I've been trying to find an update on the missing hiker, John Simons. He disappeared while camping at or around Trapper's Lake a full month ago. Friends say he was experienced and imply he was well equipped.

This is news to me. I do hope he was found safe and well and returned home. Recently in New Mexico an elderly woman and her husband were in the mountains searching for mushrooms. He returned to their car, leaving her, and she vanished. Again, the word "experienced" was thrown around in the media. They found a walking stick they thought was hers, but wasn't. Reports conflict if she had a jacket or not. She had no other equipment at all. After a rather large search lasting several days her body was found less than a mile from where she was last seen. Very sad. But it seems these days that "experienced" outdoorsmen (and women), are dropping like flies after a heavy frost because they don't carry even a bottle of water when they leave the payment. This is why I have gear for the neighborhood children and stress they take it. Perhaps one day it will save not only hundreds of man hours,thousands of dollars, but more importantly, a young life. Ok, end of rant, thanks for staying awake long enough to read it all.

I read a couple of articles and looked at the map. There is a road right up to the lake and apparently some buildings nearby. One article said that they never found his truck either.

So, it seems likely he either never made it to the lake or made it and also left. Maybe there is a slight possibility that he did get lost near the lake and his truck was subsequently stolen.

I'm thinking the most likely scenario is that he drove off the road somewhere along the way.

Just with Google I can't find any newer updates. Strange. In this case it does appear he at least did a lot of camping, hiking, etc. They stress that he was probably armed which leads me to think he probably had some gear. If he made it that far he at least would have had water.

Of course he's in that age range where a heart attack wouldn't be out of the question. But that wouldn't explain why they can't find his truck unless he ran off the road in some pretty remote area. Or wound up somewhere else.