Morbid Outdoors

On June 4, 2017, a 42-year-old treasure hunter kissed his girlfriend goodbye at the West Fork Beaver Creek Trailhead near West Yellowstone at 9:30 am as he set off for another attempt to locate the Forrest Fenn Treasure. This was the last time he was seen alive. Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_National_Parkhttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/mike-petersenhttps://www.valleynewslive.com/content/news/ND-man-427099393.html

Arches National Park is a popular park and for good reason. Nestled in the red rock of southern Utah, Arches get over 1.4 million visitors a year. Unfortunately some of those visitors never make it home.Sources:https://npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/arch.htm

Tucked away in the vast, blinding dunes of White Sands National Park, there’s an eerie stillness that settles in as the sun dips below the horizon. In a park shaped by shifting sands and silence, it’s easy to wonder if something unseen is moving just beyond the next ridge.Sources:chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://npshistory.com/publications/whsa/brochures/lingering-love-2015.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Jennings_Fountain

Two hikers disappeared on September 4, 2010 while heading to Valentine Lake in the Spetch Creek Forest in British Columbia, Canada. Few clues materialized as to what happened to them. They were never seen again.Sources:https://www.ehcanadatravel.com/british-columbia/cariboo/100-mile-house/parks-trails/5440-valentine-lake.htmlhttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2017/10/27/jonathan-jette-and-rachel-bagnallhttps://www.facebook.com/MissingPeopleCanada/posts/missing-couple-rachael-bagnall-25-and-jonathan-jett%C3%A9-34-september-4-2010-valenti/1030074982602893/https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/cover-stories/missing-in-the-backcountry-2489240

Valles Caldera is my favorite part of New Mexico…it has it all: picturesque streams, green fields, and mountains galore. It’s within the Jemez National Forest/Santa Fe National Forest and it is abundant with wildlife…including bears. And in 2016 it was the home to a mauling during a marathon. Stop #3 on our roadtrip :)Sources:https://www.nps.gov/vall/index.htmhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/19/experience-i-was-attacked-by-a-bear-while-running-a-marathonhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/runner-attacked-by-bear-during-new-mexico-racehttps://home.nps.gov/vall/learn/news/bearattack1.htmhttps://www.taosnews.com/news/environment/nearly-a-year-after-bear-attack-race-in-valles-caldera-draws-criticism/article_5dc02b04-2efb-5070-b067-8eb7ac7c1215.html

Tucked into the dramatic red rock landscape of Ghost Ranch, there’s a place where beauty and mystery go hand in hand. Known for its sweeping desert views and ties to artist Georgia O'Keeffe, Ghost Ranch has long drawn visitors seeking inspiration, solitude… and sometimes, something they can’t quite explain. Stop #2 on our road trip :)