What happened to this California family?

[Anonymous]

Here's the original article from the SF Chronicle who obtained the report. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/mariposa-hiking-family-investigation-report-16671200.php

How they were found on the trail:

The search did not take long. After the truck was found at the trailhead on the morning of Aug. 17, crews found the bodies of Gerrish, his child and the dog about 1.6 miles below the trailhead, on a series of steep switchbacks of the Savage Lundy Trail.

Gerrish had a cell phone in the front pocket of his shorts. But multiple crime labs have been unable to access the Google Pixel 4 to check for any failed texts or calls on the day of the hike — cell phone coverage is spotty at best along the trail — and the device is still at FBI headquarters.

Investigators initially called a helicopter to the area and said Chung was still missing.

About an hour later, around 10:30 a.m., a deputy walking back up the trail from where Gerrish was found with his daughter and dog noticed “some disturbed dirt on the uphill side of the trail that appeared that something or someone had tried to go up the hill.” He spotted a shoe and then Chung’s body. She was about 13 feet in elevation higher than her family.

At the same time, a Ford key fob was found along the trail, about 100 feet below where Gerrish was found.

The survival trainer's THEORY of what happened:

A survival trainer sent detectives an email calling the terrain, elevation and heat a “deadly trifecta.”

He, too, concluded that heat and exertion led to their deaths.

“Sadly, I believe they were caught off guard, and once they realized their situation, they died trying to save their child and each other,” the trainer wrote to detectives. “It is likely the child began to succumb first, which hurried the parents’ efforts up the hill. When one could no longer continue, they stayed behind to care for the child and pet, while the other tried to forge on and get help for their loved ones. It is a tragedy of the highest order.”

[Anonymous]

I am still flabbergasted that Ellen was not wearing a pack. She was wearing spandex shorts though, was it about the gram to not carry a 2nd bladder? With temps of 109+ it still seems like they would have died but twice as much water would have been helpful. I still don't get why the baby was found in the standing pack. If they thought she was dead or dying wouldn't you take her out and hold her? In the nylon casing she would be even hotter. And it was 105 the day before so I don't get this whole "heat was a surprise" narrative. He had owned property and been hiking in Mariposa since at least 2016 so not really so new to area either. The keys being farther down the trail and the phone being in his pocket, what was Ellen even trying to do? They must have been so impaired by heat. Such an avoidable tragedy, not one other person was on that trail for days. Just no common sense.

[Anonymous]

https://news.yahoo.com/gerrish-family-likely-died-calif-171348628.html

The above article just came out in People stating that it was the heat. This is so very very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://news.yahoo.com/gerrish-family-likely-died-calif-171348628.html

The above article just came out in People stating that it was the heat. This is so very very sad.

It really is so very sad. I bet they'd done similar excursions before and been fine. I can't even imagine how terrifying and disorienting their last moments were.

[Anonymous]

I think taking a baby on a hike when it’s above 100 degrees should be criminal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think taking a baby on a hike when it’s above 100 degrees should be criminal.

Well, they’re all dead. So unfortunately you can’t throw them in jail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think taking a baby on a hike when it’s above 100 degrees should be criminal.

Really hard to understand. My guess is they expected to complete the hike before the heat got high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think taking a baby on a hike when it’s above 100 degrees should be criminal.

+1. And/or a dog!

[Anonymous]

Cops released text messages
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article258516873.html?fbclid=IwAR1JPJ-nCoAqJr0JJ28cn4j1yevOOdsFPYhXwes9tvmAwgAEFpywmowNO24

[Anonymous]

Article from the SF Chron: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Overheating-with-baby-Final-unsent-text-16928598.php

[Anonymous]

Incredibly sad. And while I certainly understand questioning their judgement I will say that this sort of thing can really creep up on you.

We went out to Big Bend a year ago and both my daughter and I ended up with heat exhaustion. We had enough water - had water left, but the lack of shade and an unexpectedly hot day really took it out of us. We were .6 miles from the trailhead when we were able to drag ourselves to a picnic area with shade. It's hard to describe the feeling of simply struggling to put one foot in front of the other and the sun just beating down. And there's a point when water is only part of the equation.

[Anonymous]

Very sad. Poor family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Incredibly sad. And while I certainly understand questioning their judgement I will say that this sort of thing can really creep up on you.

We went out to Big Bend a year ago and both my daughter and I ended up with heat exhaustion. We had enough water - had water left, but the lack of shade and an unexpectedly hot day really took it out of us. We were .6 miles from the trailhead when we were able to drag ourselves to a picnic area with shade. It's hard to describe the feeling of simply struggling to put one foot in front of the other and the sun just beating down. And there's a point when water is only part of the equation.

It was completely avoidable - they started the trail at 7:44AM. Looks like they realized they were in trouble and overheating around 10:29AM. Their last communication was 12:30PM.

[Anonymous]

I do not know much about hiking so it’s hard for me to gouge an opinion on this couple’s actions.

I agree the outcome is very tragic indeed.
Prayers for their loved ones. 🕊🕊🕊

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Incredibly sad. And while I certainly understand questioning their judgement I will say that this sort of thing can really creep up on you.

We went out to Big Bend a year ago and both my daughter and I ended up with heat exhaustion. We had enough water - had water left, but the lack of shade and an unexpectedly hot day really took it out of us. We were .6 miles from the trailhead when we were able to drag ourselves to a picnic area with shade. It's hard to describe the feeling of simply struggling to put one foot in front of the other and the sun just beating down. And there's a point when water is only part of the equation.

It was completely avoidable - they started the trail at 7:44AM. Looks like they realized they were in trouble and overheating around 10:29AM. Their last communication was 12:30PM.

This is tragic, but at the very least they should have expected this to kill the dog.