Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

[bcc]

If there is another woman hiker who looks like Inchworm, as .com mentioned in an earlier post, hopefully the Maine Warden Service found her and interviewed her. She could likely tell them if she was sitting by the trail on Lone Mountain at around 3:00 PM on the 22nd and saw Crunchmaster, Halo, and Milkrun go by.

no, inchworm was alone. she says she meets her husband at road crossings. according to other news reports, there is another woman hiking who resembles inchworm (in age if nothing else) and she was asked manyu times if she was "inchworm".

.com

By questioning her, they might also find out if she was SOBO or NOBO, and if SOBO, did she stay at Poplar Ridge in a tent and was still there at around 8:30 AM when Rock Steady came through in the rain on the 23rd (but then why didn't Crunchmaster, Halo, and Milkrun see her again when she got to Poplar Ridge later that day?). Seems unlikely that there was a second person who looked like Inchworm.

The SAR folks have so much more information available from interviewing hikers up and down the trail...

[SawnieRobertson]

Crunchmaster's journal reveals that his grandfather from whom he learned to love what he has been doing for the past 2000+ miles, passed away yesterday. He expects to complete his hike in Maine in 10 days or so. I appreciate the efforts he has made in trying to piece this thing together. It has, of course, impacted his hike.

[Tigerslair]

Crunchmaster's journal reveals that his grandfather from whom he learned to love what he has been doing for the past 2000+ miles, passed away yesterday. He expects to complete his hike in Maine in 10 days or so. I appreciate the efforts he has made in trying to piece this thing together. It has, of course, impacted his hike.

Actually, Crunchmaster is a SOBO, so he has a long way to go. I was so sorry to hear of his grandfather's passing. He sounds like a wonderful man & I'm sure he was proud of Crunchmaster.

[SawnieRobertson]

Moytoy has mentioned that Crunchmaster is hiking SOBO, so, of course, he still has a piece to go before he has hiked 2000+ miles. Which way people were going on July 21-23 does sometimes confuse. Thanks, Moytoy.

[moytoy]

Moytoy has mentioned that Crunchmaster is hiking SOBO, so, of course, he still has a piece to go before he has hiked 2000+ miles. Which way people were going on July 21-23 does sometimes confuse. Thanks, Moytoy.

Your welcome SR. So not to confuse I sent SR a PM about the SOBO Crunchmaster.

[roughdrafts]

Hi all. I was hiking northbound on this section around the time Inchworm disappeared, and I've spent the last three weeks following the story as closely as possible, but I just recently finished my hike and was finally able to catch up with this thread. I don't know if I can be of any help, and I've already told wardens everything I know (including a list of names of people who spent Monday & Tuesday nights at Spaulding as well as Tuesday night at Poplar) but I believe they've caught up with and talked to all relevant parties by now.

My timeline is as follows:
Monday evening the 22nd - hike from Rangeley to Piazza Rock Lean-To
Tuesday the 23rd - hike from Piazza Rock (leaving at 5am) to Poplar Ridge Lean-To (arriving at 10am); spend all day/night there to wait out the rain
Wednesday the 24th - hike from Poplar Ridge (leaving at 6:45am) to Rt. 27 (arriving at 7:30pm) with a break at Spaulding Mtn Lean-To

I did not see Inchworm during this time, and I first heard that she was missing from SoBo hikers on Wednesday afternoon. That evening I met George Largay at the trailhead and told him everything I knew, including names of people to talk to (some of those names appeared on the first flyer that was posted, but again I believe wardens have since talked to all of them).

I should note that there was a NoBo female hiker with short hair & glasses on the trail during this time (I believe she spent Sunday night at Poplar Ridge & Monday night at Spaulding), but she's young and I doubt she'd be mistaken for someone in her 60s (though who knows?). I don't think I remember seeing any solo female SoBos, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately I don't remember details of the terrain between Poplar Ridge and Spaulding so I can't help there.

[HikerMom58]

Hi all. I was hiking northbound on this section around the time Inchworm disappeared, and I've spent the last three weeks following the story as closely as possible, but I just recently finished my hike and was finally able to catch up with this thread. I don't know if I can be of any help, and I've already told wardens everything I know (including a list of names of people who spent Monday & Tuesday nights at Spaulding as well as Tuesday night at Poplar) but I believe they've caught up with and talked to all relevant parties by now.

My timeline is as follows:
Monday evening the 22nd - hike from Rangeley to Piazza Rock Lean-To
Tuesday the 23rd - hike from Piazza Rock (leaving at 5am) to Poplar Ridge Lean-To (arriving at 10am); spend all day/night there to wait out the rain
Wednesday the 24th - hike from Poplar Ridge (leaving at 6:45am) to Rt. 27 (arriving at 7:30pm) with a break at Spaulding Mtn Lean-To

I did not see Inchworm during this time, and I first heard that she was missing from SoBo hikers on Wednesday afternoon. That evening I met George Largay at the trailhead and told him everything I knew, including names of people to talk to (some of those names appeared on the first flyer that was posted, but again I believe wardens have since talked to all of them).

I should note that there was a NoBo female hiker with short hair & glasses on the trail during this time (I believe she spent Sunday night at Poplar Ridge & Monday night at Spaulding), but she's young and I doubt she'd be mistaken for someone in her 60s (though who knows?). I don't think I remember seeing any solo female SoBos, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately I don't remember details of the terrain between Poplar Ridge and Spaulding so I can't help there.

Hey roughdrafts--- welcome!!! Just having others, that care about Inchworm, around for support is great!! Did you just complete a thru hike? Thanks again for joining us.

[nu2hike]

"The last time George saw Gerry was Sunday, July 21, at a road crossing off Route 4, south of Rangeley, Maine. He hiked in with her around 7:15 a.m. – Gerry liked to be on the trail by 7 – and they planned to meet again at Wyman Township in western Maine, likely by Tuesday evening
“It was a gorgeous day. She couldn’t have been happier. She had a great night’s sleep. We’d stayed at a motel the night before, had a great meal, and I walked in with her for about an hour and 45 minutes,” George said.
Early Monday morning, George received a text from Gerry saying she was headed north along the trail."
With the new information we received that revealed that some of those who thought they saw Gerry were in fact mistaken, who do we know with certainty saw her from the time left her on the trail Sunday July 21 until he reported her missing on Wed. July 24?
Has the photo .com took of her on Tues. July 23 at Poplar Mt. LT been made public? If so,are they 100% certain that A: that it is indeed Gerry in the photo and that the location ( Poplar Mt LT ) has been verified and B: that the time and date are correct?
It seems to me that this is really the only concrete evidence documenting her progress along the trail! The
cell phone ping puts her in an approximate location somewhere within ??? miles of a cell tower. Could have been south of Lone Mt but could it have just as easily been well north of that location! I find this "ping" helpful but not definitive! It just indicates that her phone was on at some time somewhere along the trail!
Am I missing something?
Hopefully the new information EE posted about will put the searchers in the correct location!

[ElephantEater]

I just heard from a friend in Maine who just spoke with one of the searchers: "They searched the area north of the AT from Poplar ridge to beyond Orberton stream yesterday. I asked about the cell phone ping and his understanding is that it is not an exact science in the area due to terrain and lack of towers. He mentioned that they have a better understanding of medications that Gerry had been taking and that she may have become confused, lost and injured in the Poplar ridge area. He hopes to search the area south of the AT again next week sometime. The area North of Poplar ridge is used as a Navy survival training base and staff at the base are aware of Gerry's disappearance and are searching also."

[sliderule]

Has the photo .com took of her on Tues. July 23 at Poplar Mt. LT been made public? If so,are they 100% certain that A: that it is indeed Gerry in the photo and that the location ( Poplar Mt LT ) has been verified and B: that the time and date are correct?

I believe that photo was taken on the morning of Monday, July 22. There has been plenty of opportunity for challenges to its validity.

[JustaTouron]

Wow.... this seems HUGE!! She needs to be found!!

Sorry to put such a cold harsh reality on this but....at this point it is not longer a rescue effort. Finding Inchworm means finding a body. And while that is important to her family, other things need to be taken into consideration.

The SAR teams can only conduct so many searches. Using those teams now, means the next time they want to search for someone who goes missing they will have less resources.

It's a very sad reality, but it is reality.

[QHShowoman]

The SAR teams can only conduct so many searches. Using those teams now, means the next time they want to search for someone who goes missing they will have less resources.

What exactly does this mean?

[JustaTouron]

What exactly does this mean?

That means if they put 100 people in the woods looking for inchworm this weekend, and then next weekend someone goes missing, they might only be able to muster 50 people to look for a live person, because these volunteers are worn out/other things they need to do/are out of vacation time from work/etc.

[Mfrenchy]

I put roughdrafts on the list, it would be nice to know who the NoBo female was. Sounds like she stayed with inchworm, .com, and Quenn.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...UE&usp=sharing

[QHShowoman]

That means if they put 100 people in the woods looking for inchworm this weekend, and then next weekend someone goes missing, they might only be able to muster 50 people to look for a live person, because these volunteers are worn out/other things they need to do/are out of vacation time from work/etc.

That's what I thought. I think "might" is the operative word in that sentence. Most of us who do volunteer SAR can't wait for an actual call.

[HikerMom58]

Sorry to put such a cold harsh reality on this but....at this point it is not longer a rescue effort. Finding Inchworm means finding a body. And while that is important to her family, other things need to be taken into consideration.

The SAR teams can only conduct so many searches. Using those teams now, means the next time they want to search for someone who goes missing they will have less resources.

It's a very sad reality, but it is reality.

I know what you are saying is true. But, until she is "found" a glimmer of hope still exists.
EE's post said they are still searching for her... I'm a fan of that. She needs to be found for closure, if nothing else... I pray that will be the case for the family's sake.

As far as "using up" resources??? IDK... What do others think about this??? Valid??

[muddy boots]

I thought the published picture of Gerry wearing a red long sleeve shirt/jacket, and a blue and white bandana was the one taken Monday at Poplar? And early on in the search I read the report of an older lady hiking the same area the same time as Gerry. Can't find the report now, but think this may be her. http://www.kjonline.com/news/Over-ru...l?pagenum=full Trail name "Kaleidoscope" Sorry, don't think that is a working link? Don't know how to do that?

[muddy boots]

Okay, so my link does work.

[tiptoe]

here's the link:
http://www.kjonline.com/news/Over-ru...ing-hiker.html

[nu2hike]

"Turtle feet" 1). We know from .com's account that Inchworm slept in the shelter that Monday night at Poplar, and that .com took her picture, pack on, ready to hit the trail at 7am – she wasn’t in a tent that night.
According to that statement .com took her picture at 7am Tuesday morning!
Just trying to get the timeline straight in my mind! As you can see there are still discrepancies! With all that has transpired I don't believe anything can be taken as hard cold facts!