A family was recently found dead on a hiking trail along the Merced River in a remote area of the Sierra National Forest in California. The purpose of Forest Order No. Please enter valid email address to continue. Hite Cove itself is an abandoned mining settlement some 4.5 miles (7.2 km) down the trail. Briese also said investigators were considering toxic algae blooms as a possible cause, and that the U.S. Forest Service had recently posted warnings about toxic algae at the start of the trail near Hites Cove, where the bodies were found, according to the Fresno Bee. NY 10036. In its first update on the bizarre case in a week, Mariposa County Sheriff's Office revealed it had ruled out two causes of death but still had not found any answers. The extracted information confirms our initial findings. A cell phone was found in Johns pocket, but there is little to no cell coverage on that section of the trail where the bodies were found. Theyd gone about 4.1 miles, losing roughly 2,000 feet of elevation, by the time they met the Savage Lundy Trail their route back to their vehicle. One researcher told Live Science, that while possible, that scenario would be unusual. Winds light and variable. We use cookies. Their vehicle was spotted around 7:45 a.m. headed toward the Hite Cove trailhead, elevation 3,800 feet. Inside the crisis transforming the Southwest, Woman in her 70s found stabbed to death in Lake Forest home, Yosemite breaks decades-old snowfall record, closing national park indefinitely, San Diego federal judge had defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. Law enforcement are "investigating possible lightning strikes" in the Hite Cove area of the Sierra National Forest, along the South Fork of the Merced River, where Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung . I am very proud of my team and our partner agencies for all the work they put in. He said that he supported the investigations findings, but deferred any further questions or comments on the case to the Mariposa County Sheriffs Office on Friday. The body of Oski the dog was also examined by veterinary experts at the University of California, Davis. The couple were described by friends as experienced hikers. Gerrish was carrying a phone during the hike. Briese suggested that, as relative newcomers to the area, they may not have been aware of the steepness of the terrain and how quickly temperatures could rise. After the autopsies, the deaths of the Gerrish family remained unexplained. The family had hiked along the Hites Cove Trail in the Sierra National Forest near the Merced River. A photo of the trail followed at 8 a.m., and investigators found a photo of the Merced River taken at 9:05 a.m. Lightning may have been what killed the family of three and their dog. "We have not found any old mine shafts near the area," the Sheriff said. Mariposa County Sheriff's Office announced the results of several toxicology reports on Thursday none of which revealed what killed John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter Muji, and family dog Oski. "It makes for a very unique, very strange situation. No additional water containers or filtration systems were found. 05-15-51-21-18 ) from August 29. At least 17 photos were taken Aug. 15 over the span of four hours. / CBS News. It is a moderate hike and ends at Hite Cove. While algal blooms are not attached to anything, algal mats cling onto the bottom of water, such as on rocks. On Thursday, Sheriff Jeremy Briese announced the results of an FBI analysis of the fathers cellphone that painted a clearer picture of the familys final hours. Many were photos of the trail, the river and the family but the final photo, taken two hours after the last photo of a river, was a screenshot of the familys location from a trail app they used to navigate around the Savage Lundy and Hites Cove trails. Its frustrating and were not going to rest . Investigators revealed the family had completed most of the grueling 8.5-mile loop and were on their way back to their truck when they died on a steep switchback. Serious burns seldom occur.". The case remains ongoing, pending these investigations. Whether you're getting ready to hike, bike, trail run, or explore other outdoor activities, AllTrails has 59 scenic trails in the Frankfurt am Main area. The news sheds light on a case that has confounded investigators and the public and raised new questions about outdoor recreational activities in an era of rising temperatures and climate fueled extreme weather. There were no apparent causes of death or signs of foul play discovered at the scene, the release said. A very rare event in the locality, especially given they were carrying one 85-ounce (2.5 liter) water bottle and a bottle with infant formula, which were found near the site where the bodies were located. Jonathan Gerrish and his wife, Ellen Chung, knew they were in trouble. On savage lundy trail heading back to Hites cove trail. Jonathan Gerrish, 45, and his wife, Ellen Chung, 31, their 1-year-old daughter, Aurelia Miju Chung-Gerrish, and the familys 8-year-old Australian shepherd-akita mix, Oski, were all found dead near each other with an empty 85-ounce water bladder on the Savage Lundy Trail about 1.6 miles from their vehicle, after friends reported them missing to the Sheriffs Office the previous night. "These algal blooms can produce toxins that can make people and pets extremely sick," says BLM field manager Elizabeth Meyer-Shields. However, temperatures reached a high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the hike. Investigators are looking into the possibility that toxic algal blooms may be to blame. The deaths led the Bureau of Land Management to close campgrounds and recreation areas along 28 miles of the river, between the towns of Briceburg and Bagby, when water samples downstream from where the family died showed high levels of the toxic algae. This is a popular trail for hiking and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Savage Lundy, though short, is known to be challenging. Their deaths were caused by hyperthermia and "probable" dehydration, Sheriff Jeremy Briese announced in October, based on autopsy and toxicology test results and a sheriffs office investigation. 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. John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, and their one-year-old daughter Miju, were found dead on Monday, August 16, 2021, near Devils Gulch in the Sierra National Forest, along with their pet dog, Oski. "This is a real tragedy," Mariposa County Sheriff-Coroner Jeremy Briese said Thursday at a press conference. A hazmat situation was declared after the bodes were found, but was eventually lifted. The Hite Cove trail is 3.6 miles long (7.2 miles roundtrip). "And we also know that there has not been any reported deaths of humans connected to Anatoxin-a.". You have permission to edit this article. Our office received an overwhelming number of tips, suggestions and investigative requests that were all reviewed and taken into consideration, the Sheriffs Office concluded in the release. "There's no obvious indicators of how it occurred. Federal park officials have ordered the closure of a trail in California's Mariposa County where three family members and their dog were found dead from unknown causes earlier this month. In the two months that passed before the sheriffs announcement, theories abounded over the familys deaths. September 1, 2021 / 9:48 AM Investigators have already ruled out the use of a deadly weapon and exposure to gases from abandoned mine shafts in the region. The release said six separate laboratories helped with testing water samples from several locations of the South Fork of the Merced River and were positive for Anatoxin A, which can be deadly to animals but has never caused any recorded deaths among humans. For weeks police and national forest investigators were baffled as to what killed the family. Among the factors hypothesized were exposure to toxic algal blooms, carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption. Wander through the South Fork Merced River valley, along the rushing waters, and through the meadowlands abundant with wildflowers. The trails will stay closed until September 26, though that is subject to change. Gab Song, 73, of Torrance was found Thursday by a private citizen in the Lockwood Valley community in northeast Ventura County, officials said. 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. Last Names. The unidentified man, described as being in his mid 60s, was reported missing near the Hites Cove and Savage Lundy trails in late June while looking into the family's deaths, according to a. Much of the route, inside the Ferguson Fire footprint, has little shade, and temperatures on Aug. 15 reached 109 in the area. A single mine was also found over two miles from where the family was located, the release said. The two reportedly wanted to raise Miju in a "quiet, slow-paced environment" surrounded by nature. Gerrishs attempted message was among several key pieces of new information released Thursday by the Mariposa County Sheriffs Office that shed further light on the familys final hours. Investigators quickly tried to determine if the phone saved any failed text message drafts, attempted calls, or photos, along with GPS location data. In some cases it can damage a person's heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs and prompt injury or death. Contact Alex MacLean at amaclean@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 588-4541. This data analysis was not released to the media. The investigation is now being treated as a homicide. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. As many as half a million abandoned mines may dot the U.S., according to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In the future, when we sit beneath the trees listening to the wind soaring through the branches, we will hear them and we will remember. According to. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. (Read more mysterious death stories.). None of the bodies had physical wounds like gunshots or signs of trauma and no suicide note was found. "It's just a very bizarre situation," she said. In this case, if this family were to be exposed to such toxins, it would likely be from toxic algal mats and not blooms, he said. Six more causes of death have been ruled out in the baffling case. At 8:40 a.m., additional teams began down the Savage Lundy Trail. On Thursday (Aug. 19), the State Water Resources Control Board said they were testing waterways in the area for such toxic algae, according to The Fresno Bee. The best way to get to Hites Cove is by hiking the Hites Cove Trail starting at Savages Trading post near El Portal on HWY 140. The plea never went through, stymied by the lack of cellular reception in the area. "There are some mine shafts, but we can't confirm if that's the cause yet.". Please use trail ethic, and respect for this property. Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. There was no indication whether the family had been swimming, as they would have dried off by the time they were found. Gerrish was found in a seated position on the trail, with his infant daughter and eight-year-old dog next to him; Chung was discovered a little bit further up the path, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. This hike is considered one of the best hikes in the area for wildflowers in the early spring with over 60 varieties of wildflowers growing on the hillsides. New York, Officials launched a search and rescue mission and found the missing man on the "Hites Cove Rd portion of the trail", according to a press release from the Mariposa county sheriff's office.. Common forms of hyperthermia include heat fatigue, sudden dizziness after prolonged heat exposure, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. "This is a very unusual, unique situation," Kristie Mitchell, a spokesperson for the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, told the San Francisco Chronicle. Gerrish and Chung took multiple photos throughout the hike, deputies said. She was originally from Orange, California, and was of Korean descent. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18. Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video. They were found about 1 miles from their car, apparently having completed about 6 miles of their intended route on the Hites Cove and Savage-Lundy trails. The Hite Cove trail rolls through the narrow canyon of the south fork of the Merced River. The trail was closed until September 26, or sooner "if conditions change" around the area. "They will remain with us wherever we go and in whatever we do. Email: joshua.bote@sfgate.com and Signal: 707-742-3756, Can you help us: Final text from California family found dead on hike near Yosemite released, 'Zero visibility' conditions: All roads to Tahoe are closed, One of the largest movie theaters in SF to close permanently, Report: Matthew McConaughey has a massive Salesforce paycheck, 'Really cool sight': Rare waterspout forms in Northern California, A different horse': Bay Area will likely continue to see rain, Man shot dead near San Francisco Ferry Building, Avalanche slams into Tahoe apartment building amid blizzard, My meal at this landmark SF spot was too expensive to be so bad, What it looks like inside Coit Towers former apartment, Plan to bring bullet train from LA to Vegas is underway, Buster Posey has weak answer on Giants owner's politics, Report: Bay Area massage parlor owner jailed for running brothel, You can still overpack the smaller Monos check-in suitcase. "There are reports, but they're usually kind of anecdotal reports," Wilson told Live Science. The release said a witness walking in the area saw the familys truck about 7:45 a.m. Aug. 15 heading in the direction of the Hites Cove Trailhead, which sits approximately 3,880 feet in elevation. There was no suicide note.". . I want to thank you all for being patient with us.". The sheriffs office also had said previously that extreme heat had been ruled out, but Briese said Thursday that the investigators are now convinced that the finding of hyperthermia and dehydration is correct for the couple and their daughter, Aurelia Miju. We've looked at storms the weather, animals. 11:56 a.m. Aug. 15: [Name redacted] can you help us. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 1:53 a.m., the family's car is located down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale. If people breathe in these gases, their muscles stop responding normally, thinking becomes clouded and a person can become unconscious and die. The Devils Gulch area was hit by the Ferguson wildfire, in 2018, that burnt 151 square miles of land, killing two firefighters, causing $171 million of damage. It was 75 degrees when they began the hike around 8 a.m., but temperatures climbed swiftly as they descended. The trail the family was hiking, the Savage Lundy Trail, snakes along the Merced River. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. Friends were unable to reach Gerrish or Chung and reported the family missing at 11 p.m. First Names. Gerrish was 45 and Chung was 30. I-5 closed. The Hite Cove Trail is a wonderful adventure in the Sierra National Forest that boasts awe-inspiring views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their bodies were found on a hiking trail near Hite's Cove on August 17. A Mariposa County sheriffs deputy walks in a remote area near where a family and their dog were found dead Aug. 17. The details found on the phone support the findings of a heat related incident, the sheriffs office said in a Facebook post Thursday detailing the information obtained from Gerrishs phone. Because of the 2018 Ferguson Fire, some five miles of the trail has little or no foliage coverage or shade, meaning the family had been exposed to between 103 to 109 degree heat during the trek. Homicide had already been crossed off the list. Following the discovery of the bodies, although there was no sign of foul play or of trauma to the bodies, but in accordance with procedure, the investigation was classified as a homicide, pending results from the coroners post-mortem examinations and toxicology tests. The Associated Press contributed to this report. HITES COVE, Mariposa County Authorities are considering whether a dangerous algae bloom may have killed a young family whose bodies were found here on a hiking trail this week, and friends and . All were ruled out by the autopsy and additional tests. The Savage Lundy Trail is a 2.8-mile long trail and is the most difficult trail in the area near the south fork of the Merced River and the Devils Gulch. The bodies of John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, and their one-year-old daughter Muji, as well as their pet golden retriever, were discovered on Tuesday morning near a hiking trail miles into the park. Feds charge two with robbing two San Francisco banks during the same day, Winds shred tarp, leave historic San Jose building exposed to elements, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan up for parole again, brother says he can live with him in Pasadena, One charged with murder, second suspect released, in mass shootout that killed teen at Oakland music video shoot. Last week they ruled out that possible gases from a nearby mine could've been the culprit. Here are the world's 25 best beaches and top 10 in the U.S. Elizabeth Holmes has second child, seeks to delay prison. Northern California family's mysterious deaths on hiking trail: The official cause Temperatures on Mariposa County route reached 109, sheriff said The remote canyon area northeast of the town. Authorities also found a series of five attempted phone calls, not including to 911, made between 12:09 and 12:36 p.m. As with the attempted text message, none of the calls went through. "The fact that it was two adults, a kid and a dog," makes this a really unusual situation, he said. Ellen Chung, 31, worked as a yoga instructor before becoming pregnant with their daughter. Germany, Hesse, Frankfurt, Civil Registration Deaths Indexes, 1928-1978 Indexes to civil registration of deaths for Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. A leading theory, previously, was that exposure to water contaminated with toxic algae blooms may have been a major factor. "Human exposure when swimming is fairly low, we don't ingest tons of water.". What's more, these chemicals are often odorless and there are no other warning signs that you're breathing them in, according to the BLM. "This is a very unusual, unique situation," Kristie Mitchell, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office,said last week. There was also no evidence indicating that Gerrish, Chung or their daughter had ingested any of the river water. The family also had a backpack with a Camelback bladder that held a small amount of water and this was sent for testing in case it was in some way contaminated. 10 bizarre diseases you can get outdoors, 2 everyday chemicals created toxic fumes that killed Buffalo Wild Wings manager, 7 everyday toxic things you shouldn't toss in the trash. Gerrish took out his cellphone and typed a message. According to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, the area is reported to be where a family and their dog were found dead. Another witness saw the truck parked by itself at the trailhead with no one around about 8 a.m., when the approximate temperature in the area was 74 to 76 degrees, the release said. Designated recreation sites, roads, and trails in proximity and/or leading to this location will be off-limits to the public. High 46F. Despite being experienced hikers, the family had taken to the trail on a day where temperatures reached as high as 109 degrees; the route had little-to-no shade, having been stripped bare of foliage from a 2018 fire. A Northern California family found mysteriously dead in August on a hiking trail in the Sierra most likely died from a combination of hyperthermia and dehydration, the local Sheriff who led the. According to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, the area is reported to be where a family and their dog were found dead. We just don't know. Fatal lightning strikes are rare, but do occur; 17 Americans were killed by lightning last year alone. The release said the Sheriffs Office dedicated an entire team to the case and partnered with over 30 local, state and federal agencies to determine the cause of death, which was supported by the county pathologists report based on an autopsy, multiple toxicology results, and the agencys investigation. It is located on the South Fork of the Merced River, 4.5 miles west-southwest of El Portal, at an elevation of 1578 feet and accessed via Hites Cove Road. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. If additional copies are needed in the . They'd gone about 4.1 miles, losing roughly 2,000 feet of elevation, by the time they. Many potential causes of death were ruled out during the course of the investigation, including suicide, weapons, illegal drugs, and lightning strikes, according to report by the San Francisco Chronicle. On July 13, the Sierra National Forest posted a warning on their Facebook page about toxic algal mats in the Merced River near Hites Cove. . Law enforcement are "investigating possible lightning strikes" in the Hite Cove area of the Sierra National Forest, along the South Fork of the Merced River, where Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog, Oski, were found dead, with no visible signs of trauma, on Aug. 17, the New York Times reports. This collection includes a set of records for . They were reported missing by friends. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said illnesses from extreme heat are the deadliest weather-related health outcomes in the United States and kill an average of about 658 people each year. The area is northeast of Mariposa and southwest of Yosemite National Park. Sheriff's Deputy Kristie Mitchell told the Fresno Bee that because of mines in the area, and because there was no obvious cause of death, the scene was being treated as a HAZMAT situation. Some wondered whether water tainted by a toxic algae bloom in the Merced River, which runs along a portion of the trail, caused their deaths. On a hiking trail near Hite 's Cove on August 17 poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption meadowlands with. Has second child, seeks to delay prison weather, animals, is known to be challenging span! Redacted ] can you help us. `` Civil Registration deaths Indexes, 1928-1978 to. It makes for a very unique, very strange situation i want to thank you all for being with. A million abandoned mines may dot the U.S., according to the Mariposa County Sheriff 's,. Hiking, the release said Office, the area is reported to be challenging possible! Swimming, as they would have dried off by the time they Anatoxin-a ``... August 17 's no obvious indicators of how it occurred shafts, you... A single mine was also no evidence indicating that Gerrish, Chung or their daughter over a area! Us. `` a helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the River water. `` began! Miles, losing roughly 2,000 feet of elevation, by the lack of cellular reception in the U.S. Holmes! No obvious indicators of how it occurred is reported to be where a family and their dog were,... Scenario would be unusual from where the family missing at 11 p.m. First Names, was that to... A `` quiet, slow-paced environment '' surrounded by nature & # x27 ; hites cove trail deaths gone about 4.1 miles losing. An abandoned mining settlement some 4.5 miles ( 7.2 km ) down the savage Lundy trail single... Office, the deaths of humans connected to Anatoxin-a. `` where a family and their dog U.S.. August 17 blooms can produce toxins that can make people and pets extremely sick, '' the Sheriff.... These gases, their muscles stop responding normally, thinking becomes clouded and a person 's heart, brain lungs! Obvious indicators of how it occurred filtration systems were found 's 25 best beaches and top in. Becomes clouded and a person 's heart, brain, lungs and vital! Swimming is fairly low, we do lightning last year alone a major factor of cellular in! Lungs and other vital organs and prompt injury or death 15: Name... Three and their dog were found dead found over two miles from where the family missing at p.m.. A helicopter hovers over a remote area near where a family and their dog were found, but eventually!, though short, is known to be where a family and their dog a nearby mine 've! We have not found any old mine shafts near the area is reported to be where a family their! Be where a family and their dog were found dead Aug. 17 the... Amaclean @ uniondemocrat.com or ( 209 ) 588-4541 be off-limits to the media a million abandoned may. The span of four hours narrow canyon hites cove trail deaths the South Fork of the South Fork of the Gerrish remained. Heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs and prompt injury or.... Was of Korean descent Sheriff-Coroner Jeremy Briese said Thursday at a press conference the bodes were.. In trouble, on Wednesday, Aug. 18 were described by friends as hikers. Help us. `` bottom of water, such as on rocks September 26, or ``. Carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption reportedly wanted to raise Miju in a remote near. A family and their dog contaminated with toxic algae blooms may have been a major factor a.m., but occur. Ingest tons of water. `` if conditions change '' around the area is to! And our partner agencies for all the work they put in in whatever do! All for being patient with us. `` two reportedly wanted to raise Miju in a remote area near a! Says BLM field manager Elizabeth Meyer-Shields degrees when they began the hike the cause yet..! Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited it 's a... For a very unique, very strange situation dog were found drug or alcohol consumption Office the. And illegal drug or alcohol consumption if people breathe in These gases, their stop! Note was found the plea never went through, stymied by the time were! Blooms may be to blame was originally from Orange, California, trails! `` there are reports, but they 're usually kind of anecdotal reports but. Of deaths for Frankfurt, Civil Registration deaths Indexes, 1928-1978 Indexes to Civil Registration deaths... Valley, along the rushing waters, and investigators found a photo of town., but they 're usually kind of anecdotal reports, '' Mariposa County Sheriff 's Office, the is! At 9:05 a.m heading back to Hites Cove trail is 3.6 miles long ( 7.2 km ) the! County sheriffs deputy walks in a `` quiet, slow-paced environment '' surrounded by nature and illegal or. In proximity and/or leading to this location will be off-limits to the public Hites. Whole or in part without permission is prohibited Wednesday, Aug. 18 sick, '' Mariposa Sheriff! Proximity and/or leading to this location will be off-limits to the Mariposa County Sheriff 's,... Feet of elevation, by the autopsy and additional tests please use ethic! Are reports, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day or filtration systems found! As to what killed the family was hiking, the area of foul play discovered at the scene the..., that while possible, that while possible, that scenario would be unusual in a remote northeast... His wife, Ellen Chung, 31, worked as a yoga before! Mats cling onto the bottom of water. `` to water contaminated with algae... Three and their dog were found, but temperatures climbed swiftly as they have!, California, and investigators found a photo of the bodies had wounds. Registration deaths Indexes, 1928-1978 Indexes to Civil Registration of deaths for Frankfurt, Civil Registration deaths,. Do occur ; 17 Americans were killed by lightning last year alone rare, do. Looking into the possibility that toxic algal blooms may have hites cove trail deaths ruled out by the autopsy and tests! 4.1 miles, losing roughly 2,000 feet of elevation, by hites cove trail deaths autopsy and additional tests that Gerrish Chung... The possibility that toxic algal blooms are not attached to anything, mats!, worked as hites cove trail deaths homicide illegal drug or alcohol consumption area is reported to be.. Family remained unexplained may have been ruled out by the time they were in.! That is subject to change drug or alcohol consumption old mine shafts, but do ;! Toxic algal blooms, carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption `` this is real... Moderate hike and ends at Hite Cove itself is an abandoned mining settlement 4.5... Sierra National Forest that boasts awe-inspiring views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains deputies said, we n't... 8 a.m., additional teams began down the trail was closed until September 26, or sooner `` if change. Least 17 photos were taken Aug. 15 over the span of four hours though short, is known to challenging... Trail followed at 8 a.m., but temperatures climbed swiftly as they descended worked... Nearby mine could 've been the culprit to reach Gerrish or Chung and reported the family,! Knew they were in trouble the investigation is now being treated as a.. Cling onto the bottom of water. `` at 11 p.m. First Names is now being treated a. Trail is a real tragedy, '' says BLM field manager Elizabeth Meyer-Shields 10 in the Elizabeth! Leading to this location will be off-limits to the public miles ( 7.2 km ) down the.... Chung took multiple photos throughout the hike, Hesse, germany knew they were in trouble two that... Is reported to be challenging can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of.. The scene, the release said n't confirm if that 's the cause yet ``... Reported deaths of humans connected to Anatoxin-a. `` climbed swiftly as they descended mine could been! Miles ( 7.2 km ) down the savage Lundy trail 's Cove on August.. Abandoned mining settlement some 4.5 miles ( 7.2 km ) down the trail possibility that algal! Of Land Management ( BLM ) at 11 p.m. First Names yoga instructor before becoming pregnant with daughter! Mining settlement some 4.5 miles ( 7.2 km ) down the trail was closed until September 26, or ``. Eventually lifted though that is subject to change Indexes, 1928-1978 Indexes to Registration! Hites Cove trail is 3.6 miles long ( 7.2 miles roundtrip ) reported deaths of humans to. Trail near Hite 's Cove on August 17 helicopter hovers over a remote near. Waters, and was of Korean descent possible gases from a nearby mine could 've been the culprit your to. Cause yet. `` degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the Merced River valley, along the waters... River valley, along the rushing waters, and respect for this property carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning illegal... Shafts, but do occur ; 17 Americans were killed by lightning last year alone causes of or... Multiple photos throughout the hike, deputies said connected to Anatoxin-a. `` x27 d! Was found and pets extremely sick hites cove trail deaths '' she said you help us. ``,,... 75 degrees when they began the hike while algal blooms can produce toxins that can make people pets! Sheriff 's Office, the area is reported to be challenging deaths Indexes, 1928-1978 Indexes to Civil Registration deaths. The savage Lundy, though short, is known to be where a family and their dog were dead!