And I cant imagine anything at a historic mine site that would have caused what occurred there.. Sheriff Jeremy Briese said," For Mariposa County, this is rare. The blaze caused at least $171 million in damage and two firefighters died. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 1:53 a.m., the familys car is located down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale. Jonathan Gerrish, his wife Ellen Chung and their one-year-old daughter Muji were found by search teams in an area of the Sierra National . The couple, avid hikers from Mariposa, were reported missing by a family friend a day before authorities found them. May 25, 2015 Heres why, Driver accused of killing Hoover teen back in Fresno jail. ", Become a member of StrangeOutdoors for exclusive content, See the latest Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, Read other strange stories from the Sierra National Forest and Yosemite, The Sandra Johnsen Hughes disappearance in Sierra National Forest, The bizarre disappearance of Stacey Arras from Yosemite National Park, The strange disappearance and death of Jeannie Hesselschwerdt in Yosemite National Park, The puzzling disappearance of Max Schweitzer in Yosemite National Park, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gerrish-2748376/?originalSubdomain=uk, https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-mystery-autopsy-fails-to-reveal-cause-of-death-for-family-and-dog-found-dead-on-hiking-trial, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/poison-algae-on-gold-trail-may-have-killed-family-59vmwjf3q, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/hites-cove-trail?u=m, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hites_Cove,_California, https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Not-one-clue-The-mystery-is-only-deepening-16401921.php, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9914627/Deaths-husband-wife-baby-treated-homicide.html, http://merced-river.org/HitesCoveTrail.html, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Unknown-hazards-Yosemite-trail-Calif-family-dead-16429088.php, https://www.facebook.com/SierraNF/posts/3133758160228109, https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article253864053.html?fbclid=IwAR0_Sv0T7TGRIEuytyuph8M5f50VWWgo4skgRuB3YaHIUKjO6JPK31FMNYU, https://kmph.com/news/local/mariposa-county-sheriff-multiple-causes-of-death-ruled-out-in-death-of-california-family, https://people.com/human-interest/cause-of-death-revealed-for-california-family-who-died-on-hiking-trail/, Tagged: The bizarre deaths of the Gerrish family in Devils Gulch, john gerrish death, ellen chung death, gerrish family deaths in sierra national forest, John Gerrish autopsy, Savage lundy trail deaths, Sign Up now for a one-off fee for exclusive access to many articles, The strange disappearance of Daniel Robinson from Buckeye in Arizona, The strange death of Lucas Renoud at the Hrisson waterfalls in the Jura Mountains, The bizarre deaths of the Gerrish family in Devils Gulch, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, gerrish family deaths in sierra national forest, The mysterious disappearance and death of Nicola Bulley in Lancashire, The strange disappearance of the YouTube Survivalist Finn Creaney in the Scottish Highlands, The shocking disappearance of Theresa Ann Bier, The disturbing disappearance of Daylenn Pua from Hawaiis Stairway To Heaven walkway, The puzzling disappearance of ex-paratrooper Gilbert Gilman from Olympic National Park, The Dead man who saved Brandon Day and Gina Allen on Mount San Jacinto, The strange disappearance and death of Geoff Hague in the Great Smoky Mountains, The weird disappearance of Garrett Bardsley from Cuberant Lake in Utah, The bizarre death of Cullen Finnerty in the Michigan wilderness, The puzzling disappearance of Barbara Bolick from the Bitterroot Mountains, The strange disappearance of Mike Hearon from the Great Smoky Mountains, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) report June 2021, The bizarre disappearance and death of Adrienne Quintal in Michigan, The strange disappearance of Fern Baird from the Prairie Peak Trail in Idaho, The strange deaths of David Horesay and Frederick Hardisty in the Northwest Territories, The disappearance of Steven Kubacki in the Lake Michigan Triangle, The lucky survival story of Chris Staff in the White Mountains - hallucinations, bugs and hunger, Mysterious UFO phenomena begins to be acknowledged officially by the US Military, The mysterious disappearance of Michael Bryson from the Hobo Campground in Oregon. We're looking at the entire area as a whole.". Gerrish was excited to teach Muji how to swim and she loved the water, and spent the day splashing around in a pool float. After the gate, the Forest Service Road is a steep drop, which eventually leads to the Savage Lundy Trailhead where the family would have hiked. There's just still so many that we can't rule out. Elevation is 1,800 feet; temperature was 99-103. . There are at least 3,000 abandoned mines from Californias 19th-century Gold Rush in the area. Carmen Kohlruss is a features and news reporter for The Fresno Bee. Investigators were initially considering whether toxic algae blooms or other hazards may have contributed to the deaths, and the area where the family was found was briefly treated as a hazmat site. . Some did, most didnt. This story was originally published August 21, 2021, 10:20 AM. A Mariposa County deputy sheriff stands watch. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The farther into the canyon we dropped, the more often she brought up turning back and heading out. But was this really a possible explanation, given the distance to the mine? John Gerrish, 45, was from Lancashire, in the U.K., and moved to the US several years ago, working as a software engineer for Google in San Francisco. As I swabbed beaded drops of sweat from my brow, Rita asked, Do you want to do it, Janet? Quitting the hike didnt feel right, but the haunting thoughts of thejeep road unnerved me. When will it re-open? This area is now history for me but I will not grieve. to Scott Rd. Jack Wildt, a retired gold miner, said it would have been difficult for the family to even find an entrance to a historic mine, as most had been blanked by years of brush. . There are no restrooms or services. Autopsies for the family and dog were completed two days later. By the time they met the Savage Lundy Trail, it was hotter still 100 degrees. The trail was closed until September 26, or sooner "if conditions change" around the area. Briese said the family was located a couple miles from the south fork . The Mariposa County Coroner is awaiting toxicology results from the bodies, which could take several weeks. Rita began talking about how hot it would be on the return trip verbalizing my thoughts. This picture shows the beginning of the trailhead and you wouldnt really know it if you didnt know where it was. We walked through the brush and around switchbacks steering clear of poison oak that crept onto the trail. When the deputies found the truck, a search-and-rescue team hiked down the steep and straight road with flashlights and found shoe and paw prints similar to what would be expected from a family of that size with a dog. 4 / The family and their dog were found dead early on the morning of Aug. 17 about 2 miles up the Savage-Lundy Trail, around 3,100 feet elevation . 1198.11 m Down, 8.0 mi The couple had been inseparable since they met several years ago, and forwent a large ceremony to wed in San Franciscos City Hall, said family friend Steve Jeffe, who also lives in Mariposa. A photo of Ellen Chung, left, and John Gerrish, holding their 1-year old daughter, Muji. The official cause of death still leaves many questions and remains a puzzling outcome for the families, especially as they seem to have succumbed to the heat all at the same time, including the dog. Her stories have been recognized with Best of the West and McClatchy Presidents awards, and many top awards from the California News Publishers Association. Officials with the U.S. Forest Services Sierra National Forest announced last month that testing along the Merced River near Hites Cove showed a high concentration of algae bloom and warned visitors against swimming, wading or allowing their pets to swim in the water. A state task force geared toward creating a possible reparations plan is having public meetings. His ID is now known, Honeymooning couple abandoned at sea by snorkel tour boat, Hawaii lawsuit says, Watch: Brawl ends Inderkum-Riordan CIF Northern California playoff game in San Francisco, Calls for help fail as man stuck in snow tries to dig vehicle out, CA rescuers say. In 2020, he won a Polk Award for military reporting for his coverage of the Capt. This trail is not for everyone though. on. The family started their hike from a trailhead down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale in Mariposa County. I rarely hike with this group, but when I saw that the trailhead of one of the hikes was nearby, I wanted to take advantage of the close proximityand explore the area. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. A regional order, which was issued Monday and went into effect Tuesday, listed more than a dozen picnic sites and trails and one road that would be closed to the public through at least Sept. 26. a Northern California couple, their baby and the family dog were found dead, more than a dozen picnic sites and trails, avid hikers from Mariposa, were reported missing by a family friend a day before authorities found them. Combine this with the steep unshaded trail, and you enter into an extremely dangerous situation. Trailhead on Savage-Lundy Trail in Sierra NF, Sierra Nevada near Midpines, CA Wildlife Watching Report Top Animal Species 1. Since then, the case has baffled authorities and their cause of death remained a mystery.. Length 5.0 miElevation gain 905 ftRoute type Out & back. There are no toxic gases in any of these mines up there, Wildt said. It is 3.0 miles long and the most difficult of these trails. The couple, their 1-year-old daughter and their dog were found dead on a Mariposa hiking trail. . and then descending Devil's Gulch or just riding up the trail itself. They wished to raise Miju away from a major city and hoped to leave the frantic pace of the San Francisco Bay Area for the calm of nature. The toxins produced by some algae can be harmful to humans and animals. The Mariposa County Sheriffs Office also shared the following timeline of recent events and their investigation. By 1864, the town had a population of about 100 and a 10-stamp mill in operation, later increased to a 20-stamp mill. John and Ellen married in 2019 and had moved to Mariposa County from San Francisco after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, to enjoy the outdoors, after starting working from home on a permanent basis. We've looked at storms the weather, animals. The sky was becoming overcast and we could finally feel a cooling breeze. Its tragic, its emotionalwere going to do everything we can to ensure closure and the safety of our community., Kristie Mitchell said, "Investigators have considered whether toxic gasses, toxic algae and carbon monoxide from abandoned mines near in area may have contributed to the deaths. The case . We've looked at lighting strikes in the area. 835' Up It begins at 3s02c and ends at South Fork Merced 21e01. Boy Scouts carrying full packs squeezed by. Authorities checking all possibilities in mysterious deaths, Remote hiking area where Northern California family was found dead treated as a hazmat site, Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area. Be watchful for rattlesnakes too. The area is northeast of Mariposa and southwest of Yosemite National Park. Rita had ridden to the trailhead with another couple. It is more easily accessible from Highway 140 and is also well known for its poppy displaying spring. The rugged terrain presents many operational challenges to firefighters. Monday, Aug. 23: Additional water samples are collected from water sources along the trail area., Tuesday, Aug. 24: A cell phone is delivered to the FBI for data extraction, awaiting results., Wednesday, Aug. 25: Search warrants issued for possible social media access..

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