What happened to this California family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is still completely ignoring the strong possibility of anaphylaxis from murder hornet stings.

AND no one has even mentioned aliens.

They are mentioned toward the first 1/4 of the thread

[Anonymous]

Aliens bird box style was presented, but death instead of blindness

[Anonymous]

If it’s not aliens I’d rather it remain unsolved so I can believe it’s aliens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another update from websleuths:

“Investigators believe the family hiked most of a grueling 8.5-mile loop — including 5 miles of steep southern exposure trail with little to no trees or shade in 103 to 109 degree heat — before succumbing on the return to their truck on a steep switchback.” Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

I’m fat and indoorsy-how long does it take athletic, experienced hikers to do a difficult 8 mile hike? It does seem awfully crazy to attempt that with a baby. I’m guessing at least 3 hours or so? Do babies actually want to chill out in a hiking backpack for that long?

An 8 mile steep hike on a hot day with a baby? 3-4 hours. I have a hard time believing they were so stupid as to do that, but would explain heat stroke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another update from websleuths:

“Investigators believe the family hiked most of a grueling 8.5-mile loop — including 5 miles of steep southern exposure trail with little to no trees or shade in 103 to 109 degree heat — before succumbing on the return to their truck on a steep switchback.” Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

I’m fat and indoorsy-how long does it take athletic, experienced hikers to do a difficult 8 mile hike? It does seem awfully crazy to attempt that with a baby. I’m guessing at least 3 hours or so? Do babies actually want to chill out in a hiking backpack for that long?

I can manage 3.5 miles in one hour on flat terrain. I can maintain that for hours. Yes, it's slow.

The problem with their hike is that down is always easy. Up is hard. You don't save much energy doing down hill. Not enough to make up the extra effort for the return climb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I'm one who has thought all along that heat stroke is the obvious answer - not that they all succumbed to it simultaneously, but that one person (or dog) started to falter, and the husband & wife made a fatal decision to stick together - one helping the other, or both helping a sick baby/dog - until they were both overexerted. Then when they finally decided to send the wife for help, it was too late - she couldn't make it up the hill, and then it was over for the other three.

But it is making me wonder why the police or media don't seem to be discussing this as a possibility. I haven't even seen it mentioned in any of the articles. I mean, maybe the media are just more focused on the more sensational possibilities of toxic algae or burping mines ... But you'd think it would have come up somewhere. Unless there seemed to be evidence that the simplest, most obvious solution couldn't possibly be right.

This sounds right, especially if mom had to carry dog and finally put it down to get help that answers the dog being by the dad. This had to be it.

[Anonymous]

The problem is who the hell brings a baby along for this nightmare hike from hell? Their judgment seems so off as to be indicative of a plan. That’s a long time without a proper nap, cooling off, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another update from websleuths:

“Investigators believe the family hiked most of a grueling 8.5-mile loop — including 5 miles of steep southern exposure trail with little to no trees or shade in 103 to 109 degree heat — before succumbing on the return to their truck on a steep switchback.” Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

I’m fat and indoorsy-how long does it take athletic, experienced hikers to do a difficult 8 mile hike? It does seem awfully crazy to attempt that with a baby. I’m guessing at least 3 hours or so? Do babies actually want to chill out in a hiking backpack for that long?

I think at least 3 hours given that there is a significant elevation climb. 4 seems more realistic. And given that someone saw them on the way to the biking spot at 7:45 that means they didn’t start until at least 8 which is way too late to be starting that kind of hike in that kind of weather. I’m from the SW and people usually start any outdoor activity between 5 and 6 in the summer—you want or be done well before 10. You also wouldn’t take a hairy dog like an Akita on that kind of hike that late. If this 8.5 mile hike is really the story, I am starting to think heat exhaustion or possibly recreational drugs that impaired judgment and possibly also impaired their physiology.
Also, let me say, if my husband ever did want to kill me, I’d be particularly pissed if he did it after an 8 mile uphill hike in 100+ weather. I mean, at least have the decency to do it before I’ve suffered.

[Anonymous]

If they had heat stroke, why was there water left in their camel pack?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is who the hell brings a baby along for this nightmare hike from hell? Their judgment seems so off as to be indicative of a plan. That’s a long time without a proper nap, cooling off, etc.

I bet they planned to be home by nap, 11:30 or noon. I planned everything around nap when I had baby in a carrier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another update from websleuths:

“Investigators believe the family hiked most of a grueling 8.5-mile loop — including 5 miles of steep southern exposure trail with little to no trees or shade in 103 to 109 degree heat — before succumbing on the return to their truck on a steep switchback.” Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

Wow. Maybe instead of being experienced hikers, they were just learning hiking and unfortunately stupid. Bringing the dog and baby was stupid. Still sad of course, especially for the baby and dog because they had no choice.

After that earlier post/theory, it’s hard to take anything from “WebSleuths” seriously.

My post re this websleuths entry was cut off. The quotes above, reposted on websleuths, was from the SF Chronicle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another update from websleuths:

“Investigators believe the family hiked most of a grueling 8.5-mile loop — including 5 miles of steep southern exposure trail with little to no trees or shade in 103 to 109 degree heat — before succumbing on the return to their truck on a steep switchback.” Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

I’m fat and indoorsy-how long does it take athletic, experienced hikers to do a difficult 8 mile hike? It does seem awfully crazy to attempt that with a baby. I’m guessing at least 3 hours or so? Do babies actually want to chill out in a hiking backpack for that long?

I think at least 3 hours given that there is a significant elevation climb. 4 seems more realistic. And given that someone saw them on the way to the biking spot at 7:45 that means they didn’t start until at least 8 which is way too late to be starting that kind of hike in that kind of weather. I’m from the SW and people usually start any outdoor activity between 5 and 6 in the summer—you want or be done well before 10. You also wouldn’t take a hairy dog like an Akita on that kind of hike that late. If this 8.5 mile hike is really the story, I am starting to think heat exhaustion or possibly recreational drugs that impaired judgment and possibly also impaired their physiology.
Also, let me say, if my husband ever did want to kill me, I’d be particularly pissed if he did it after an 8 mile uphill hike in 100+ weather. I mean, at least have the decency to do it before I’ve suffered.

The timing doesn't seem to make sense. If they started at 8 am, then they would be returning up a steep climb in the heat of the day and heat seems to be the obvious conclusion. But the neighbor who saw them may have been imprecise with the time, it could have been earlier (or later). The cell phone GPS data, indicating when they arrived at the trailhead, would probably be more accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is who the hell brings a baby along for this nightmare hike from hell? Their judgment seems so off as to be indicative of a plan. That’s a long time without a proper nap, cooling off, etc.

Maybe they didn’t research it well enough before starting? Or maybe even took the wrong trail by accident?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is who the hell brings a baby along for this nightmare hike from hell? Their judgment seems so off as to be indicative of a plan. That’s a long time without a proper nap, cooling off, etc.

It’s not uncommon for people to underestimate how long a hike will take, especially when it involves elevation changes.

[Anonymous]

They ran into some booby traps placed by pot growers who didn’t want anyone in their area.