Morbid Outdoors

A 37 year old businesswoman disappeared while visiting Yosemite National Park, after stepping away from her car near Bridalveil Creek for what should have been a brief stop. When she didn’t return, a large search effort began and did not produce any leads. It wasn’t until several months later that anyone got any answers but one still remains today: what exactly happened that day at the overlook?Sources:​​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Pointhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_National_Parkhttps://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htmhttps://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/fj1onf/what_happened_to_jeanne_hesselschwerdt/https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/foul-play-doubted-in-yosemite-missing-woman-s-3027942.php

When a 17 year old goes missing while on a hunt, a huge search is launched. The ten day search is extensive, but nothing is found–not the rifle or any of the belongings he had on him at the time of his disappearance. The FBI was even called in, but there were no answers until just over a year later. What happened that November day? Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badger_Creek_Wildernesshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hood_National_Foresthttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/corey-fayhttps://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/ay6drt/what_happened_to_17_year_old_corey_fay/https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131035257/corey_c-fayhttps://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920921/1514244/missing-ore-teen-confirmed-dead

Today’s stories take us from a windswept California shoreline…to the steep cliffs of the Smoky Mountains…into the narrow slot canyons of Utah…down into one of the deepest canyons in North America…up to the top of the world on Mount Everest…and finally—to a rare story of hope, in the forests of Madagascar.Sources:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/remains-banker-missing-1999-found-california-beach-family-looking-seas-rcna265781 https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/03/30/woman-dies-after-60-foot-fall-alum-cave-trail-great-smoky-mountains/ https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/hikers-rescued-from-flash-flood-in-little-wild-horse-canyon-utah/ https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/denver-man-black-canyon-gunnison/73-5f12e018-e8ff-4072-9181-bff347d58e65 https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/fraud-mount-everest-climbers-targeted-alleged-rescue-insurance-scam-rcna266533 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/a-reforestation-corridor-in-madagascar-offers-a-future-for-lemurs-and-locals/

 In March of 1993, a hiker on the Wailau trail was suffering from scraped and bleeding feet after hiking miles in rough terrain. He approached a helicopter on the beach and asked for a lift out, but was denied the help because he didn’t have $650 to pay for the helicopter ride. He has been missing ever since. If you have any information about the disappearance of Jeffery Zoltowski, please contact the Michigan State Police at 313-215-0675 Case Number MPC-12-15 or the Honolulu Police Department at 808-955-8300 Case Number 94-1203. Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wailauhttps://disappearedblog.com/jeffrey-zoltowski/https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/molokai-jeffrey-zoltowski-21953090.phphttps://www.mauicounty.gov/425/Missing-Peoplehttps://www.trailgroove.com/blogs/entry/232-hiking-the-wailau-trail-lost-in-a-hawaiian-jungle/?srsltid=AfmBOoqnZ2yAGszIaLlfFbp01Sa7qDG0QB0Z_NvD5euvDqYjEl1XZpNBhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/124315261807/https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/601

Hikers who separate from a group statistically are four times more likely to die than group hikers who become lost and never separate. Many of these hikers that separate from their groups are still missing, lost to the wilderness. This is what happened in White River National Forest in 2005. Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_the_Holy_Crosshttps://apps.colorado.gov/apps/coldcase/casedetail.html?id=1155https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/michelle-vanek-mount-holy-cross/?scope=anonhttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/michelle-vanek

On October 8, 1969, a 78‑year‑old hunter vanished while hunting with his family near Sparks Lake, Oregon — a disappearance that sparked a large search but yielded no trace. The following summer rescuers found his rifle, clothing, one boot and a glove carefully placed at the base of a tree. Sources: https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/lakes-reservoirs/sparks-lake/https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes/recreation/sparks-lakehttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2017/10/22/robert-winters-strange-disappearances-from-us-wilderness-areas

 In August 2016 a British computer engineer disappeared while hiking a relatively easy route between the villages of Marie and Clans in the Tinée Valley, France. He set out alone on a familiar (3.7 miles) 6–7 km walk in good weather but never returned. What happened to him?Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Alpshttps://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-37012596https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/help-us-find/david-wood-16-003892https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Valerie-Armstronghttps://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21367504.wife-woodbridge-man-david-wood-went-missing-french-alps-reflects-year-without-eccentric-husband/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-48623766https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-48623766

It's September 2004 in the Bighorn Mountains and a Crow Nation man goes missing while on a hunting trip. He was experienced and knew the area well. Over a year later, a crow leads a hunter to human remains and there are more questions left than answers. When Indigenous people go missing or die in remote places, their stories too often disappear into silence, treated as footnotes instead of human lives. This is the mysterious disappearance and death of Bikkaashee Iisaaakshe (Robert "Bugsy" Springfield).Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_Mountainshttps://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/robert-bugsy-springfieldhttps://indianz.com/News/2007/005696.asphttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22901309/robert-bikkaashee_iisaaakshe-springfield