blue clay and subalpine pine needles from a drainage eleven road miles away.
- A forensic cast of a heel impression in gray-blue clay found in a creek bank on April 17 matched Kevin’s trail runners.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/boots-on-the-boulder-how-she-vanished-without-footprints--73180032
The sight was impossible: a pair of tan leather hiking boots, laces tucked, sitting side by side on a flat granite boulder above tree line with exactly two upright sole impressions in frozen snow-and no other footprints for yards around. Who carried those boots up four hundred feet in the night, set them down with deliberate care, and vanished without leaving a trace?

In this episode, we walk through the first five days of the search and the puzzling scene that drew teams uphill while the missing woman lay nearly a mile and a half away. What do the boots, the sealed snow, and the dogs that lost scent at the same spot tell us about what really happened?

Person: Michelle Schultz
Age: 44
Location: Varney (boulder at 9,200 ft, drainage valley ~1.5 miles away)
Date: March 9 (boots found at 8:45 AM; call at 8:52 AM)
Status: Missing with fractured leg and dead phone found in drainage valley

- Two upright boot-sole impressions were frozen into the crusted snow with no other footprints nearby.
- The boulder with boots sat at 9,200 feet, just above the tree line, approximately 400 feet uphill from where Michelle was later found.
- Michelle had last been seen by neighbor Pat Isley around 5:50 AM on March 8 and did not answer work emails the next day.
- Search dogs tracked uphill from Michelle’s unlocked Subaru and both stopped losing scent at roughly 9,000 feet, two hundred feet below the boulder.
- The left boot was placed about one inch closer to the edge than the right, suggesting a deliberate right-handed placement.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180032Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaBoots on the Boulder: How She Vanished Without Footprints The sight was impossible: a pair of tan leather hiking boots, laces tucked, sitting side by side on a flat granite boulder above tree line with exactly two upright sole impressions in frozen...
The sight was impossible: a pair of tan leather hiking boots, laces tucked, sitting side by side on a flat granite boulder above tree line with exactly two upright sole impressions in frozen snow-and no other footprints for yards around. Who carried those boots up four hundred feet in the night, set them down with deliberate care, and vanished without leaving a trace?

In this episode, we walk through the first five days of the search and the puzzling scene that drew teams uphill while the missing woman lay nearly a mile and a half away. What do the boots, the sealed snow, and the dogs that lost scent at the same spot tell us about what really happened?

Person: Michelle Schultz
Age: 44
Location: Varney (boulder at 9,200 ft, drainage valley ~1.5 miles away)
Date: March 9 (boots found at 8:45 AM; call at 8:52 AM)
Status: Missing with fractured leg and dead phone found in drainage valley

- Two upright boot-sole impressions were frozen into the crusted snow with no other footprints nearby.
- The boulder with boots sat at 9,200 feet, just above the tree line, approximately 400 feet uphill from where Michelle was later found.
- Michelle had last been seen by neighbor Pat Isley around 5:50 AM on March 8 and did not answer work emails the next day.
- Search dogs tracked uphill from Michelle’s unlocked Subaru and both stopped losing scent at roughly 9,000 feet, two hundred feet below the boulder.
- The left boot was placed about one inch closer to the edge than the right, suggesting a deliberate right-handed placement.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1163falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-standing-upright-why-angela-vanished-between-stands--73180030
A single blaze-orange-laced boot, size eight, was found standing upright twelve feet off a trail in February with no tracks within eight feet-an impossible scene in packed winter snow. Angela Padgett’s neatly staged daypack, sealed supplies, and the bloodhound that pulled northwest from the planned grid all point to an unsolved disappearance that began in sixty yards of ridge between two hunting stands-what happened in that short walk?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and physical evidence recovered during the first four days of the search and the accounts from family, volunteers, and SAR personnel. You’ll hear where Angela’s truck left the trailhead, what was found at both stands, and why the search patterns shifted when the dog led away-could those clues answer how she vanished?

Person: Angela Padgett
Date: February 8-9
Location: Clearwater Range, Ferris National Forest
Status: Missing (unresolved question in SAR final report)
Observer: Craig Dempsey

- Angela sent a text at 5:47 AM from Tanner's Back trailhead saying "Should be back by noon."
- She had two hunting stands about 400 yards apart; Stand Two was 60 feet lower in elevation.
- Angela paused at Stand Two for roughly 40 minutes before leaving toward Stand Two.
- At Stand Two, her daypack contained two sealed granola bars, a frozen water bottle, a knife, unopened hand warmers, and her hunting license; missing were one glove, her radio, and her left boot.
- The left boot was found standing upright at the base of a Douglas fir, twelve feet off the trail, with no snow tracks within eight feet; the nearest human sign in the snow was 31 feet away.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180030Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:21 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot Standing Upright: Why Angela Vanished Between Stands A single blaze-orange-laced boot, size eight, was found standing upright twelve feet off a trail in February with no tracks within eight feet-an impossible scene in packed winter snow....
A single blaze-orange-laced boot, size eight, was found standing upright twelve feet off a trail in February with no tracks within eight feet-an impossible scene in packed winter snow. Angela Padgett’s neatly staged daypack, sealed supplies, and the bloodhound that pulled northwest from the planned grid all point to an unsolved disappearance that began in sixty yards of ridge between two hunting stands-what happened in that short walk?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and physical evidence recovered during the first four days of the search and the accounts from family, volunteers, and SAR personnel. You’ll hear where Angela’s truck left the trailhead, what was found at both stands, and why the search patterns shifted when the dog led away-could those clues answer how she vanished?

Person: Angela Padgett
Date: February 8-9
Location: Clearwater Range, Ferris National Forest
Status: Missing (unresolved question in SAR final report)
Observer: Craig Dempsey

- Angela sent a text at 5:47 AM from Tanner's Back trailhead saying "Should be back by noon."
- She had two hunting stands about 400 yards apart; Stand Two was 60 feet lower in elevation.
- Angela paused at Stand Two for roughly 40 minutes before leaving toward Stand Two.
- At Stand Two, her daypack contained two sealed granola bars, a frozen water bottle, a knife, unopened hand warmers, and her hunting license; missing were one glove, her radio, and her left boot.
- The left boot was found standing upright at the base of a Douglas fir, twelve feet off the trail, with no snow tracks within eight feet; the nearest human sign in the snow was 31 feet away.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-came-back-from-where-no-tracks-could-lead--73180027
The shoes were dry at nine degrees Fahrenheit, six inches of open water next to her feet, and no mud or ice on the laces - a detail witnesses could not stop repeating. How did Sandra Keller, in canvas low-tops and a fleece vest, end up propped against a water diversion marker four miles and 1,400 feet above where her family last saw her?

In this episode, we tell what happened over the forty-eight hours after Sandra went missing and why experienced searchers found her location impossible to reconcile with the known facts. What path could take a meticulous, non-technical hiker across fractured granite in winter without leaving the tracks her rescuers expected?

Person: Sandra Keller
Date: January 14-16, 2017
Location: Stillwater basin, near Ridgeback Arm
Status: Found alive with body temperature 91 degrees
Search director: Pamela Olson

- Sandra Keller was 54 years old and lived in Billings, Montana.
- Family last saw her leaving the trailhead at 11:40 a.m, on January 14, 2017.
- Distance between last known point and where she was found: 4.3 miles and nearly 1,400 feet of vertical elevation.
- Frank O'Connor found her propped against a water diversion marker before sunrise on January 16, 2017.
- The shoes were dry despite ambient air at 9 degrees Fahrenheit and six inches of open water next to her feet.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180027Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:17 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Came Back From Where No Tracks Could Lead The shoes were dry at nine degrees Fahrenheit, six inches of open water next to her feet, and no mud or ice on the laces - a detail witnesses could not stop repeating. How did Sandra Keller, in canvas...
The shoes were dry at nine degrees Fahrenheit, six inches of open water next to her feet, and no mud or ice on the laces - a detail witnesses could not stop repeating. How did Sandra Keller, in canvas low-tops and a fleece vest, end up propped against a water diversion marker four miles and 1,400 feet above where her family last saw her?

In this episode, we tell what happened over the forty-eight hours after Sandra went missing and why experienced searchers found her location impossible to reconcile with the known facts. What path could take a meticulous, non-technical hiker across fractured granite in winter without leaving the tracks her rescuers expected?

Person: Sandra Keller
Date: January 14-16, 2017
Location: Stillwater basin, near Ridgeback Arm
Status: Found alive with body temperature 91 degrees
Search director: Pamela Olson

- Sandra Keller was 54 years old and lived in Billings, Montana.
- Family last saw her leaving the trailhead at 11:40 a.m, on January 14, 2017.
- Distance between last known point and where she was found: 4.3 miles and nearly 1,400 feet of vertical elevation.
- Frank O'Connor found her propped against a water diversion marker before sunrise on January 16, 2017.
- The shoes were dry despite ambient air at 9 degrees Fahrenheit and six inches of open water next to her feet.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1085falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/left-boot-empty-camp-the-quiet-that-ate-kessler-flat--73180023
A dead calm settled over an otherwise windy high-desert slope when a county surveyor found an upright tent, a canister stove balanced on a stone, a half-open sleeping bag-and a single left boot with its lace neatly tucked. The campsite lay four hundred meters inside a restricted closure, invisible from roads and inspection ridges; who built it and why they disappeared into the burn scar remain unanswered. What happened in the dead calm at Kessler Flat?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discovery and the search that followed, tracing the last confirmed actions of a methodical college student and the precise field notes that puzzled searchers. How did a campsite appear intact with evidence pointing inward, and could the debris and a swept fire ring reveal what followed?

Person: Curtis Powell
Date: December 9
Location: Kessler Flat, above Sagehorn Valley
Person: Scott Mason
Status: Missing then rescued with fracture (as later described)

- 9:51 AM: Curtis Powell stood very still for four minutes before reaching for his radio.
- Campsite location: four hundred meters inside a restricted closure with no roads or inspection ridge visibility.
- Scott Mason camped at Kessler Flat for three nights and on the fourth morning slipped and fractured his left fibula.
- Search dogs tracked northeast about six hundred meters from the campsite before the signal became uncertain at a rocky drainage crossing.
- Fire ring: sixty-centimeter stone circle with interior swept; parallel striations pressed from center outward.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180023Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:13 +0000Creator at ObomediaLeft Boot, Empty Camp: The Quiet That Ate Kessler Flat A dead calm settled over an otherwise windy high-desert slope when a county surveyor found an upright tent, a canister stove balanced on a stone, a half-open sleeping bag-and a single left boot...
A dead calm settled over an otherwise windy high-desert slope when a county surveyor found an upright tent, a canister stove balanced on a stone, a half-open sleeping bag-and a single left boot with its lace neatly tucked. The campsite lay four hundred meters inside a restricted closure, invisible from roads and inspection ridges; who built it and why they disappeared into the burn scar remain unanswered. What happened in the dead calm at Kessler Flat?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discovery and the search that followed, tracing the last confirmed actions of a methodical college student and the precise field notes that puzzled searchers. How did a campsite appear intact with evidence pointing inward, and could the debris and a swept fire ring reveal what followed?

Person: Curtis Powell
Date: December 9
Location: Kessler Flat, above Sagehorn Valley
Person: Scott Mason
Status: Missing then rescued with fracture (as later described)

- 9:51 AM: Curtis Powell stood very still for four minutes before reaching for his radio.
- Campsite location: four hundred meters inside a restricted closure with no roads or inspection ridge visibility.
- Scott Mason camped at Kessler Flat for three nights and on the fourth morning slipped and fractured his left fibula.
- Search dogs tracked northeast about six hundred meters from the campsite before the signal became uncertain at a rocky drainage crossing.
- Fire ring: sixty-centimeter stone circle with interior swept; parallel striations pressed from center outward.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>961falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/found-west-of-the-map-the-jacket-that-shouldn-t-exist--73180021
Cold, isolated, and two hundred miles out of place: a faded canvas jacket labeled R. Marshall turned up on a woman found eleven miles west of where every search model, dog, and map expected her to be. How did Linda Marshall, an experienced hiker with a planned route and a signed return time, end up wearing a jacket that should have been hanging in a Boise closet?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Linda Marshall's departure to the discovery, laying out the timeline, the search methods used, and the three perplexing details that remain unresolved. What explanation fits the facts-and which question still sits open in the official record?

Person: Linda Marshall
Date: November 10-14, 2019
Location: Garrard National Forest, Idaho
Status: Found alive eleven miles west of expected area
Case: Search filed under the name of Connie Ybarra's best search dog

- Linda signed the Tenmile trail register at 8:17 AM on November 10, 2019 listing Willet Plateau and return time 4 PM.
- Linda fed her classroom ferrets at approximately 6:15 AM and left school at approximately 6:45 AM the morning she disappeared.
- Search dogs given Linda's scarf included two air-scent dogs and one trailing bloodhound; the trailing dog stopped 30 yards north of the trailhead and refused to continue.
- The faded canvas jacket found on the woman had "R. Marshall" written inside the collar in black marker and matched a jacket Robert Marshall had left at a backcountry camp in Boise years earlier.
- The search and rescue grid model, built from 15 years of Garrard terrain data, predicted the missing hiker would be east, but Linda was found eleven miles to the west.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180021Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:09 +0000Creator at ObomediaFound West of the Map: The Jacket That Shouldn't Exist Cold, isolated, and two hundred miles out of place: a faded canvas jacket labeled R. Marshall turned up on a woman found eleven miles west of where every search model, dog, and map expected her...
Cold, isolated, and two hundred miles out of place: a faded canvas jacket labeled R. Marshall turned up on a woman found eleven miles west of where every search model, dog, and map expected her to be. How did Linda Marshall, an experienced hiker with a planned route and a signed return time, end up wearing a jacket that should have been hanging in a Boise closet?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Linda Marshall's departure to the discovery, laying out the timeline, the search methods used, and the three perplexing details that remain unresolved. What explanation fits the facts-and which question still sits open in the official record?

Person: Linda Marshall
Date: November 10-14, 2019
Location: Garrard National Forest, Idaho
Status: Found alive eleven miles west of expected area
Case: Search filed under the name of Connie Ybarra's best search dog

- Linda signed the Tenmile trail register at 8:17 AM on November 10, 2019 listing Willet Plateau and return time 4 PM.
- Linda fed her classroom ferrets at approximately 6:15 AM and left school at approximately 6:45 AM the morning she disappeared.
- Search dogs given Linda's scarf included two air-scent dogs and one trailing bloodhound; the trailing dog stopped 30 yards north of the trailhead and refused to continue.
- The faded canvas jacket found on the woman had "R. Marshall" written inside the collar in black marker and matched a jacket Robert Marshall had left at a backcountry camp in Boise years earlier.
- The search and rescue grid model, built from 15 years of Garrard terrain data, predicted the missing hiker would be east, but Linda was found eleven miles to the west.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-cairns-one-straight-line-no-signal--73180019
The trail of twenty-three quartzite-capped cairns stretches in a perfect north-northeast line for 11.2 miles through the Hargate - but nobody saw who built them, and no distress call was ever sent when a sixty-two-year-old woman vanished. The markers are spaced about 230 yards apart and the scent dogs stopped cold on a bare granite shelf; what happened next?

In this episode, we walk the corridor Frances Callahan had been following, hear how experienced trackers and a search coordinator mapped the scene, and trace the routine that made her disappearance so baffling - can a measured, engineered heading explain a disappearance with no signal?

Person: Frances Callahan
Date: October 10-16, 2019
Location: the Hargate wilderness, eleven miles north-northeast from the southern trailhead
Case: disappearance with twenty-three quartzite-capped cairns on a straight transect
Status: missing; search dogs lost scent on granite shelf

- Frances Callahan was sixty-two years old and had been placing quartzite markers every 230 yards along an 11.2-mile heading.
- Gloria Stein, age sixty-three, found the first cairn on October 14, 2019, and reported it to the Custer County sheriff.
- Frances missed a precise weekly phone check with her daughter at 9:15 PM on Wednesday, prompting a welfare check the next day.
- Two bloodhounds tracked from clothing obtained at Frances's house for roughly four miles before both stopped at an exposed granite shelf.
- Search teams counted twenty-three cairns total, each with a transported quartzite capstone that does not naturally occur in that part of the Hargate.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180019Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:05 +0000Creator at ObomediaTwenty-Three Cairns, One Straight Line, No Signal The trail of twenty-three quartzite-capped cairns stretches in a perfect north-northeast line for 11.2 miles through the Hargate - but nobody saw who built them, and no distress call was ever sent...
The trail of twenty-three quartzite-capped cairns stretches in a perfect north-northeast line for 11.2 miles through the Hargate - but nobody saw who built them, and no distress call was ever sent when a sixty-two-year-old woman vanished. The markers are spaced about 230 yards apart and the scent dogs stopped cold on a bare granite shelf; what happened next?

In this episode, we walk the corridor Frances Callahan had been following, hear how experienced trackers and a search coordinator mapped the scene, and trace the routine that made her disappearance so baffling - can a measured, engineered heading explain a disappearance with no signal?

Person: Frances Callahan
Date: October 10-16, 2019
Location: the Hargate wilderness, eleven miles north-northeast from the southern trailhead
Case: disappearance with twenty-three quartzite-capped cairns on a straight transect
Status: missing; search dogs lost scent on granite shelf

- Frances Callahan was sixty-two years old and had been placing quartzite markers every 230 yards along an 11.2-mile heading.
- Gloria Stein, age sixty-three, found the first cairn on October 14, 2019, and reported it to the Custer County sheriff.
- Frances missed a precise weekly phone check with her daughter at 9:15 PM on Wednesday, prompting a welfare check the next day.
- Two bloodhounds tracked from clothing obtained at Frances's house for roughly four miles before both stopped at an exposed granite shelf.
- Search teams counted twenty-three cairns total, each with a transported quartzite capstone that does not naturally occur in that part of the Hargate.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1085falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boots-standing-on-the-yellow-line-a-forest-s-quiet-lie--73180016
The wet asphalt should have soaked anything left there; instead two hiking boots stood dry and upright on the yellow center line at 4:51 AM - a photograph taken by a fifteen-year-old delivery driver became the hinge of an eleven-day search that ended with a woman found alive against statistical odds. Why were perfectly dry boots standing on a rain-wet road, and what gap between fact and explanation did the Talbot-Greer SAR file leave open?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Gregory Rafferty's 4:53 AM photograph through the Talbot-Greer search-and-rescue operation and the medical reconstruction, laying out the evidence that led to Kelly Boyd being found alive and the unanswered questions about her movements and the boots. How did routine training, a traumatic brain injury, scent-tracking dogs, and a certified timestamp converge into a mystery that official reports closed without resolving?

Person: Gregory Rafferty
Person: Kelly Boyd
Date: September 9, 2017 (photo at 4:53 AM) and September 5-9, 2017 (entry and search period)
Location: Talbot-Greer National Forest, Colver Creek trailhead and south access road
Status: Found alive after an eleven-day search

- Photograph timestamp: 4:53 AM, September 9, 2017, taken by Gregory Rafferty.
- Rain measurement: 0.8 inches of rain between 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM the night Kelly fell.
- Boots placement: Two hiking boots standing upright centered on the yellow line, dry while surrounding asphalt was wet.
- Search area coverage: Three mountain drainage systems and nearly 900 feet of vertical terrain over eleven days.
- Canine tracking result: Marcus Ogle's dogs followed Kelly's scent north along Colver Creek for roughly seven miles and stopped at the second ford where the scent ended on the south bank.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180016Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:29:01 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boots Standing on the Yellow Line: A Forest's Quiet Lie The wet asphalt should have soaked anything left there; instead two hiking boots stood dry and upright on the yellow center line at 4:51 AM - a photograph taken by a fifteen-year-old...
The wet asphalt should have soaked anything left there; instead two hiking boots stood dry and upright on the yellow center line at 4:51 AM - a photograph taken by a fifteen-year-old delivery driver became the hinge of an eleven-day search that ended with a woman found alive against statistical odds. Why were perfectly dry boots standing on a rain-wet road, and what gap between fact and explanation did the Talbot-Greer SAR file leave open?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Gregory Rafferty's 4:53 AM photograph through the Talbot-Greer search-and-rescue operation and the medical reconstruction, laying out the evidence that led to Kelly Boyd being found alive and the unanswered questions about her movements and the boots. How did routine training, a traumatic brain injury, scent-tracking dogs, and a certified timestamp converge into a mystery that official reports closed without resolving?

Person: Gregory Rafferty
Person: Kelly Boyd
Date: September 9, 2017 (photo at 4:53 AM) and September 5-9, 2017 (entry and search period)
Location: Talbot-Greer National Forest, Colver Creek trailhead and south access road
Status: Found alive after an eleven-day search

- Photograph timestamp: 4:53 AM, September 9, 2017, taken by Gregory Rafferty.
- Rain measurement: 0.8 inches of rain between 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM the night Kelly fell.
- Boots placement: Two hiking boots standing upright centered on the yellow line, dry while surrounding asphalt was wet.
- Search area coverage: Three mountain drainage systems and nearly 900 feet of vertical terrain over eleven days.
- Canine tracking result: Marcus Ogle's dogs followed Kelly's scent north along Colver Creek for roughly seven miles and stopped at the second ford where the scent ended on the south bank.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1058falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-folded-bivvy-why-he-left-his-lifesaver-unopened--73180013
A folded emergency bivouac bag with crisp creases sat four feet above a dead man in a creek - dry, untouched, and deliberately placed. Why would a methodical land surveyor with two decades of backcountry experience, a personal locator beacon, and wilderness first-aid leave his lifesaver unopened on a granite ledge?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a neat trailhead register entry through a calm last phone call and the storm Thomas Brown correctly read, to the unmarked off-trail route he may have taken - and the unanswered moments that follow. What did Thomas do between turning back at the saddle and being found face-down below the bivvy?

Person: Thomas Allen Brown
Age: 48
Location: Wescott Peak, Harmon Range
Date: August 9-11 (trip began August 9; truck still at trailhead by Sunday night)
Status: Deceased

- Thomas signed the Sable Creek Approach register at 08:14 with intended destination Wescott Peak, 9,440 feet.
- He expected to return Sunday afternoon and had worked as a land surveyor for 22 years at the same firm.
- He called his brother on Saturday, a four-minute call where he said he was turning around at the saddle and sounded calm.
- The emergency bivouac bag was folded with crisp creases and placed on a granite ledge four feet above the water, never opened.
- He had downloaded a topographic overlay two weeks before the trip that included an unmarked corridor called the Sable Notch cut.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180013Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:57 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Folded Bivvy: Why He Left His Lifesaver Unopened A folded emergency bivouac bag with crisp creases sat four feet above a dead man in a creek - dry, untouched, and deliberately placed. Why would a methodical land surveyor with two decades of...
A folded emergency bivouac bag with crisp creases sat four feet above a dead man in a creek - dry, untouched, and deliberately placed. Why would a methodical land surveyor with two decades of backcountry experience, a personal locator beacon, and wilderness first-aid leave his lifesaver unopened on a granite ledge?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a neat trailhead register entry through a calm last phone call and the storm Thomas Brown correctly read, to the unmarked off-trail route he may have taken - and the unanswered moments that follow. What did Thomas do between turning back at the saddle and being found face-down below the bivvy?

Person: Thomas Allen Brown
Age: 48
Location: Wescott Peak, Harmon Range
Date: August 9-11 (trip began August 9; truck still at trailhead by Sunday night)
Status: Deceased

- Thomas signed the Sable Creek Approach register at 08:14 with intended destination Wescott Peak, 9,440 feet.
- He expected to return Sunday afternoon and had worked as a land surveyor for 22 years at the same firm.
- He called his brother on Saturday, a four-minute call where he said he was turning around at the saddle and sounded calm.
- The emergency bivouac bag was folded with crisp creases and placed on a granite ledge four feet above the water, never opened.
- He had downloaded a topographic overlay two weeks before the trip that included an unmarked corridor called the Sable Notch cut.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-her-boots-on-the-ladder-the-night-sutter-peak-whispered--73180010
A woman went down a ladder in her socks and left her boots laced heel-to-heel on the second rung - upright, toes pointing away from the tower - with no sign of struggle inside the cab. Search dogs tracked her scent off the concrete pad as if it "lifted off the ground," and a folded green wool cap was later found six-tenths of a mile away; what happened on Sutter Peak that night?

In this episode, we detail the sequence of events on the night Marcia Simmons disappeared from her lookout at Sutter Peak and the thirty-one-hour search that followed, compiling radio logs, SAR reports, and witness statements to ask whether the evidence supports a simple walk into the dark or something else entirely.

Person: Marcia Simmons
Date: July 8-10, 2017
Location: Sutter Peak, Harmon National Forest, eastern Oregon
Status: Found alive
Case: Harmon County SAR closing report with one unexplained anomaly

- Boots were found on the second rung from the bottom, laced, heel-to-heel, toes pointing outward.
- Marcia's eight-fifteen evening radio report logged visibility excellent, wind northwest 12 mph, temperature 61°F.
- Search assembled at 11:00 AM on July 9 with 31 volunteers staged at 8,400 feet.
- Two search dogs tracked from the base of the ladder northwest along the concrete foundation pad and stopped as if scent "lifted off the ground."
- A green wool cap was found folded and wedged in a crack at Stanner Rocks, 0.6 miles from the tower.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180010Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:53 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left Her Boots on the Ladder: The Night Sutter Peak Whispered A woman went down a ladder in her socks and left her boots laced heel-to-heel on the second rung - upright, toes pointing away from the tower - with no sign of struggle inside the...
A woman went down a ladder in her socks and left her boots laced heel-to-heel on the second rung - upright, toes pointing away from the tower - with no sign of struggle inside the cab. Search dogs tracked her scent off the concrete pad as if it "lifted off the ground," and a folded green wool cap was later found six-tenths of a mile away; what happened on Sutter Peak that night?

In this episode, we detail the sequence of events on the night Marcia Simmons disappeared from her lookout at Sutter Peak and the thirty-one-hour search that followed, compiling radio logs, SAR reports, and witness statements to ask whether the evidence supports a simple walk into the dark or something else entirely.

Person: Marcia Simmons
Date: July 8-10, 2017
Location: Sutter Peak, Harmon National Forest, eastern Oregon
Status: Found alive
Case: Harmon County SAR closing report with one unexplained anomaly

- Boots were found on the second rung from the bottom, laced, heel-to-heel, toes pointing outward.
- Marcia's eight-fifteen evening radio report logged visibility excellent, wind northwest 12 mph, temperature 61°F.
- Search assembled at 11:00 AM on July 9 with 31 volunteers staged at 8,400 feet.
- Two search dogs tracked from the base of the ladder northwest along the concrete foundation pad and stopped as if scent "lifted off the ground."
- A green wool cap was found folded and wedged in a crack at Stanner Rocks, 0.6 miles from the tower.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1075falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-sutter-flats-a-trail-that-refuses-to-make-sense--73180008
A single hiking boot appeared upright on Sutter Flats access road on the morning of June 14, 2019, dry on the outside but packed with wet earth and a sprig of rabbitbrush that doesn't bloom there until late August - and it did not belong to the missing woman. How did a boot with impossible soil appear on a road Sharon Gray never used, while her scent abruptly stopped on bare slickrock four and a half miles from the trailhead?

In this episode, we lay out the known timeline, the strange evidence left behind, and the odd gaps in official records that refuse to align, asking whether the trail itself is hiding an explanation or if someone has been keeping a secret. What connects the oak cache Sharon mentioned, the dogs that stopped at the same rock shelf, and the boot no one can place?

Person: Sharon Gray
Date: June 8-14, 2019
Location: Pinyon Hollow / Caprock Bench area, four and a half miles from trailhead
Status: Logged as unresolved in final incident report
Coordinator: Rachel Murphy

- Sharon Gray was 52 years old and had lived in Merton for just under two years.
- Sharon signed the trail register at 7:22 AM on June 8 and did not sign out that evening; her car remained in the parking lot.
- Search began at 6:30 AM on June 9 with coordinator Rachel Murphy and 60 volunteers who found trekking poles, a water bottle, and a folded jacket but not Sharon.
- Two tracking dogs, Cass the bloodhound and a Belgian Malinois handled by Nora Ibáñez, followed Sharon’s scent for four miles before both stopped simultaneously on a slickrock shelf.
- A woman’s hiking boot was found upright on the Sutter Flats access road on June 14, with wet earth inside and a sprig of rabbitbrush tucked in, a plant that doesn’t bloom in that canyon until late August.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180008Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:49 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on Sutter Flats: A Trail That Refuses to Make Sense A single hiking boot appeared upright on Sutter Flats access road on the morning of June 14, 2019, dry on the outside but packed with wet earth and a sprig of rabbitbrush that doesn't...
A single hiking boot appeared upright on Sutter Flats access road on the morning of June 14, 2019, dry on the outside but packed with wet earth and a sprig of rabbitbrush that doesn't bloom there until late August - and it did not belong to the missing woman. How did a boot with impossible soil appear on a road Sharon Gray never used, while her scent abruptly stopped on bare slickrock four and a half miles from the trailhead?

In this episode, we lay out the known timeline, the strange evidence left behind, and the odd gaps in official records that refuse to align, asking whether the trail itself is hiding an explanation or if someone has been keeping a secret. What connects the oak cache Sharon mentioned, the dogs that stopped at the same rock shelf, and the boot no one can place?

Person: Sharon Gray
Date: June 8-14, 2019
Location: Pinyon Hollow / Caprock Bench area, four and a half miles from trailhead
Status: Logged as unresolved in final incident report
Coordinator: Rachel Murphy

- Sharon Gray was 52 years old and had lived in Merton for just under two years.
- Sharon signed the trail register at 7:22 AM on June 8 and did not sign out that evening; her car remained in the parking lot.
- Search began at 6:30 AM on June 9 with coordinator Rachel Murphy and 60 volunteers who found trekking poles, a water bottle, and a folded jacket but not Sharon.
- Two tracking dogs, Cass the bloodhound and a Belgian Malinois handled by Nora Ibáñez, followed Sharon’s scent for four miles before both stopped simultaneously on a slickrock shelf.
- A woman’s hiking boot was found upright on the Sutter Flats access road on June 14, with wet earth inside and a sprig of rabbitbrush tucked in, a plant that doesn’t bloom in that canyon until late August.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-off-route-came-back-from-a-tunnel-under-snow--73180006
A working avalanche beacon was found broadcasting from four inches of mud beside meter housing number forty-seven with no slide debris and no snow within thirteen hundred vertical feet - and the owner was still missing eleven miles away. A seventeen-season backcountry skier who filed her trip plan early, carried a laminated checklist and always called when she was back disappeared after stepping off her route toward a ridge low point; how did her tracks simply stop at the edge of a drainage?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from the morning Randy Thompson found the beacon on May 14, 2019 to the search patterns and the map note that revealed Angela Brooks had penciled an eastern deviation toward "old mining infrastructure." We follow the search-and-rescue timeline, the snow and scent evidence, and the single unexplained sitting impression that preceded her turn - what happened next?

Person: Angela Brooks
Date: May 14, 2019 (beacon found); last expected return May 10, 2019
Location: Crowder Basin and Belden Hollow area of Calloway National Forest
Status: Missing at time of initial search narrative
Event: Utility meter reader Randy Thompson discovered broadcasting avalanche beacon beside meter housing number 47

- Beacon frequency: 457 kilohertz with a strong battery and strap still attached
- Beacon found: in four inches of mud with no snow or slide debris within 1,300 vertical feet
- Tracks: one set, followed filed route for 1.5 miles then turned east above a rock band at ~6,200 feet
- Scent tracking: dog led 400 yards east past a sitting impression then scent stopped at edge of drainage
- Map note: Angela's printed route matched filed plan except a faint dotted line to Belden Hollow labeled "check this - old mining infrastructure?"

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180006Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:45 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Off-Route - Came Back From a Tunnel Under Snow A working avalanche beacon was found broadcasting from four inches of mud beside meter housing number forty-seven with no slide debris and no snow within thirteen hundred vertical feet - and...
A working avalanche beacon was found broadcasting from four inches of mud beside meter housing number forty-seven with no slide debris and no snow within thirteen hundred vertical feet - and the owner was still missing eleven miles away. A seventeen-season backcountry skier who filed her trip plan early, carried a laminated checklist and always called when she was back disappeared after stepping off her route toward a ridge low point; how did her tracks simply stop at the edge of a drainage?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events from the morning Randy Thompson found the beacon on May 14, 2019 to the search patterns and the map note that revealed Angela Brooks had penciled an eastern deviation toward "old mining infrastructure." We follow the search-and-rescue timeline, the snow and scent evidence, and the single unexplained sitting impression that preceded her turn - what happened next?

Person: Angela Brooks
Date: May 14, 2019 (beacon found); last expected return May 10, 2019
Location: Crowder Basin and Belden Hollow area of Calloway National Forest
Status: Missing at time of initial search narrative
Event: Utility meter reader Randy Thompson discovered broadcasting avalanche beacon beside meter housing number 47

- Beacon frequency: 457 kilohertz with a strong battery and strap still attached
- Beacon found: in four inches of mud with no snow or slide debris within 1,300 vertical feet
- Tracks: one set, followed filed route for 1.5 miles then turned east above a rock band at ~6,200 feet
- Scent tracking: dog led 400 yards east past a sitting impression then scent stopped at edge of drainage
- Map note: Angela's printed route matched filed plan except a faint dotted line to Belden Hollow labeled "check this - old mining infrastructure?"

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/found-alive-1-3-miles-from-her-notebook-the-kettner-vanishing--73180004
The notebook that should have been sodden and unreadable was dry and upright on a fence post 1.3 miles from where its owner was found alive, four days after she vanished into 340,000 acres of roadless Idaho backcountry - how did a five-day pack, a meticulous trip bible, and a seasoned map reader disappear and reappear with unanswered details? What in the terrain, timing, or choices left investigators with paperwork finished but the case unresolved?

In this episode, we follow the five days of the search inside the Kettner Wilderness and the official records that track Cynthia Tucker’s route, equipment, and the search response, asking whether the physical evidence and her own account can fully explain her disappearance and survival.

Person: Cynthia Tucker
Age: 28
Location: Kettner Wilderness, Saddlehorn National Forest, Idaho
Date: entered April 9; expected exit April 12; notebook found April 16
Search duration: six days

- Cynthia filed a laminated trip bible with the ranger station before entering on April 9 documenting a four-night, five-day loop.
- She packed food for exactly five days and had a shuttle scheduled to pick her up on April 13; the shuttle found no one at the trailhead on April 13.
- Snowpack at elevation during her trip was between four and six feet deep, and she packed gear for cold-wet conditions.
- Tracking dogs lost the scent at Anvil Flats, a fractured granite field at roughly mile seven, after nearly two hours on April 14.
- A small notebook with Cynthia’s name was found dry and upright on a fence post on April 16, approximately 1.3 miles from where she was located alive in a narrow drainage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180004Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:41 +0000Creator at ObomediaFound Alive 1.3 Miles From Her Notebook: The Kettner Vanishing The notebook that should have been sodden and unreadable was dry and upright on a fence post 1.3 miles from where its owner was found alive, four days after she vanished into 340,000...
The notebook that should have been sodden and unreadable was dry and upright on a fence post 1.3 miles from where its owner was found alive, four days after she vanished into 340,000 acres of roadless Idaho backcountry - how did a five-day pack, a meticulous trip bible, and a seasoned map reader disappear and reappear with unanswered details? What in the terrain, timing, or choices left investigators with paperwork finished but the case unresolved?

In this episode, we follow the five days of the search inside the Kettner Wilderness and the official records that track Cynthia Tucker’s route, equipment, and the search response, asking whether the physical evidence and her own account can fully explain her disappearance and survival.

Person: Cynthia Tucker
Age: 28
Location: Kettner Wilderness, Saddlehorn National Forest, Idaho
Date: entered April 9; expected exit April 12; notebook found April 16
Search duration: six days

- Cynthia filed a laminated trip bible with the ranger station before entering on April 9 documenting a four-night, five-day loop.
- She packed food for exactly five days and had a shuttle scheduled to pick her up on April 13; the shuttle found no one at the trailhead on April 13.
- Snowpack at elevation during her trip was between four and six feet deep, and she packed gear for cold-wet conditions.
- Tracking dogs lost the scent at Anvil Flats, a fractured granite field at roughly mile seven, after nearly two hours on April 14.
- A small notebook with Cynthia’s name was found dry and upright on a fence post on April 16, approximately 1.3 miles from where she was located alive in a narrow drainage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>989falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-bivouac-on-pryor-shelf-twelve-steps-that-don-t-exist--73180001
A correctly assembled bivouac tent stood alone on a 4,100-foot limestone shelf with no footprints, no scent trail, and a man missing-how does an ordered campsite appear where no one arrived or left? The single unresolved measurement in the rescue report still refuses to add up: what happened in those twelve feet between tent and gully?

In this episode, you will hear the recorded sequence of events over four days in the Losten Wilderness, from the moment a passerby and his Labrador found the tent to the details Edward Tillman logged in his final incident report. We follow John Wilson’s preparations, gear choices, and his account of falling through the shelf-so what does the physical evidence actually show?

Person: John Wilson
Date: March 8-9, 2014
Location: Pryor Shelf, Losten Wilderness
Status: Missing after fall from shelf
Coordinator: Edward Tillman

- At 7:40 AM on March 9, 2014 a man walking a Labrador found a fully erected bivouac tent on Pryor Shelf with no footprints in the snow around it.
- Pryor Shelf is roughly thirty feet across and sits at approximately 4,100 feet elevation on exposed limestone.
- Wilson purchased the emergency bivouac on February 22, 2014 and the proprietary frame poles matched the packaging found in his recycling bin.
- Wind gusts recorded one mile east were estimated at 40-50 miles per hour by 3:00 PM on March 8, 2014, the afternoon Wilson reached the shelf.
- Wilson reported stepping out of the bivouac into darkness, taking four or five steps, then dropping roughly twelve feet into a northeastern gully and briefly losing consciousness.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180001Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:38 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Bivouac on Pryor Shelf: Twelve Steps That Don't Exist A correctly assembled bivouac tent stood alone on a 4,100-foot limestone shelf with no footprints, no scent trail, and a man missing-how does an ordered campsite appear where no one arrived...
A correctly assembled bivouac tent stood alone on a 4,100-foot limestone shelf with no footprints, no scent trail, and a man missing-how does an ordered campsite appear where no one arrived or left? The single unresolved measurement in the rescue report still refuses to add up: what happened in those twelve feet between tent and gully?

In this episode, you will hear the recorded sequence of events over four days in the Losten Wilderness, from the moment a passerby and his Labrador found the tent to the details Edward Tillman logged in his final incident report. We follow John Wilson’s preparations, gear choices, and his account of falling through the shelf-so what does the physical evidence actually show?

Person: John Wilson
Date: March 8-9, 2014
Location: Pryor Shelf, Losten Wilderness
Status: Missing after fall from shelf
Coordinator: Edward Tillman

- At 7:40 AM on March 9, 2014 a man walking a Labrador found a fully erected bivouac tent on Pryor Shelf with no footprints in the snow around it.
- Pryor Shelf is roughly thirty feet across and sits at approximately 4,100 feet elevation on exposed limestone.
- Wilson purchased the emergency bivouac on February 22, 2014 and the proprietary frame poles matched the packaging found in his recycling bin.
- Wind gusts recorded one mile east were estimated at 40-50 miles per hour by 3:00 PM on March 8, 2014, the afternoon Wilson reached the shelf.
- Wilson reported stepping out of the bivouac into darkness, taking four or five steps, then dropping roughly twelve feet into a northeastern gully and briefly losing consciousness.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/forty-foot-stone-circle-how-a-geologist-vanished-on-ashton-ridge--73180000
Cold, precise, and impossible to explain: a forty-foot ring of overturned stone on a frozen talus slope with not a single footprint in the snow, and an orange-framed backpack left upright as if its owner simply stepped away - so what happened to the student who disappeared from that ridge? Did a field accident end with something no rescuer could recreate, or did the circle hide a different kind of answer?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Judith Hamilton's planned day trip to the baffling scene found five days later, laying out the documented evidence and the unanswered questions that remained at the center of the official report. What did searchers measure, what did they find on her body and in her notes, and why did the rescue lead state he could not reconstruct the outer ring?

Person: Judith Hamilton
Date: February 9-14, 2019
Location: Ashton Ridge, east talus slope
Status: Found alive in hospital five days after disappearance
Advisor: Tom Achebe

- Judith was 22 years old and a geology graduate student with wilderness first aid certification.
- Her last notebook entry ends mid-sentence after documenting the lower margin of the granite and a stratigraphic sketch.
- Her overnight bag remained in her car and her return itinerary, written in pencil, stated "Depart ridge at noon Sunday" and was unfinished.
- Gary Fleming discovered the stone circle and an orange-framed backpack at approximately 6:30 AM on February 14, 2019 and called the sheriff at 6:47 AM.
- Search and rescue leader Ross O'Connor photographed and measured the forty-foot diameter circle and recorded each turned slab, later noting he could not reconstruct the outer ring.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73180000Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:33 +0000Creator at ObomediaForty-Foot Stone Circle: How a Geologist Vanished on Ashton Ridge Cold, precise, and impossible to explain: a forty-foot ring of overturned stone on a frozen talus slope with not a single footprint in the snow, and an orange-framed backpack left...
Cold, precise, and impossible to explain: a forty-foot ring of overturned stone on a frozen talus slope with not a single footprint in the snow, and an orange-framed backpack left upright as if its owner simply stepped away - so what happened to the student who disappeared from that ridge? Did a field accident end with something no rescuer could recreate, or did the circle hide a different kind of answer?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Judith Hamilton's planned day trip to the baffling scene found five days later, laying out the documented evidence and the unanswered questions that remained at the center of the official report. What did searchers measure, what did they find on her body and in her notes, and why did the rescue lead state he could not reconstruct the outer ring?

Person: Judith Hamilton
Date: February 9-14, 2019
Location: Ashton Ridge, east talus slope
Status: Found alive in hospital five days after disappearance
Advisor: Tom Achebe

- Judith was 22 years old and a geology graduate student with wilderness first aid certification.
- Her last notebook entry ends mid-sentence after documenting the lower margin of the granite and a stratigraphic sketch.
- Her overnight bag remained in her car and her return itinerary, written in pencil, stated "Depart ridge at noon Sunday" and was unfinished.
- Gary Fleming discovered the stone circle and an orange-framed backpack at approximately 6:30 AM on February 14, 2019 and called the sheriff at 6:47 AM.
- Search and rescue leader Ross O'Connor photographed and measured the forty-foot diameter circle and recorded each turned slab, later noting he could not reconstruct the outer ring.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1039falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-tucked-laces-why-melissa-walked-away-from-her-boot--73179997
A dry, upright wading boot with its laces neatly tucked inside was found at 7:14 AM on January 9, 2019, at nine degrees Fahrenheit - and Melissa Reynolds was not reported missing for another sixty-three minutes. How did a size seven felt-soled boot stand sheltered and unfrozen on a boulder while the person who wore it vanished into the January wilderness?

In this episode, we follow the recorded timeline of that morning, the search-and-rescue actions over three days, and the physical evidence left along the Granger Fork river to ask what happened in the gap between a boot and a name.

Person: Melissa Reynolds
Date: January 9, 2019
Location: Granger Fork river, Tilden County
Status: Missing at time of initial evidence; search followed for three days
Finder: Sarah Nelson, county surveyor

- A single right wading boot, size seven, felt-soled, was found upright on a flat boulder at 7:14 AM and was dry inside at nine degrees Fahrenheit.
- The boot's laces were folded inward and pressed flat inside the tongue rather than tied or splayed.
- The finder, Sarah Nelson, called dispatch and the call was logged at 7:14 AM; Tom Greer's 911 call was logged 63 minutes later at 8:17 AM from a pullout 2.3 miles up the forest road.
- Dogs followed a scent trail east from the boot approximately 300 yards before terrain changed to an exposed granite shelf where scent did not continue.
- On January 10, a jacket belonging to Melissa was found hung over a broken alder branch about 40 yards above the river margin with the collar loop over the branch and the zipper pulled to the top.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179997Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:29 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Tucked Laces: Why Melissa Walked Away From Her Boot A dry, upright wading boot with its laces neatly tucked inside was found at 7:14 AM on January 9, 2019, at nine degrees Fahrenheit - and Melissa Reynolds was not reported missing for another...
A dry, upright wading boot with its laces neatly tucked inside was found at 7:14 AM on January 9, 2019, at nine degrees Fahrenheit - and Melissa Reynolds was not reported missing for another sixty-three minutes. How did a size seven felt-soled boot stand sheltered and unfrozen on a boulder while the person who wore it vanished into the January wilderness?

In this episode, we follow the recorded timeline of that morning, the search-and-rescue actions over three days, and the physical evidence left along the Granger Fork river to ask what happened in the gap between a boot and a name.

Person: Melissa Reynolds
Date: January 9, 2019
Location: Granger Fork river, Tilden County
Status: Missing at time of initial evidence; search followed for three days
Finder: Sarah Nelson, county surveyor

- A single right wading boot, size seven, felt-soled, was found upright on a flat boulder at 7:14 AM and was dry inside at nine degrees Fahrenheit.
- The boot's laces were folded inward and pressed flat inside the tongue rather than tied or splayed.
- The finder, Sarah Nelson, called dispatch and the call was logged at 7:14 AM; Tom Greer's 911 call was logged 63 minutes later at 8:17 AM from a pullout 2.3 miles up the forest road.
- Dogs followed a scent trail east from the boot approximately 300 yards before terrain changed to an exposed granite shelf where scent did not continue.
- On January 10, a jacket belonging to Melissa was found hung over a broken alder branch about 40 yards above the river margin with the collar loop over the branch and the zipper pulled to the top.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-found-him-alive-still-small-child-handprints-at-the-creek--73179995
Cold mud at the water’s edge held two small handprints, each finger spread wide and a right palm measuring 14 cm, fresh enough that no frost had settled into them; there were no footprints or approach tracks nearby. How did child-sized hands appear on a gravel bar six miles downstream from where a 62-year-old man was last seen, and what did they mean for the missing-person search?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the disappearance of Vernon Casey through the discovery at Granger Creek, presenting witness observations, official measurements, and search actions that raise one central question: do those prints point to an overlooked route, a misread scene, or something else entirely?

Person: Vernon Casey
Date: December 3-4
Location: Granger Creek, Whitmore National Forest area
Time: 07:14 on December 4 (prints discovered)
Measurement: Right-hand print 14 cm across the palm

- Kimberly Cook found the handprints at 7:14 AM on December 4 and photographed them before calling Whitmore dispatch.
- Deputy Tom Archie measured the right-hand print at 14 centimeters and walked 200 yards along both banks with no additional evidence.
- There were no footprints, approach tracks, crushed vegetation, camp, vehicle, or trail leading to the handprints on the gravel bar.
- Vernon Casey’s cell phone pinged near Dolmer at 6:47 AM on December 3, and his truck was gone by 5:30 AM that day.
- Vernon was 62 years old, retired after 31 years as a lineman, and was not known as a wilderness hiker or to carry a GPS or map.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179995Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:26 +0000Creator at ObomediaThey Found Him Alive - Still, Small Child Handprints at the Creek Cold mud at the water’s edge held two small handprints, each finger spread wide and a right palm measuring 14 cm, fresh enough that no frost had settled into them; there were no...
Cold mud at the water’s edge held two small handprints, each finger spread wide and a right palm measuring 14 cm, fresh enough that no frost had settled into them; there were no footprints or approach tracks nearby. How did child-sized hands appear on a gravel bar six miles downstream from where a 62-year-old man was last seen, and what did they mean for the missing-person search?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the disappearance of Vernon Casey through the discovery at Granger Creek, presenting witness observations, official measurements, and search actions that raise one central question: do those prints point to an overlooked route, a misread scene, or something else entirely?

Person: Vernon Casey
Date: December 3-4
Location: Granger Creek, Whitmore National Forest area
Time: 07:14 on December 4 (prints discovered)
Measurement: Right-hand print 14 cm across the palm

- Kimberly Cook found the handprints at 7:14 AM on December 4 and photographed them before calling Whitmore dispatch.
- Deputy Tom Archie measured the right-hand print at 14 centimeters and walked 200 yards along both banks with no additional evidence.
- There were no footprints, approach tracks, crushed vegetation, camp, vehicle, or trail leading to the handprints on the gravel bar.
- Vernon Casey’s cell phone pinged near Dolmer at 6:47 AM on December 3, and his truck was gone by 5:30 AM that day.
- Vernon was 62 years old, retired after 31 years as a lineman, and was not known as a wilderness hiker or to carry a GPS or map.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1207falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-man-the-trail-camera-caught-walking-healed-but-why--73179993
A single eleven-second trail-camera frame captured a dark-fleece figure moving calmly downhill at 6,200 feet in 21°F-four days after he was reported missing and two days after the search was suspended. The image led to a rescue helicopter and a baffling question: how could a confused, packless hiker walk with that steady, unhurried gait?

In this episode, we lay out the facts as recorded by rescuers, witnesses, and the camera itself, and follow the timeline from a locked pickup at Harwick Trailhead to the sparse scene at camp and the frame that changed everything. What happened between the last clear memory and that eleven-second clip?

Person: Gregory Cole
Date: November 14, 2022
Location: trail camera on lodgepole pine at 6,200 feet
Temperature: 21 degrees Fahrenheit
Search status: suspended two days before image was captured

- Cole was 24 years old and worked as an inventory manager in Mineral Fork.
- The trail camera recorded a deer, then 11 seconds later a man walking at 11:47 AM.
- Cole had been missing for four days when the camera captured him.
- His permit on the locked gray pickup showed a single-day permit for November 10 despite planning a three-night trip.
- Camp found November 11 had a staked tent, an uncompressed sleeping bag, an unused cook kit, and his headlamp inside the tent with fresh batteries.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179993Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:21 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Man the Trail Camera Caught Walking Healed - But Why? A single eleven-second trail-camera frame captured a dark-fleece figure moving calmly downhill at 6,200 feet in 21°F-four days after he was reported missing and two days after the search was...
A single eleven-second trail-camera frame captured a dark-fleece figure moving calmly downhill at 6,200 feet in 21°F-four days after he was reported missing and two days after the search was suspended. The image led to a rescue helicopter and a baffling question: how could a confused, packless hiker walk with that steady, unhurried gait?

In this episode, we lay out the facts as recorded by rescuers, witnesses, and the camera itself, and follow the timeline from a locked pickup at Harwick Trailhead to the sparse scene at camp and the frame that changed everything. What happened between the last clear memory and that eleven-second clip?

Person: Gregory Cole
Date: November 14, 2022
Location: trail camera on lodgepole pine at 6,200 feet
Temperature: 21 degrees Fahrenheit
Search status: suspended two days before image was captured

- Cole was 24 years old and worked as an inventory manager in Mineral Fork.
- The trail camera recorded a deer, then 11 seconds later a man walking at 11:47 AM.
- Cole had been missing for four days when the camera captured him.
- His permit on the locked gray pickup showed a single-day permit for November 10 despite planning a three-night trip.
- Camp found November 11 had a staked tent, an uncompressed sleeping bag, an unused cook kit, and his headlamp inside the tent with fresh batteries.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-wader-at-dawn-daddy-s-drawing-in-the-frosted-trailhead--73179992
A locked truck, a lone rubber hip wader standing upright in its bed, and a child's drawing labeled "DADDY" tucked inside - found at 4:37 AM by a seventeen-year-old paperboy at the Burnt Saddle trailhead with frost unbroken around the vehicle. The owner, Edward West, had been missing at least thirty-six hours; his engine cold, his truck secure, and the trailhead gave no immediate answers - what happened in the seventy-two hours after that discovery?

In this episode, we follow the timeline recorded in police, medical, and witness accounts to lay out the facts of Edward West's disappearance and the unusual gaps that resist explanation. We map the movements from camp in Calhorn National Forest to the discovery at the trailhead and ask what single detail could reconcile the contradictions.

Person: Edward West
Age: 48
Location: Burnt Saddle drainage, Calhorn National Forest
Date: October 5-9, 2014
Witness: Steven Parker

- Steven Parker arrived at the Burnt Saddle trailhead at 4:37 AM and spotted one rubber hip wader upright in the truck bed.
- The child's drawing found inside the wader depicted a house, a sun, two stick figures, and the word "DADDY" in green crayon.
- Edward West had been missing for at least thirty-six hours when the wader was found and his truck engine was cold.
- Ed West volunteered at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church food pantry every Saturday for eleven years and had not missed a single shift.
- Ray West and Doug Farber exited the drainage at 4:17 AM on October 9 after sleeping through an unaccounted period and did not search for Ed during the night.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179992Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:17 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Wader at Dawn: Daddy's Drawing in the Frosted Trailhead A locked truck, a lone rubber hip wader standing upright in its bed, and a child's drawing labeled "DADDY" tucked inside - found at 4:37 AM by a seventeen-year-old paperboy at the Burnt...
A locked truck, a lone rubber hip wader standing upright in its bed, and a child's drawing labeled "DADDY" tucked inside - found at 4:37 AM by a seventeen-year-old paperboy at the Burnt Saddle trailhead with frost unbroken around the vehicle. The owner, Edward West, had been missing at least thirty-six hours; his engine cold, his truck secure, and the trailhead gave no immediate answers - what happened in the seventy-two hours after that discovery?

In this episode, we follow the timeline recorded in police, medical, and witness accounts to lay out the facts of Edward West's disappearance and the unusual gaps that resist explanation. We map the movements from camp in Calhorn National Forest to the discovery at the trailhead and ask what single detail could reconcile the contradictions.

Person: Edward West
Age: 48
Location: Burnt Saddle drainage, Calhorn National Forest
Date: October 5-9, 2014
Witness: Steven Parker

- Steven Parker arrived at the Burnt Saddle trailhead at 4:37 AM and spotted one rubber hip wader upright in the truck bed.
- The child's drawing found inside the wader depicted a house, a sun, two stick figures, and the word "DADDY" in green crayon.
- Edward West had been missing for at least thirty-six hours when the wader was found and his truck engine was cold.
- Ed West volunteered at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church food pantry every Saturday for eleven years and had not missed a single shift.
- Ray West and Doug Farber exited the drainage at 4:17 AM on October 9 after sleeping through an unaccounted period and did not search for Ed during the night.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1195falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-pole-that-stood-how-a-trekking-stick-pointed-to-nothing--73179991
A solitary carbon-fiber trekking pole stood upright in frozen ground with its basket buried two inches deep and not a single footprint within thirty feet - a baffling trace in a wilderness disappearance that began with a clean GPS track that ended in silence. What could place a pole like that, and why did the rest of the evidence both confirm and refuse to explain what happened on the Fen Wall?

In this episode, we follow the timeline, the gear photos, the GPS data, and the search-and-rescue response to describe where Carl Russo was last recorded and the puzzling physical signs left behind - can the standing pole and a single boot print tell the story that the rest of the record cannot?

Person: Carl Russo
Date: GPS last recorded at 06:52 on September 2; welfare check filed September 4; search launched September 5
Location: Fen Wall, Siltwater Basin, Crestline National Recreation Area, northern Idaho
Status: Missing at time of search; subject came out alive per transcript
Item: Trekking pole - carbon-fiber with orange wrist strap, basket buried two inches in frozen ground

- Carl Russo was 33 years old and an electrician from Coeur d'Alene.
- His permit was for fourteen days and he carried two trekking poles and no climbing gear.
- Garmin inReach messages arrived nightly before 9:00 for four days and stopped the evening of September 1.
- The Garmin track placed him at the top of the Fen Wall at 06:52 on September 2, then went dark.
- The found trekking pole had lateral, evenly spaced horizontal drag marks on the lower eight inches of the shaft.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179991Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:13 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Pole That Stood: How a Trekking Stick Pointed to Nothing A solitary carbon-fiber trekking pole stood upright in frozen ground with its basket buried two inches deep and not a single footprint within thirty feet - a baffling trace in a...
A solitary carbon-fiber trekking pole stood upright in frozen ground with its basket buried two inches deep and not a single footprint within thirty feet - a baffling trace in a wilderness disappearance that began with a clean GPS track that ended in silence. What could place a pole like that, and why did the rest of the evidence both confirm and refuse to explain what happened on the Fen Wall?

In this episode, we follow the timeline, the gear photos, the GPS data, and the search-and-rescue response to describe where Carl Russo was last recorded and the puzzling physical signs left behind - can the standing pole and a single boot print tell the story that the rest of the record cannot?

Person: Carl Russo
Date: GPS last recorded at 06:52 on September 2; welfare check filed September 4; search launched September 5
Location: Fen Wall, Siltwater Basin, Crestline National Recreation Area, northern Idaho
Status: Missing at time of search; subject came out alive per transcript
Item: Trekking pole - carbon-fiber with orange wrist strap, basket buried two inches in frozen ground

- Carl Russo was 33 years old and an electrician from Coeur d'Alene.
- His permit was for fourteen days and he carried two trekking poles and no climbing gear.
- Garmin inReach messages arrived nightly before 9:00 for four days and stopped the evening of September 1.
- The Garmin track placed him at the top of the Fen Wall at 06:52 on September 2, then went dark.
- The found trekking pole had lateral, evenly spaced horizontal drag marks on the lower eight inches of the shaft.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-left-seven-cards-on-the-porch-boots-vanished-into-mud--73179990
A damp fan of seven playing cards lay on a porch railing at roughly nine thousand feet while the man who left them simply walked back into the Saddlehorn Wilderness and vanished; boots bought seven weeks earlier were later found sunk in mud. What drove a methodical, never-missing card-player to leave a note that he’d be “Back by dark” and head into unforgiving drainage alone-was he following someone or running from something?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and concrete evidence discovered around the Prentiss cabin and the immediate search efforts, tracing who was there, what was found, and what did not make it into the official report. What single unexplained item in the field contradicts every other piece of meticulous behavior?

Person: Harvey Ramsey
Date: August 9, 2019
Location: Prentiss cabin, Saddlehorn Wilderness, Garfield County, Colorado
Event: Search-and-rescue operation began after cards were found
Item: Pair of Merrell hiking boots purchased roughly seven weeks earlier

- Seven playing cards (five standard, two laminated with hand-drawn symbols) arranged on the porch railing, damp with morning dew.
- Harvey left a handwritten note on a grocery receipt dated August 8 reading “Gone up to the upper drainage with the other fellow. Back by dark. -H.”
- Harvey’s gray Subaru with a cracked rear bumper was parked in the pull-off; keys were not visible when checked.
- A man in a brown jacket, mid-fifties, was logged by caretaker Norbert Vail as having visited August 8 and was identified by Harvey as “Vern/Vernon.”
- A ponderosa pine fell and clipped a transformer during a dry lightning storm the night of August 7, causing a power outage into the following day.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179990Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:09 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Left Seven Cards on the Porch - Boots Vanished Into Mud A damp fan of seven playing cards lay on a porch railing at roughly nine thousand feet while the man who left them simply walked back into the Saddlehorn Wilderness and vanished; boots...
A damp fan of seven playing cards lay on a porch railing at roughly nine thousand feet while the man who left them simply walked back into the Saddlehorn Wilderness and vanished; boots bought seven weeks earlier were later found sunk in mud. What drove a methodical, never-missing card-player to leave a note that he’d be “Back by dark” and head into unforgiving drainage alone-was he following someone or running from something?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and concrete evidence discovered around the Prentiss cabin and the immediate search efforts, tracing who was there, what was found, and what did not make it into the official report. What single unexplained item in the field contradicts every other piece of meticulous behavior?

Person: Harvey Ramsey
Date: August 9, 2019
Location: Prentiss cabin, Saddlehorn Wilderness, Garfield County, Colorado
Event: Search-and-rescue operation began after cards were found
Item: Pair of Merrell hiking boots purchased roughly seven weeks earlier

- Seven playing cards (five standard, two laminated with hand-drawn symbols) arranged on the porch railing, damp with morning dew.
- Harvey left a handwritten note on a grocery receipt dated August 8 reading “Gone up to the upper drainage with the other fellow. Back by dark. -H.”
- Harvey’s gray Subaru with a cracked rear bumper was parked in the pull-off; keys were not visible when checked.
- A man in a brown jacket, mid-fifties, was logged by caretaker Norbert Vail as having visited August 8 and was identified by Harvey as “Vern/Vernon.”
- A ponderosa pine fell and clipped a transformer during a dry lightning storm the night of August 7, causing a power outage into the following day.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-away-from-a-lit-camp-stove-never-explained--73179987
A woman left a lit camp stove with a pot of water and a skillet of four strips of bacon on a fire road - and vanished into the trees. A cast-iron pan she carried eleven miles and a handwritten note about her rabbit set the scene; why did she walk away mid-cook, without pack or tent, into a sound no one can identify?

In this episode, we lay out the facts found at Sable National Forest and follow the timeline from registration to the moment the stove was discovered, asking how a methodical forty-six-year-old land-use attorney ended up lost and leaving a meal behind. What led her off the mapped loop and into the unexplained noise that made her walk away?

Person: Amy Bishop
Date: July 11-14, 2019
Location: Sable National Forest, east-central Oregon
Status: Missing after leaving a lit camp stove
Case: Solo Sable Rim loop hike, 18 miles over 3 days

- Stove discovery time: 7:22 AM on July 14, 2019, by Leon Hill who called 911.
- Skillet contents: cast-iron skillet with four strips of bacon, fat congealed into a pale disc.
- Distance from trailhead to stove site: approximately 4.5 miles by road.
- Amy's experience: roughly 12 overnight trips, all car-camping, none longer than two nights.
- Last known registration: signed in at Sable Creek access on Forest Road Eighteen at approximately 2:00 PM on July 11, 2019.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179987Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:05 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Away From a Lit Camp Stove - Never Explained A woman left a lit camp stove with a pot of water and a skillet of four strips of bacon on a fire road - and vanished into the trees. A cast-iron pan she carried eleven miles and a handwritten...
A woman left a lit camp stove with a pot of water and a skillet of four strips of bacon on a fire road - and vanished into the trees. A cast-iron pan she carried eleven miles and a handwritten note about her rabbit set the scene; why did she walk away mid-cook, without pack or tent, into a sound no one can identify?

In this episode, we lay out the facts found at Sable National Forest and follow the timeline from registration to the moment the stove was discovered, asking how a methodical forty-six-year-old land-use attorney ended up lost and leaving a meal behind. What led her off the mapped loop and into the unexplained noise that made her walk away?

Person: Amy Bishop
Date: July 11-14, 2019
Location: Sable National Forest, east-central Oregon
Status: Missing after leaving a lit camp stove
Case: Solo Sable Rim loop hike, 18 miles over 3 days

- Stove discovery time: 7:22 AM on July 14, 2019, by Leon Hill who called 911.
- Skillet contents: cast-iron skillet with four strips of bacon, fat congealed into a pale disc.
- Distance from trailhead to stove site: approximately 4.5 miles by road.
- Amy's experience: roughly 12 overnight trips, all car-camping, none longer than two nights.
- Last known registration: signed in at Sable Creek access on Forest Road Eighteen at approximately 2:00 PM on July 11, 2019.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>992falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-meter-seven-how-a-man-walked-out-of-himself--73179985
A single size eleven boot sat laced and socked on a concrete pad two and a half miles from any trail, with no footprints to or from it - and the man it belonged to had been missing for nearly five days. How did a meticulous thirty-year-old who checked in every Wednesday vanish into a high desert canyon and leave only a boot behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the moment the boot was found to the first ground search, hearing who reported the absence, what items remained in the truck, and how trained trackers and a bloodhound picked up a scent that ended at a canyon rim. Could the prints and the animal's refusal to descend explain where Ross Young went?

Person: Ross Young
Date: June 14 (boot found); June 9 (hike began); June 13 (missed call)
Location: Pintada National National, Meter Station Seven / Vega Point staging area
Status: Missing, reported by sister Kelsey Young
Responder: Emily Morris, Pintada County search and rescue coordinator

- The boot was found upright on a four-square-foot concrete pad at Meter Station Seven with sock rolled inside and tucked to the toe box.
- Meter Station Seven is located two and a half miles from any marked trail on a utility easement through Pintada National National.
- Ross Young left a gray pickup at Vega Point on Saturday, June 9 with a printed map, a second pair of socks, and half a sleeve of crackers in the truck.
- Kelsey Young missed Ross’s scheduled 11:00 PM call on Wednesday, June 13 and filed a missing person report the morning of Thursday, June 14.
- A bloodhound followed scent from Vega Point for nearly forty minutes and stopped at a canyon rim at 9:12 AM; at 9:47 AM trackers found overlapping size eleven boot prints thirty yards east of a use-trail junction.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179985Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:28:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on Meter Seven: How a Man Walked Out of Himself A single size eleven boot sat laced and socked on a concrete pad two and a half miles from any trail, with no footprints to or from it - and the man it belonged to had been missing for nearly...
A single size eleven boot sat laced and socked on a concrete pad two and a half miles from any trail, with no footprints to or from it - and the man it belonged to had been missing for nearly five days. How did a meticulous thirty-year-old who checked in every Wednesday vanish into a high desert canyon and leave only a boot behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the moment the boot was found to the first ground search, hearing who reported the absence, what items remained in the truck, and how trained trackers and a bloodhound picked up a scent that ended at a canyon rim. Could the prints and the animal's refusal to descend explain where Ross Young went?

Person: Ross Young
Date: June 14 (boot found); June 9 (hike began); June 13 (missed call)
Location: Pintada National National, Meter Station Seven / Vega Point staging area
Status: Missing, reported by sister Kelsey Young
Responder: Emily Morris, Pintada County search and rescue coordinator

- The boot was found upright on a four-square-foot concrete pad at Meter Station Seven with sock rolled inside and tucked to the toe box.
- Meter Station Seven is located two and a half miles from any marked trail on a utility easement through Pintada National National.
- Ross Young left a gray pickup at Vega Point on Saturday, June 9 with a printed map, a second pair of socks, and half a sleeve of crackers in the truck.
- Kelsey Young missed Ross’s scheduled 11:00 PM call on Wednesday, June 13 and filed a missing person report the morning of Thursday, June 14.
- A bloodhound followed scent from Vega Point for nearly forty minutes and stopped at a canyon rim at 9:12 AM; at 9:47 AM trackers found overlapping size eleven boot prints thirty yards east of a use-trail junction.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1258falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-forty-minute-window-why-her-glasses-were-waiting-on-the-trail--73179984
A woman’s folded reading glasses were found balanced on a signpost along an eighty-yard open stretch of trail while no one saw her leave or arrive - and she vanished within a forty-minute window that experienced search-and-rescue called inexplicable. How do glasses kept in a soft green case, carried on the outside of her pack, end up deliberately placed where anyone would have seen them, and where was she in the moments that followed?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline, witness statements, and physical details from the Pembrook Loop that frame the unexplained disappearance and the later discovery of Cynthia Zeller a mile and a quarter off trail. What does the evidence - the permit times, multiple witnesses, and the precise placement of the glasses - actually add up to?

Person: Cynthia Zeller
Date: May 13, 2017
Location: Pembrook Loop, Casson National Recreation Area
Status: Found alive, disoriented, with no memory of events
Search-and-rescue coordinator: Karen Rafferty

- Cynthia signed the trail register at 9:07 AM and the upper register at 9:12 AM.
- Ultramarathon runner Derek Paulin passed the junction at 9:48 AM and saw no glasses on the post.
- Carl Vogel arrived at the junction at approximately 10:15 AM and photographed a folded pair of reading glasses on the signpost.
- Paul and Ellen Voss passed the same junction around 10:30 AM and observed the glasses still in place.
- Cynthia was found the next afternoon on Pember Flat, a mile and a quarter off any marked trail, conscious but with no memory of how she got there.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179984Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:58 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Forty-Minute Window: Why Her Glasses Were Waiting On The Trail A woman’s folded reading glasses were found balanced on a signpost along an eighty-yard open stretch of trail while no one saw her leave or arrive - and she vanished within a...
A woman’s folded reading glasses were found balanced on a signpost along an eighty-yard open stretch of trail while no one saw her leave or arrive - and she vanished within a forty-minute window that experienced search-and-rescue called inexplicable. How do glasses kept in a soft green case, carried on the outside of her pack, end up deliberately placed where anyone would have seen them, and where was she in the moments that followed?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline, witness statements, and physical details from the Pembrook Loop that frame the unexplained disappearance and the later discovery of Cynthia Zeller a mile and a quarter off trail. What does the evidence - the permit times, multiple witnesses, and the precise placement of the glasses - actually add up to?

Person: Cynthia Zeller
Date: May 13, 2017
Location: Pembrook Loop, Casson National Recreation Area
Status: Found alive, disoriented, with no memory of events
Search-and-rescue coordinator: Karen Rafferty

- Cynthia signed the trail register at 9:07 AM and the upper register at 9:12 AM.
- Ultramarathon runner Derek Paulin passed the junction at 9:48 AM and saw no glasses on the post.
- Carl Vogel arrived at the junction at approximately 10:15 AM and photographed a folded pair of reading glasses on the signpost.
- Paul and Ellen Voss passed the same junction around 10:30 AM and observed the glasses still in place.
- Cynthia was found the next afternoon on Pember Flat, a mile and a quarter off any marked trail, conscious but with no memory of how she got there.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1228falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-in-the-meadow-how-one-shoe-walked-alone-through-wilderness--73179982
A single teal-and-gray trail runner sat upright in open grass sixty-two yards from the nearest tree, spotless inside and without a single surrounding footprint - and yet its owner, found alive days later, had that same shoe tucked under her arm two miles north. How did one boot end up four miles and four hundred vertical feet from the tent, standing as if placed, with no second boot anywhere and no trace of a path?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence from discovery to rescue, laying out the concrete details that make this case baffling and the question that began it all: what sound in the dark sent her away, and how did the boot get there?

Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2019
Person: Gina White
Location: Hollow Meadow / Alderman Run drainage
Status: Rescued alive - hypothermic and dehydrated
Item found: Single women's trail runner, teal and gray

- The boot was discovered at 8:17 AM, sixty-two yards from the nearest tree, sitting upright in open grass.
- The shoe interior was spotless with no soil, pine needles, or organic material of any kind.
- There were no footprints in the soft April ground surrounding the boot - not one.
- Gina signed the Rim access trailhead register on Saturday, April 6 at 4:47 PM; the tent was found zipped and staked on April 13.
- Inside the tent were a fifteen-degree sleeping bag, a camp stove, four days of untouched food, the journal with last entry mid-sentence, and the right boot; the left boot was the one found in the meadow.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179982Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:53 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot in the Meadow: How One Shoe Walked Alone Through Wilderness A single teal-and-gray trail runner sat upright in open grass sixty-two yards from the nearest tree, spotless inside and without a single surrounding footprint - and yet its...
A single teal-and-gray trail runner sat upright in open grass sixty-two yards from the nearest tree, spotless inside and without a single surrounding footprint - and yet its owner, found alive days later, had that same shoe tucked under her arm two miles north. How did one boot end up four miles and four hundred vertical feet from the tent, standing as if placed, with no second boot anywhere and no trace of a path?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence from discovery to rescue, laying out the concrete details that make this case baffling and the question that began it all: what sound in the dark sent her away, and how did the boot get there?

Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2019
Person: Gina White
Location: Hollow Meadow / Alderman Run drainage
Status: Rescued alive - hypothermic and dehydrated
Item found: Single women's trail runner, teal and gray

- The boot was discovered at 8:17 AM, sixty-two yards from the nearest tree, sitting upright in open grass.
- The shoe interior was spotless with no soil, pine needles, or organic material of any kind.
- There were no footprints in the soft April ground surrounding the boot - not one.
- Gina signed the Rim access trailhead register on Saturday, April 6 at 4:47 PM; the tent was found zipped and staked on April 13.
- Inside the tent were a fifteen-degree sleeping bag, a camp stove, four days of untouched food, the journal with last entry mid-sentence, and the right boot; the left boot was the one found in the meadow.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1050falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-left-his-boots-neatly-placed-and-walked-out-of-winter--73179980
A pair of hiking boots sat heel-to-heel on a quartzite boulder eleven feet above the Cutter Canyon river, laces tucked, liners inexplicably dry - and no person, no footprints, no pack. How did a methodical man with a planned three-day loop vanish while his boots were arranged as if someone had stepped out of the world?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of facts from discovery to search: the morning William Wright found the boots, the locked truck and untouched emergency kit, the fifty-four-hour search by Aldene County teams, and the strange behaviors that puzzled rescuers. What does the placement of the boots and the broken energy bar really mean?

Person: Todd Rogers
Date found: March 14, 2019
Location: Cutter Canyon, Pulpit boulder (11 feet above waterline)
Case status: Closed April 2, 2019 with one detail unresolved
Search duration: Fifty-four hours

- Boots: Vasque, size 10.5, fresh Vibram soles, name "T. ROGERS" written inside left tongue
- Boulder height: Eleven feet above the waterline on a quartzite Pulpit boulder
- Discovery time: 5:47 AM by fisherman William Wright
- Notebook plan: Three-day loop with return date March 13; last entry dated March 10
- Dog behavior: Belgian Malinois Cord tracked 2.5 miles then stopped, circled twice and refused to advance

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179980Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:49 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Left His Boots Neatly Placed - And Walked Out of Winter A pair of hiking boots sat heel-to-heel on a quartzite boulder eleven feet above the Cutter Canyon river, laces tucked, liners inexplicably dry - and no person, no footprints, no pack. How...
A pair of hiking boots sat heel-to-heel on a quartzite boulder eleven feet above the Cutter Canyon river, laces tucked, liners inexplicably dry - and no person, no footprints, no pack. How did a methodical man with a planned three-day loop vanish while his boots were arranged as if someone had stepped out of the world?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of facts from discovery to search: the morning William Wright found the boots, the locked truck and untouched emergency kit, the fifty-four-hour search by Aldene County teams, and the strange behaviors that puzzled rescuers. What does the placement of the boots and the broken energy bar really mean?

Person: Todd Rogers
Date found: March 14, 2019
Location: Cutter Canyon, Pulpit boulder (11 feet above waterline)
Case status: Closed April 2, 2019 with one detail unresolved
Search duration: Fifty-four hours

- Boots: Vasque, size 10.5, fresh Vibram soles, name "T. ROGERS" written inside left tongue
- Boulder height: Eleven feet above the waterline on a quartzite Pulpit boulder
- Discovery time: 5:47 AM by fisherman William Wright
- Notebook plan: Three-day loop with return date March 13; last entry dated March 10
- Dog behavior: Belgian Malinois Cord tracked 2.5 miles then stopped, circled twice and refused to advance

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boot-on-basalt-how-a-hunter-vanished-and-reappeared-upright--73179977
Fear that something impossible happened in familiar country: a dry, double-knotted Danner boot stood upright on a flat basalt rock at 19°F with no foot inside, two inches of snow around it, and no clear explanation - how did it get there? What sequence of deliberate, contradictory clues led seasoned searchers to an officially open question?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the evidence recovered in central Oregon’s Ochoco-Deschutes transition zone after a hunter failed to return, presenting the facts found by search-and-rescue and witnesses and asking whether the physical scene can be reconciled with thirty years of fieldcraft. Can the placement and condition of a single boot and a radio tell the whole story?

Person: Robert Kowalski
Date: February 18-19, 2017
Location: Ochoco-Deschutes transition zone, central Oregon
Status: Missing with unresolved evidence
Finder: Lloyd Bell (county surveyor)

- Boot: single brown leather Danner, size eleven, found standing upright on a flat basalt rock two feet above the snowline.
- Temperature and snow: 19 degrees Fahrenheit with approximately two inches of overnight snow on the ground and light frost on the boot exterior.
- Boot condition: double-knotted lace, dry interior and insole, no blood, no damage, no foot.
- Radio found: located on a deadfall log about 60 yards north of the direct line between Kowalski’s two stands; battery live and belt clip engaged.
- Timeline: Kowalski left for a short morning hunt before first light on February 18, 2017; reported missing when truck found cold and thermos untouched the evening of February 18; boot discovered at 9:47 AM on February 19 by Lloyd Bell.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179977Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:45 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Boot on Basalt: How a Hunter Vanished and Reappeared Upright Fear that something impossible happened in familiar country: a dry, double-knotted Danner boot stood upright on a flat basalt rock at 19°F with no foot inside, two inches of snow...
Fear that something impossible happened in familiar country: a dry, double-knotted Danner boot stood upright on a flat basalt rock at 19°F with no foot inside, two inches of snow around it, and no clear explanation - how did it get there? What sequence of deliberate, contradictory clues led seasoned searchers to an officially open question?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and the evidence recovered in central Oregon’s Ochoco-Deschutes transition zone after a hunter failed to return, presenting the facts found by search-and-rescue and witnesses and asking whether the physical scene can be reconciled with thirty years of fieldcraft. Can the placement and condition of a single boot and a radio tell the whole story?

Person: Robert Kowalski
Date: February 18-19, 2017
Location: Ochoco-Deschutes transition zone, central Oregon
Status: Missing with unresolved evidence
Finder: Lloyd Bell (county surveyor)

- Boot: single brown leather Danner, size eleven, found standing upright on a flat basalt rock two feet above the snowline.
- Temperature and snow: 19 degrees Fahrenheit with approximately two inches of overnight snow on the ground and light frost on the boot exterior.
- Boot condition: double-knotted lace, dry interior and insole, no blood, no damage, no foot.
- Radio found: located on a deadfall log about 60 yards north of the direct line between Kowalski’s two stands; battery live and belt clip engaged.
- Timeline: Kowalski left for a short morning hunt before first light on February 18, 2017; reported missing when truck found cold and thermos untouched the evening of February 18; boot discovered at 9:47 AM on February 19 by Lloyd Bell.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoe-on-the-gate-how-a-six-year-old-vanished-into-white-silence--73179975
A child's size three pink-and-gray sneaker sat upright and dry on a locked gate rail amid two inches of fresh snow, with no footprints within fifty feet - how did it get there before dawn? The shoe's neat laces and a perfect oval impression beneath it contradict every other trace in the valley; who placed it, and why is that small detail the unsolved center of this search?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the moment Carl Sanders found the sneaker at 7:41 a.m. through the three-week investigation that followed, laying out the trail evidence, the search response, and the one element no reconstruction explains: the shoe on the gate.

Person: Maya O'Brien
Date: January 14, 2019
Location: Merriman access road, Harlow National Forest
Temperature: 11 degrees Fahrenheit at discovery; 31 degrees the morning of disappearance
Status: Located alive in a shallow hollow; shoe found on gate before snow stopped

- At 7:41 a.m., contractor Carl Sanders photographed a size three pink-and-gray sneaker upright and dry on the top rail of a locked metal gate.
- Two inches of fresh snow covered the gate post, road, and fence line within a fifty-foot radius, with no footprints or tire tracks newer than the snowfall.
- Maya O'Brien, age six, disappeared from a trail split about one mile in; the family walked the left fork but her tracks continued up the steeper right fork.
- Search dogs stopped within sixty feet of the rose hip thicket and could not recover a direction; a searcher later found roughly forty yards of child-sized tracks with an 18-22 inch stride uphill.
- Paramedic Art Voss found Maya breathing in a shallow depression between two downed lodgepole pines; her core temperature read 89 degrees.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179975Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:41 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoe on the Gate: How a Six-Year-Old Vanished into White Silence A child's size three pink-and-gray sneaker sat upright and dry on a locked gate rail amid two inches of fresh snow, with no footprints within fifty feet - how did it get there...
A child's size three pink-and-gray sneaker sat upright and dry on a locked gate rail amid two inches of fresh snow, with no footprints within fifty feet - how did it get there before dawn? The shoe's neat laces and a perfect oval impression beneath it contradict every other trace in the valley; who placed it, and why is that small detail the unsolved center of this search?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the moment Carl Sanders found the sneaker at 7:41 a.m. through the three-week investigation that followed, laying out the trail evidence, the search response, and the one element no reconstruction explains: the shoe on the gate.

Person: Maya O'Brien
Date: January 14, 2019
Location: Merriman access road, Harlow National Forest
Temperature: 11 degrees Fahrenheit at discovery; 31 degrees the morning of disappearance
Status: Located alive in a shallow hollow; shoe found on gate before snow stopped

- At 7:41 a.m., contractor Carl Sanders photographed a size three pink-and-gray sneaker upright and dry on the top rail of a locked metal gate.
- Two inches of fresh snow covered the gate post, road, and fence line within a fifty-foot radius, with no footprints or tire tracks newer than the snowfall.
- Maya O'Brien, age six, disappeared from a trail split about one mile in; the family walked the left fork but her tracks continued up the steeper right fork.
- Search dogs stopped within sixty feet of the rose hip thicket and could not recover a direction; a searcher later found roughly forty yards of child-sized tracks with an 18-22 inch stride uphill.
- Paramedic Art Voss found Maya breathing in a shallow depression between two downed lodgepole pines; her core temperature read 89 degrees.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>991falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-basket-that-would-not-fall-alone-in-harwick-basin--73179974
A single trekking pole basket stood upright on its narrow rim in a ring of cold ash after months of rain and wind; it did not fall. A four-season tent, a -20°F sleeping bag, and a correctly positioned bear canister remained but the camper vanished-what forces left a plastic disc balanced and a campsite intact, and who walked away?

In this episode, we follow the discovery in Harwick Basin and the missing-persons case that unfolded afterward, tracing the evidence from the gated, burned wilderness to the life left behind in town. What connection links a precise, long-planned camp and a woman who disappeared after arranging care for her dog?

Person: Megan Fitzgerald
Date: October 17 (last confirmed ATM use) and October 19 (missing persons report filed)
Location: Harwick Basin, Ochre National Forest and Decker Street, Merton
Status: Unresolved missing person; campsite found in closed, burned area
Investigator: Leon Sullivan, search and rescue coordinator with 19 years' experience

- The campsite included a four-season tent with an orange fly staked at each corner.
- A sleeping bag rated to negative twenty degrees Fahrenheit was found inside the tent.
- A bear canister was placed correctly at a distance from the tent with its lid seated but unlocked.
- The fire ring measured about three feet across, lined with granite slabs and cold ash at the center.
- Leon Sullivan photographed the trekking pole basket from six angles and attempted three times to replicate its upright balance; every attempt failed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179974Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:37 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Basket That Would Not Fall: Alone in Harwick Basin A single trekking pole basket stood upright on its narrow rim in a ring of cold ash after months of rain and wind; it did not fall. A four-season tent, a -20°F sleeping bag, and a correctly...
A single trekking pole basket stood upright on its narrow rim in a ring of cold ash after months of rain and wind; it did not fall. A four-season tent, a -20°F sleeping bag, and a correctly positioned bear canister remained but the camper vanished-what forces left a plastic disc balanced and a campsite intact, and who walked away?

In this episode, we follow the discovery in Harwick Basin and the missing-persons case that unfolded afterward, tracing the evidence from the gated, burned wilderness to the life left behind in town. What connection links a precise, long-planned camp and a woman who disappeared after arranging care for her dog?

Person: Megan Fitzgerald
Date: October 17 (last confirmed ATM use) and October 19 (missing persons report filed)
Location: Harwick Basin, Ochre National Forest and Decker Street, Merton
Status: Unresolved missing person; campsite found in closed, burned area
Investigator: Leon Sullivan, search and rescue coordinator with 19 years' experience

- The campsite included a four-season tent with an orange fly staked at each corner.
- A sleeping bag rated to negative twenty degrees Fahrenheit was found inside the tent.
- A bear canister was placed correctly at a distance from the tent with its lid seated but unlocked.
- The fire ring measured about three feet across, lined with granite slabs and cold ash at the center.
- Leon Sullivan photographed the trekking pole basket from six angles and attempted three times to replicate its upright balance; every attempt failed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1167falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/barefoot-at-dawn-how-she-walked-out-of-the-breaks-alive--73179972
A barefoot woman in her husband’s jacket walked out of a basalt canyon system after eleven days alone in November; she appeared on a stone wall at 6:20 a.m. on November 14, 2019 with no shoes, no jacket, and no memory of how she got there. How did her trail stop cleanly at the lip of the Lander Drainage and why were there no footprints or fibers in four full search passes?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, witness statements, and on-the-ground search details that surround Lisa Becker’s disappearance and return, presenting the conflicting pieces of evidence and the unresolved questions they create. What happened the night she left in flannel pajamas, and how can the scent trail, the missing jacket, and the absence of physical traces be reconciled?

Person: Lisa Becker
Date: November 3-14, 2019
Location: Harwick Breaks / Harwick Breaks
Status: Returned alive after eleven days
Witness: Tom Becker (husband) - truck in garage; jacket reportedly in closet

- Lisa was seen at 6:20 a.m. on November 14, 2019 sitting barefoot on the low stone wall outside her house.
- She had been missing for eleven days after leaving on the night of November 3, 2019 wearing a thermal undershirt, flannel pants, and wool camp socks.
- Search dogs picked up her scent and led to the Lander Drainage, where the trail ended abruptly at the lip of the canyon.
- Four separate search-pass sweeps over five days through willow thickets and spring seeps found no footprints, fibers, or impressions.
- Temperatures fell into the low twenties Fahrenheit on four of the eleven nights she was missing.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179972Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:33 +0000Creator at ObomediaBarefoot at Dawn: How She Walked Out of the Breaks Alive A barefoot woman in her husband’s jacket walked out of a basalt canyon system after eleven days alone in November; she appeared on a stone wall at 6:20 a.m. on November 14, 2019 with no...
A barefoot woman in her husband’s jacket walked out of a basalt canyon system after eleven days alone in November; she appeared on a stone wall at 6:20 a.m. on November 14, 2019 with no shoes, no jacket, and no memory of how she got there. How did her trail stop cleanly at the lip of the Lander Drainage and why were there no footprints or fibers in four full search passes?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline, witness statements, and on-the-ground search details that surround Lisa Becker’s disappearance and return, presenting the conflicting pieces of evidence and the unresolved questions they create. What happened the night she left in flannel pajamas, and how can the scent trail, the missing jacket, and the absence of physical traces be reconciled?

Person: Lisa Becker
Date: November 3-14, 2019
Location: Harwick Breaks / Harwick Breaks
Status: Returned alive after eleven days
Witness: Tom Becker (husband) - truck in garage; jacket reportedly in closet

- Lisa was seen at 6:20 a.m. on November 14, 2019 sitting barefoot on the low stone wall outside her house.
- She had been missing for eleven days after leaving on the night of November 3, 2019 wearing a thermal undershirt, flannel pants, and wool camp socks.
- Search dogs picked up her scent and led to the Lander Drainage, where the trail ended abruptly at the lip of the canyon.
- Four separate search-pass sweeps over five days through willow thickets and spring seeps found no footprints, fibers, or impressions.
- Temperatures fell into the low twenties Fahrenheit on four of the eleven nights she was missing.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-followed-the-cairns-found-alive-two-stones-unclaimed--73179970
A woman walked an eleven-mile line of meticulously stacked cairns through Wyoming backcountry, each stone spiral capped and angled northeast, and two identical cairns appeared beyond where searchers had stopped - who built them and why did they continue alone into the unknown? What did the final, unfinished notebook entry and a waypoint at 9,400 feet mean for the route she chose?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discovery from a snow-covered Subaru found at 6:11 a.m. to the rescue teams moving into the Brauer Trailhead area, and we outline the evidence left behind: a field notebook, a hand-drawn map, and a precise chain of stone markers that led into unexplored terrain. What connects the hydrological data Lauren recorded with the deliberate line of cairns she apparently followed?

Person: Lauren Hunt
Date: November 4 (Subaru spotted at 6:11 a.m.)
Location: Brauer Trailhead, Wyoming backcountry
Case: 39 cairns counted with two additional cairns beyond the beaver pond
Topic: Field notebook documenting subsurface seep locations and hydrological measurements

- The Subaru Forester was discovered beneath nine inches of undisturbed snow at 6:11 a.m.
- Search-and-rescue teams were mobilized by 9:00 a.m. the same morning.
- Lauren Hunt left a field notebook with 61 pages of hydrological data and seven subsurface seep locations.
- A hand-drawn topographic map showed a circled elevation of 9,400 feet and one waypoint marked "confirmed."
- Searcher Pat Ellison counted 39 cairns up to a frozen beaver pond and documented two additional cairns continuing northeast (cairns 40 and 41).

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179970Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:29 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Followed The Cairns - Found Alive, Two Stones Unclaimed A woman walked an eleven-mile line of meticulously stacked cairns through Wyoming backcountry, each stone spiral capped and angled northeast, and two identical cairns appeared beyond where...
A woman walked an eleven-mile line of meticulously stacked cairns through Wyoming backcountry, each stone spiral capped and angled northeast, and two identical cairns appeared beyond where searchers had stopped - who built them and why did they continue alone into the unknown? What did the final, unfinished notebook entry and a waypoint at 9,400 feet mean for the route she chose?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discovery from a snow-covered Subaru found at 6:11 a.m. to the rescue teams moving into the Brauer Trailhead area, and we outline the evidence left behind: a field notebook, a hand-drawn map, and a precise chain of stone markers that led into unexplored terrain. What connects the hydrological data Lauren recorded with the deliberate line of cairns she apparently followed?

Person: Lauren Hunt
Date: November 4 (Subaru spotted at 6:11 a.m.)
Location: Brauer Trailhead, Wyoming backcountry
Case: 39 cairns counted with two additional cairns beyond the beaver pond
Topic: Field notebook documenting subsurface seep locations and hydrological measurements

- The Subaru Forester was discovered beneath nine inches of undisturbed snow at 6:11 a.m.
- Search-and-rescue teams were mobilized by 9:00 a.m. the same morning.
- Lauren Hunt left a field notebook with 61 pages of hydrological data and seven subsurface seep locations.
- A hand-drawn topographic map showed a circled elevation of 9,400 feet and one waypoint marked "confirmed."
- Searcher Pat Ellison counted 39 cairns up to a frozen beaver pond and documented two additional cairns continuing northeast (cairns 40 and 41).

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/seven-stones-on-granite-the-hiker-who-shouldn-t-have-been-there--73179968
A row of seven river-smoothed stones, fist-sized and evenly spaced, sat on a granite shelf thirty feet above a utility corridor - yet the nearest running water was two and a quarter miles away. Who carried those stones up a steep, pathless face and why did two separate search dogs stop at the same spot and then walk up to that empty ledge and refuse to leave?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence around a single missing-hiker call that turned into an impossible set of clues, from a signed trail register entry to a nine-mile arc of wilderness with no memory to explain it. What happened on that drainage crossing where her ankle gave way, and how do the granite shelf and the name in the register fit into the gaps in the record?

Person: Debra Powell
Date: September 13-14, 2019
Location: Pelham range, Sentry Knob and Pelham Branch
Case: Trail register entry for "Douglas Pell" with no known match
Status: Powell found alive with roughly thirty-three hours of amnesia

- Powell signed the Breckett Road trailhead register at 7:02 AM on September 13, 2019, listing destination "Sentry Knob."
- A separate register entry on September 11 at 7:40 AM lists "Douglas Pell" with no matching county records.
- Alice Brooks photographed seven dark gray-brown, water-polished stones arranged in a single row on a six-by-ten-foot granite shelf about thirty feet above a utility corridor.
- The nearest river (Pelham Branch) is 2.25 miles from that granite shelf where the stones were found.
- Powell, a 47-year-old middle-school earth science teacher with 19 years' experience, had previously completed the Pelham Branch Trail four times in the prior two years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179968Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:25 +0000Creator at ObomediaSeven Stones on Granite: The Hiker Who Shouldn't Have Been There A row of seven river-smoothed stones, fist-sized and evenly spaced, sat on a granite shelf thirty feet above a utility corridor - yet the nearest running water was two and a quarter...
A row of seven river-smoothed stones, fist-sized and evenly spaced, sat on a granite shelf thirty feet above a utility corridor - yet the nearest running water was two and a quarter miles away. Who carried those stones up a steep, pathless face and why did two separate search dogs stop at the same spot and then walk up to that empty ledge and refuse to leave?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence around a single missing-hiker call that turned into an impossible set of clues, from a signed trail register entry to a nine-mile arc of wilderness with no memory to explain it. What happened on that drainage crossing where her ankle gave way, and how do the granite shelf and the name in the register fit into the gaps in the record?

Person: Debra Powell
Date: September 13-14, 2019
Location: Pelham range, Sentry Knob and Pelham Branch
Case: Trail register entry for "Douglas Pell" with no known match
Status: Powell found alive with roughly thirty-three hours of amnesia

- Powell signed the Breckett Road trailhead register at 7:02 AM on September 13, 2019, listing destination "Sentry Knob."
- A separate register entry on September 11 at 7:40 AM lists "Douglas Pell" with no matching county records.
- Alice Brooks photographed seven dark gray-brown, water-polished stones arranged in a single row on a six-by-ten-foot granite shelf about thirty feet above a utility corridor.
- The nearest river (Pelham Branch) is 2.25 miles from that granite shelf where the stones were found.
- Powell, a 47-year-old middle-school earth science teacher with 19 years' experience, had previously completed the Pelham Branch Trail four times in the prior two years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/left-boot-on-the-boulder-how-he-came-back-without-a-memory--73179965
A single boot sat upright on a flat-topped boulder beside a footbridge while the man it belonged to lay thirty feet away in a cold stream with hypothermia and a fractured wrist - and he had no memory of taking the boot off. What unfolded across roughly six miles of terrain, two unroped technical dry falls, and a night in a slot canyon remains unexplained: how did a methodical hiker end up unconscious in the Pineridge Drainage with one boot neatly set aside?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from summit photo to morning rescue, laying out the actions, gear, and decisions recorded in the day’s messages and reports to ask the central question listeners will hear throughout the episode: what exactly happened between the Calloway Peak summit and the stream below?

Person: Raymond Richardson
Date: August 14, 2019 (found at 6:47 AM)
Location: Pineridge Drainage, Calloway Peak descent
Status: Hospitalized four days for hypothermia and a hairline fracture of the right radius
Witness: Clifford Marshall (found Richardson and called 911)

- Richardson texted a summit photo at 4:53 PM after signing the summit register at 4:51 PM on August 13, 2019.
- He was approximately forty minutes into descent when he realized he had moved off the marked trail around 6:15 PM.
- The Pineridge Drainage tightens to a sixty-foot slot canyon about a quarter mile above the footbridge and contains two dry falls of 18 feet and 22 feet.
- Richardson managed roughly ten feet down the first dry fall before losing control and tumbling; he has no memory of the 22-foot second drop.
- Clifford Marshall, who runs the Pineridge trail on Tuesdays and Thursdays, found Richardson at the footbridge at 6:47 AM and called 911.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179965Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:21 +0000Creator at ObomediaLeft Boot on the Boulder: How He Came Back Without a Memory A single boot sat upright on a flat-topped boulder beside a footbridge while the man it belonged to lay thirty feet away in a cold stream with hypothermia and a fractured wrist - and he...
A single boot sat upright on a flat-topped boulder beside a footbridge while the man it belonged to lay thirty feet away in a cold stream with hypothermia and a fractured wrist - and he had no memory of taking the boot off. What unfolded across roughly six miles of terrain, two unroped technical dry falls, and a night in a slot canyon remains unexplained: how did a methodical hiker end up unconscious in the Pineridge Drainage with one boot neatly set aside?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from summit photo to morning rescue, laying out the actions, gear, and decisions recorded in the day’s messages and reports to ask the central question listeners will hear throughout the episode: what exactly happened between the Calloway Peak summit and the stream below?

Person: Raymond Richardson
Date: August 14, 2019 (found at 6:47 AM)
Location: Pineridge Drainage, Calloway Peak descent
Status: Hospitalized four days for hypothermia and a hairline fracture of the right radius
Witness: Clifford Marshall (found Richardson and called 911)

- Richardson texted a summit photo at 4:53 PM after signing the summit register at 4:51 PM on August 13, 2019.
- He was approximately forty minutes into descent when he realized he had moved off the marked trail around 6:15 PM.
- The Pineridge Drainage tightens to a sixty-foot slot canyon about a quarter mile above the footbridge and contains two dry falls of 18 feet and 22 feet.
- Richardson managed roughly ten feet down the first dry fall before losing control and tumbling; he has no memory of the 22-foot second drop.
- Clifford Marshall, who runs the Pineridge trail on Tuesdays and Thursdays, found Richardson at the footbridge at 6:47 AM and called 911.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1023falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-a-stone-on-the-meter-box-found-two-days-later--73179962
A lone river-polished stone and an open red government notebook were left on a locked meter box on July 14, 2017 - the nearest river was 31 road miles and 4,000 feet below. Those deliberate details led searchers to an answer two days later that no one expected: what did Erin Whitley intend to communicate by placing them so precisely?

In this episode, you will hear the sequence of events from the morning Tammy Stewart found the notebook through the two-day search that ended when Pete Haas located Erin. We follow the routine entries, the worsening arrhythmia Erin concealed, and the exact objects she left behind - and ask what purpose that final, careful placement served.

Person: Erin Whitley
Date: July 14, 2017
Location: Sable Ridge, eastern slope
Found by: Tammy Stewart
Located by: Pete Haas

- The notebook was a red government-issue composition book, open spine-down on a locked meter box.
- The stone was a smooth pale gray river-polished chip, poker-chip size, placed on the open pages.
- The nearest river was thirty-one road miles away and four thousand feet lower in elevation.
- Erin was fifty-five years old and had been a seasonal fire lookout for eleven summers.
- Her final log entry on July 13 at 19:30 consisted of nine words and her initials: "Clear. Visibility unlimited. Wind W at four. No smoke observed. All quiet. EW."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179962Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:18 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left a Stone on the Meter Box - Found Two Days Later A lone river-polished stone and an open red government notebook were left on a locked meter box on July 14, 2017 - the nearest river was 31 road miles and 4,000 feet below. Those deliberate...
A lone river-polished stone and an open red government notebook were left on a locked meter box on July 14, 2017 - the nearest river was 31 road miles and 4,000 feet below. Those deliberate details led searchers to an answer two days later that no one expected: what did Erin Whitley intend to communicate by placing them so precisely?

In this episode, you will hear the sequence of events from the morning Tammy Stewart found the notebook through the two-day search that ended when Pete Haas located Erin. We follow the routine entries, the worsening arrhythmia Erin concealed, and the exact objects she left behind - and ask what purpose that final, careful placement served.

Person: Erin Whitley
Date: July 14, 2017
Location: Sable Ridge, eastern slope
Found by: Tammy Stewart
Located by: Pete Haas

- The notebook was a red government-issue composition book, open spine-down on a locked meter box.
- The stone was a smooth pale gray river-polished chip, poker-chip size, placed on the open pages.
- The nearest river was thirty-one road miles away and four thousand feet lower in elevation.
- Erin was fifty-five years old and had been a seasonal fire lookout for eleven summers.
- Her final log entry on July 13 at 19:30 consisted of nine words and her initials: "Clear. Visibility unlimited. Wind W at four. No smoke observed. All quiet. EW."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-came-back-missing-her-memory-boot-placed-like-a-message--73179960
The walk-in boot on the trailhead kiosk was size seven, laced, tongue folded, and had M. UNDERWOOD written in the heel - deliberately placed, not dropped. A torn blue trekking-pole foam and a dog that stopped and sat forty meters past it are only two of the strange, concrete clues; how did Michelle end up back with one boot on and no memory?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline from Michelle Underwood’s July entry at 7:41 AM on June 18 through the first 96 hours of the search, laying out each verified sighting, item, and gap that refused to align. Could the placed boot, the peeled foam, and conflicting witness reports point to an explanation - or to something more unsettling?

Person: Michelle Underwood
Date: June 18-20, 2019
Location: Tanner Creek Trail / trailhead kiosk
Status: Missing person found with memory loss
Case: Sable County Search and Rescue response

- Michelle signed the trailhead register at 7:41 AM on June 18, 2019, as the fourth entry of the day.
- She was 22 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighed 130 pounds at the time of the hike.
- Her planned route was approximately 19 miles round-trip, with an expected return by 4 PM on June 19.
- Searchers found a blue trekking-pole foam grip torn and placed in the center of the trail at mile six with no pole-plant hole beneath it.
- A single left trail runner size seven, pale blue-gray with "M. UNDERWOOD" written inside the heel, was found upright on the concrete lip of the trailhead kiosk before the search began.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179960Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:13 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Came Back Missing Her Memory - Boot Placed Like a Message The walk-in boot on the trailhead kiosk was size seven, laced, tongue folded, and had M. UNDERWOOD written in the heel - deliberately placed, not dropped. A torn blue trekking-pole foam...
The walk-in boot on the trailhead kiosk was size seven, laced, tongue folded, and had M. UNDERWOOD written in the heel - deliberately placed, not dropped. A torn blue trekking-pole foam and a dog that stopped and sat forty meters past it are only two of the strange, concrete clues; how did Michelle end up back with one boot on and no memory?

In this episode, we follow the documented timeline from Michelle Underwood’s July entry at 7:41 AM on June 18 through the first 96 hours of the search, laying out each verified sighting, item, and gap that refused to align. Could the placed boot, the peeled foam, and conflicting witness reports point to an explanation - or to something more unsettling?

Person: Michelle Underwood
Date: June 18-20, 2019
Location: Tanner Creek Trail / trailhead kiosk
Status: Missing person found with memory loss
Case: Sable County Search and Rescue response

- Michelle signed the trailhead register at 7:41 AM on June 18, 2019, as the fourth entry of the day.
- She was 22 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighed 130 pounds at the time of the hike.
- Her planned route was approximately 19 miles round-trip, with an expected return by 4 PM on June 19.
- Searchers found a blue trekking-pole foam grip torn and placed in the center of the trail at mile six with no pole-plant hole beneath it.
- A single left trail runner size seven, pale blue-gray with "M. UNDERWOOD" written inside the heel, was found upright on the concrete lip of the trailhead kiosk before the search began.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/beacon-below-the-canyon-how-a-mountain-vanished-a-skier--73179959
A pulse of an avalanche beacon showed up 1,300 feet below the nearest snowpack - transmitting at 457 kHz and 62% battery - and a methodical backcountry skier had vanished four days earlier; how did a man who logged 37 consecutive outings and folded his protein-bar wrapper exactly the same way end up erased from the mountain’s trail? What single piece of evidence was deliberately placed where it should not have been, and who moved it?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the morning Jerry Andrews was last seen to the discovery that confused investigators, covering his routine, the sudden warm-up that triggered a wet-slab release, and the items found days later that don’t add up. Can the physical evidence and scent loss explain where Andrews went, or does the scene point to something else entirely?

Person: Jerry Andrews
Date: May 8-11, 2019
Location: Cathedral Shelf / Sullen Canyon, Talvert Range, Caulfield County, Montana
Status: Missing, unresolved
Occupation: Civil engineer

- Beacon frequency detected: 457 kilohertz, battery at 62% on May 11
- Elevation of Cathedral Shelf: approximately 9,400 feet; scent lost around 8,800 feet
- Temperature rise at 9,000 feet: 11°F increase in four hours on May 8
- Andrews’ backcountry record: 11 years of skiing, 37 consecutive outings logged in an orange notebook
- Pack found May 10: upright against a boulder in a dry gully, ~2 miles from Cathedral Shelf and 600 feet below; zippers closed, waist belt unclipped, shoulder straps intact, contained probe, shovel, emergency bivy, orange notebook, and ~4 ounces of water

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179959Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:09 +0000Creator at ObomediaBeacon Below the Canyon: How a Mountain Vanished a Skier A pulse of an avalanche beacon showed up 1,300 feet below the nearest snowpack - transmitting at 457 kHz and 62% battery - and a methodical backcountry skier had vanished four days earlier;...
A pulse of an avalanche beacon showed up 1,300 feet below the nearest snowpack - transmitting at 457 kHz and 62% battery - and a methodical backcountry skier had vanished four days earlier; how did a man who logged 37 consecutive outings and folded his protein-bar wrapper exactly the same way end up erased from the mountain’s trail? What single piece of evidence was deliberately placed where it should not have been, and who moved it?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the morning Jerry Andrews was last seen to the discovery that confused investigators, covering his routine, the sudden warm-up that triggered a wet-slab release, and the items found days later that don’t add up. Can the physical evidence and scent loss explain where Andrews went, or does the scene point to something else entirely?

Person: Jerry Andrews
Date: May 8-11, 2019
Location: Cathedral Shelf / Sullen Canyon, Talvert Range, Caulfield County, Montana
Status: Missing, unresolved
Occupation: Civil engineer

- Beacon frequency detected: 457 kilohertz, battery at 62% on May 11
- Elevation of Cathedral Shelf: approximately 9,400 feet; scent lost around 8,800 feet
- Temperature rise at 9,000 feet: 11°F increase in four hours on May 8
- Andrews’ backcountry record: 11 years of skiing, 37 consecutive outings logged in an orange notebook
- Pack found May 10: upright against a boulder in a dry gully, ~2 miles from Cathedral Shelf and 600 feet below; zippers closed, waist belt unclipped, shoulder straps intact, contained probe, shovel, emergency bivy, orange notebook, and ~4 ounces of water

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1048falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-notebook-found-downstream-dated-after-the-man-went-missing--73179958
A dry notebook was pulled from a root mass along Alder Fork on April 19, 2019 - its final entry dated three days after Norman Price was reported missing, and the notebook lay miles from his stated route. How did a man who planned every step down to calories and topo lines leave a notebook that suggested he kept writing long after the search had started in the wrong place?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Norman's careful planning to the baffling gaps the search team found, and we trace how a single misplaced notebook reframed the search: why was the notebook downstream, why were signaling tools untouched, and what does the final dated page actually mean?

Person: Norman Price
Date: April 11-19, 2019
Location: Colburn National Forest, Mile Marker Seven and Alder Fork
Status: Missing
Occupation: Shop teacher (Marwick High School) for 31 years

- Norman was 62 years old and had taught at Marwick High School for 31 years.
- He left on April 11, 2019, planning the Kettle Basin loop and to call home by 7 PM on April 14.
- The notebook was found on the morning of April 19, 2019, open to the last page and dry, dated three days after he was reported missing.
- The campsite at Mile Marker Seven had 1.5 days of food remaining from an original four-day supply.
- Search dogs followed a scent northeast from camp for nearly two miles until scent dispersed on a granite apron below Painter's Col at about 6,400 feet.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179958Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:05 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Notebook Found Downstream Dated After The Man Went Missing A dry notebook was pulled from a root mass along Alder Fork on April 19, 2019 - its final entry dated three days after Norman Price was reported missing, and the notebook lay miles from...
A dry notebook was pulled from a root mass along Alder Fork on April 19, 2019 - its final entry dated three days after Norman Price was reported missing, and the notebook lay miles from his stated route. How did a man who planned every step down to calories and topo lines leave a notebook that suggested he kept writing long after the search had started in the wrong place?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Norman's careful planning to the baffling gaps the search team found, and we trace how a single misplaced notebook reframed the search: why was the notebook downstream, why were signaling tools untouched, and what does the final dated page actually mean?

Person: Norman Price
Date: April 11-19, 2019
Location: Colburn National Forest, Mile Marker Seven and Alder Fork
Status: Missing
Occupation: Shop teacher (Marwick High School) for 31 years

- Norman was 62 years old and had taught at Marwick High School for 31 years.
- He left on April 11, 2019, planning the Kettle Basin loop and to call home by 7 PM on April 14.
- The notebook was found on the morning of April 19, 2019, open to the last page and dry, dated three days after he was reported missing.
- The campsite at Mile Marker Seven had 1.5 days of food remaining from an original four-day supply.
- Search dogs followed a scent northeast from camp for nearly two miles until scent dispersed on a granite apron below Painter's Col at about 6,400 feet.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>996falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shelter-that-appeared-without-footprints-bench-of-silence--73179957
A sealed orange bivy sat on a high granite shelf at roughly 9,000 feet, staked into frozen ground and surrounded by thirty-one meters of perfectly undisturbed snow-no footprints in or out. An emergency shelter, a fallen hiker, and a snow crust that formed after the shelter was built-so how did the two ever connect?

In this episode, we follow the recorded movements, items, and timeline tied to a single overnight trip in Crestline National Forest and the baffling state of the scene found later; can the physical details inside the bivy and the timing of the snow crust explain what happened to Kelly Lewis?

Person: Kelly Lewis
Date: March 7, 2019
Location: The Bench, Crestline National Forest, Colorado
Event: Emergency bivy found with 31 meters of undisturbed snow around it
Status: Missing after assembling bivy and leaving it

- Kelly Lewis left her Morrow, Colorado apartment at 5:40 AM on March 7, 2019.
- She signed the trailhead register at 6:22 AM and took the standard couloir route to the Bench.
- Kelly fell approximately 40 feet over the eastern edge of the Bench and fractured her left wrist on the afternoon of March 7.
- The orange emergency bivy was assembled that evening using two ice axes lashed together as a ridge pole and staked into frozen ground.
- A continuous snow crust formed on the night of March 9, leaving thirty-one meters of undisturbed surface around the bivy.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179957Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:27:01 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shelter That Appeared Without Footprints: Bench of Silence A sealed orange bivy sat on a high granite shelf at roughly 9,000 feet, staked into frozen ground and surrounded by thirty-one meters of perfectly undisturbed snow-no footprints in or...
A sealed orange bivy sat on a high granite shelf at roughly 9,000 feet, staked into frozen ground and surrounded by thirty-one meters of perfectly undisturbed snow-no footprints in or out. An emergency shelter, a fallen hiker, and a snow crust that formed after the shelter was built-so how did the two ever connect?

In this episode, we follow the recorded movements, items, and timeline tied to a single overnight trip in Crestline National Forest and the baffling state of the scene found later; can the physical details inside the bivy and the timing of the snow crust explain what happened to Kelly Lewis?

Person: Kelly Lewis
Date: March 7, 2019
Location: The Bench, Crestline National Forest, Colorado
Event: Emergency bivy found with 31 meters of undisturbed snow around it
Status: Missing after assembling bivy and leaving it

- Kelly Lewis left her Morrow, Colorado apartment at 5:40 AM on March 7, 2019.
- She signed the trailhead register at 6:22 AM and took the standard couloir route to the Bench.
- Kelly fell approximately 40 feet over the eastern edge of the Bench and fractured her left wrist on the afternoon of March 7.
- The orange emergency bivy was assembled that evening using two ice axes lashed together as a ridge pole and staked into frozen ground.
- A continuous snow crust formed on the night of March 9, leaving thirty-one meters of undisturbed surface around the bivy.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1212falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-into-upside-down-stone-found-40-hours-later--73179956
A structural geologist walked into a talus field and found every boulder flipped upside down, lichen-hidden faces pointing skyward and an orange waterproof notebook placed deliberately on the road-then vanished for forty hours. What happened in that interval, when the terrain itself seemed to contradict physics, and how did a trained climber and field scientist end up where she did?

In this episode, we lay out the documented timeline, the gear Sharon Romano carried, and the precise field observations recorded in her last notebook entry to ask the central question: can the facts of the land and the facts of her behavior be reconciled into a single explanation?

Person: Sharon Romano
Date: February 8-9, 2019
Location: Crow Notch talus field, Harrow County, Nevada
Status: Found alive after approximately 40 hours
Profession: Structural geology professor at Farwell State University

- Notebook timestamped final entry at 2:47 PM on February 8, 2019 with last line ending mid-word.
- Sharon left a backcountry access form listing expected return February 8 at 5:00 PM.
- Field kit included one orange waterproof notebook, one Mylar emergency blanket, headlamp, two protein bars, one small camera, and one water bottle (second bottle left in truck).
- Talus anomaly covered approximately a 40-foot radius in quadrant C where every sampled stone was inverted (lichen faces down).
- Truck driver Russell Thorpe discovered the notebook at 6:14 AM on February 9, placed 230 feet from the base of the cliff with its spine facing up.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179956Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:26:57 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Into Upside-Down Stone - Found 40 Hours Later A structural geologist walked into a talus field and found every boulder flipped upside down, lichen-hidden faces pointing skyward and an orange waterproof notebook placed deliberately on the...
A structural geologist walked into a talus field and found every boulder flipped upside down, lichen-hidden faces pointing skyward and an orange waterproof notebook placed deliberately on the road-then vanished for forty hours. What happened in that interval, when the terrain itself seemed to contradict physics, and how did a trained climber and field scientist end up where she did?

In this episode, we lay out the documented timeline, the gear Sharon Romano carried, and the precise field observations recorded in her last notebook entry to ask the central question: can the facts of the land and the facts of her behavior be reconciled into a single explanation?

Person: Sharon Romano
Date: February 8-9, 2019
Location: Crow Notch talus field, Harrow County, Nevada
Status: Found alive after approximately 40 hours
Profession: Structural geology professor at Farwell State University

- Notebook timestamped final entry at 2:47 PM on February 8, 2019 with last line ending mid-word.
- Sharon left a backcountry access form listing expected return February 8 at 5:00 PM.
- Field kit included one orange waterproof notebook, one Mylar emergency blanket, headlamp, two protein bars, one small camera, and one water bottle (second bottle left in truck).
- Talus anomaly covered approximately a 40-foot radius in quadrant C where every sampled stone was inverted (lichen faces down).
- Truck driver Russell Thorpe discovered the notebook at 6:14 AM on February 9, placed 230 feet from the base of the cliff with its spine facing up.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1097falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-rod-that-stood-upright-how-rachel-vanished-in-15-seconds--73179955
An orange-handled fishing rod stood perfectly balanced between two rocks in the middle of Hatchett Creek with no footprints on either bank, and Rachel Gray - a 31-year-old who’d fished this stretch since age nine - was gone within fifteen seconds; what happened in that frozen hour between a sharp exclamation and an empty ford? Which clue hidden in her green notebook or at the river birch can explain a disappearance that left scent dogs stopped dead at the water’s edge?

In this episode, we detail the timeline from Rachel and her fishing partner arriving at the Hatchett Creek shelter through the search-and-rescue response, laying out the physical evidence found at the scene and the unanswered question that drove the hours-long search: did Rachel cross the creek, or did something else bring her notebook away from the shelter?

Person: Rachel Gray
Age: 31
Location: Hatchett Creek, Dellacourt National Forest
Time missing: approximately 15 hours before discovery of the rod
Temperature night of disappearance: 28 degrees Fahrenheit

- At 7:18 AM Julie Simpson photographed an orange-handled rod standing upright in the ford with its handle jammed between two rocks.
- Julie Simpson called 911 at 7:22 AM after finding the rod; Rachel had been missing since about 3:04-3:05 PM the previous day.
- Rachel recorded "41 degrees Fahrenheit, 3:04 PM, third crossing east bank, stonefly activity moderate" as the last legible notebook entry.
- Dennis Rourke estimated fifteen seconds between hearing Rachel’s exclamation and turning to find her gone while her rod leaned against a river birch.
- Bloodhounds followed Rachel’s scent from the shelter to the river birch and stopped at 2:14 AM with the trail ending at the base of the tree and no continuation across the bank.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179955Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:26:53 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Rod That Stood Upright: How Rachel Vanished in 15 Seconds An orange-handled fishing rod stood perfectly balanced between two rocks in the middle of Hatchett Creek with no footprints on either bank, and Rachel Gray - a 31-year-old who’d fished...
An orange-handled fishing rod stood perfectly balanced between two rocks in the middle of Hatchett Creek with no footprints on either bank, and Rachel Gray - a 31-year-old who’d fished this stretch since age nine - was gone within fifteen seconds; what happened in that frozen hour between a sharp exclamation and an empty ford? Which clue hidden in her green notebook or at the river birch can explain a disappearance that left scent dogs stopped dead at the water’s edge?

In this episode, we detail the timeline from Rachel and her fishing partner arriving at the Hatchett Creek shelter through the search-and-rescue response, laying out the physical evidence found at the scene and the unanswered question that drove the hours-long search: did Rachel cross the creek, or did something else bring her notebook away from the shelter?

Person: Rachel Gray
Age: 31
Location: Hatchett Creek, Dellacourt National Forest
Time missing: approximately 15 hours before discovery of the rod
Temperature night of disappearance: 28 degrees Fahrenheit

- At 7:18 AM Julie Simpson photographed an orange-handled rod standing upright in the ford with its handle jammed between two rocks.
- Julie Simpson called 911 at 7:22 AM after finding the rod; Rachel had been missing since about 3:04-3:05 PM the previous day.
- Rachel recorded "41 degrees Fahrenheit, 3:04 PM, third crossing east bank, stonefly activity moderate" as the last legible notebook entry.
- Dennis Rourke estimated fifteen seconds between hearing Rachel’s exclamation and turning to find her gone while her rod leaned against a river birch.
- Bloodhounds followed Rachel’s scent from the shelter to the river birch and stopped at 2:14 AM with the trail ending at the base of the tree and no continuation across the bank.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/three-days-child-sized-handprints-a-woman-found-alive--73179953
The creek bank held six perfect handprints the size of a child - three left, three right - each with fingerprint detail clear enough to photograph, yet the prints belonged to a fifty-two-year-old woman whose palms were later found shredded by bark and rock. How did Patricia Russo leave child-sized impressions three feet above the waterline and still survive three days alone in frozen creek country?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence across three days in Carver National Forest, from Patricia Russo’s locked car at the trailhead to the discovery that split the search: clear, child-sized handprints in silt and a woman found alive with inexplicable injuries. What exactly happened along the four-point-two-mile frozen creek corridor?

Person: Patricia Russo
Date: December 13-15
Location: Carver National Forest, Elden Fork Creek
Discovery: Six handprints in silt photographed December 14
Condition: Palms shredded by bark and rock, found alive

- Patricia Russo, age 52, lived alone on Birch Terrace and worked as a billing coordinator for eleven years.
- Her Honda Civic was found locked at the trailhead parking lot at 7:45 AM on December 13, with no keys present.
- The handprints were discovered at 4:16 PM on December 14 by a 17-year-old delivery driver, three left and three right, three feet above the waterline.
- The creek corridor search covered 4.2 miles of frozen creek and the trailhead elevation was 2,200 feet with the upper loop junction 600 feet higher and 3.5 miles in.
- Overnight minimum temperature in the creek corridor was later estimated between -5 and -4 degrees Celsius by the search-and-rescue meteorologist.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179953Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:26:50 +0000Creator at ObomediaThree Days, Child-Sized Handprints, A Woman Found Alive The creek bank held six perfect handprints the size of a child - three left, three right - each with fingerprint detail clear enough to photograph, yet the prints belonged to a...
The creek bank held six perfect handprints the size of a child - three left, three right - each with fingerprint detail clear enough to photograph, yet the prints belonged to a fifty-two-year-old woman whose palms were later found shredded by bark and rock. How did Patricia Russo leave child-sized impressions three feet above the waterline and still survive three days alone in frozen creek country?

In this episode, we follow the timeline and evidence across three days in Carver National Forest, from Patricia Russo’s locked car at the trailhead to the discovery that split the search: clear, child-sized handprints in silt and a woman found alive with inexplicable injuries. What exactly happened along the four-point-two-mile frozen creek corridor?

Person: Patricia Russo
Date: December 13-15
Location: Carver National Forest, Elden Fork Creek
Discovery: Six handprints in silt photographed December 14
Condition: Palms shredded by bark and rock, found alive

- Patricia Russo, age 52, lived alone on Birch Terrace and worked as a billing coordinator for eleven years.
- Her Honda Civic was found locked at the trailhead parking lot at 7:45 AM on December 13, with no keys present.
- The handprints were discovered at 4:16 PM on December 14 by a 17-year-old delivery driver, three left and three right, three feet above the waterline.
- The creek corridor search covered 4.2 miles of frozen creek and the trailhead elevation was 2,200 feet with the upper loop junction 600 feet higher and 3.5 miles in.
- Overnight minimum temperature in the creek corridor was later estimated between -5 and -4 degrees Celsius by the search-and-rescue meteorologist.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1262falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-walked-home-but-left-her-bivy-the-siller-creek-puzzle--73179951
A grainy trail-camera frame captured a woman in a rust-orange fleece walking east at 6:42 AM on November 19, calm and unhurried - thirteen days after she vanished and four days after the search was suspended; why was her emergency bivy found sealed in her pack while she walked away without it? The image contradicts rugged logic: temperatures had fallen to 18°F at elevation, yet she appeared composed and unencumbered - what happened in between?

In this episode, we lay out the scene, the timeline, and the items searchers recovered to present the factual record of Beverly Duncan's disappearance and return-to-road image, closing on the unresolved detail that search teams could not explain: why the bivy remained unused.

Person: Beverly Duncan
Date: November 6 (disappearance), November 13 (pack found), November 19 (trail-camera image)
Location: Siller Creek fire road / drainage, below Weaver ridge
Age: 44
Occupation: Hydrological surveyor

- She signed the trailhead register at 8:17 AM on November 6 and her phone last attempted a call at 9:44 AM the same morning.
- Her gray hatchback was found in the trailhead lot with the driver door unlocked.
- A pack was found upright against a lodgepole pine 130 yards off the main trail on November 13, set down deliberately.
- Inside the pack: rain jacket, headlamp with fresh batteries, water filter, half an energy bar, a dead phone, and a sealed emergency bivy never opened.
- A trail-camera captured a single frame at 6:42 AM on November 19 showing a woman in a rust-orange fleece walking east with a steady stride.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73179951Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:26:45 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Walked Home But Left Her Bivy: The Siller Creek Puzzle A grainy trail-camera frame captured a woman in a rust-orange fleece walking east at 6:42 AM on November 19, calm and unhurried - thirteen days after she vanished and four days after the...
A grainy trail-camera frame captured a woman in a rust-orange fleece walking east at 6:42 AM on November 19, calm and unhurried - thirteen days after she vanished and four days after the search was suspended; why was her emergency bivy found sealed in her pack while she walked away without it? The image contradicts rugged logic: temperatures had fallen to 18°F at elevation, yet she appeared composed and unencumbered - what happened in between?

In this episode, we lay out the scene, the timeline, and the items searchers recovered to present the factual record of Beverly Duncan's disappearance and return-to-road image, closing on the unresolved detail that search teams could not explain: why the bivy remained unused.

Person: Beverly Duncan
Date: November 6 (disappearance), November 13 (pack found), November 19 (trail-camera image)
Location: Siller Creek fire road / drainage, below Weaver ridge
Age: 44
Occupation: Hydrological surveyor

- She signed the trailhead register at 8:17 AM on November 6 and her phone last attempted a call at 9:44 AM the same morning.
- Her gray hatchback was found in the trailhead lot with the driver door unlocked.
- A pack was found upright against a lodgepole pine 130 yards off the main trail on November 13, set down deliberately.
- Inside the pack: rain jacket, headlamp with fresh batteries, water filter, half an energy bar, a dead phone, and a sealed emergency bivy never opened.
- A trail-camera captured a single frame at 6:42 AM on November 19 showing a woman in a rust-orange fleece walking east with a steady stride.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1168falsefull