Tuesday, East Side of Hurrah Pass

Saturday Night

All day Tom has seen vehicles on top of Hurrah Pass, spend a few minutes, then turn around and go back to town. Everybody still a little nervous apparently.

Road's Open

Disc golfers showed up today to play a round and Tom slightly changed his speech. "Don't need to carry water for holes One through Four as they just go around the lodge. Large male big horn hanging out by the basket on Five, be careful. After you tee off on Seven I won't see you again until the basket on Fourteen. Had a massive rock fall on the trail between Fourteen and Fifteen and you have to slide between two very large boulders now. Take this walkie talkie with you and if you can't find a tee or a basket give me a call. Oh yea, if you see a dead guy out there, let me know."

History

On May 29, 1998 three suspects killed a police officer, wounded others and eventually holed up in San Juan County. One suspect (dead) was found in the brush and rock canyons similar to here. Seventeen months later a second suspect (dead) was found by 11 Navajo men deer hunting. On June 10th, 2007 a Blanding cowboy pulled material out of the ground that turned out to be a bullet proof vest with bones inside and nine years later closure came to the manhunt. It's of course possible this one slipped away but so many people were here so fast and combed the area so quickly, Tom's guess is Rodney will be hiking around his property (Caveman Ranch) or Tom and Kobae will be out on one of their strolls around Base Camp and this manhunt will come to a similar close as the last. Here's hoping.

Thanksgiving Day Seven

Choke points are still manned and there are roving patrols. Normally for a four day weekend Tom would be able to hear ATV's and jeeps in the distance and on this day, there is nothing. Scheduled Base Camp guests were unable to get to the lodge. Even the deer and big horn vacated from all the activity. When Tom walked the perimeter of the property this morning there were no footprints, not even wildlife. Tom checks the boat ramp to make sure the canoe and Last Hurrah kayaks remain.

Day Six

One boat in the river, a few low flying planes, people posted at choke points, still no getting in or out of or to Base Camp. Five days without food, wounded, no tracks. Last night sixty mile an hour winds, 20 degrees, and wake up this morning to snow. Tonight's temperature will be five degrees. The search has been changed to roving patrols and blocking of escape routes. http://www.grandcountysheriff.org/ Perhaps Kobae and Tom will find him out hiking next spring. Meanwhile back in San Diego.

Day Five

It's quiet, only one helicopter so far. Can see people at choke points including Hurrah Pass. They still think he's here.

Day Four

Day four is much like the others. Start to cook breakfast, SWAT team shows up and needs info on trails out of the valley. Put breakfast back in the freezer, off with SWAT. Two or three hours later come back, take breakfast out of the freezer, fire up a burner, more people show up and need to know river crossing options, tamarisk hideouts, and caves. Back in the freezer. Mid afternoon, everyone is called back to headquarters. No explanation. For the first time in four days, it's quiet. Typing with one hand, pistol in the other.

Salute

There are over 200 law enforcement people out here today and these are the conditions they continue the hunt in. A salute to them. As darkness falls on day three, bad guy is still out there.

Comes the Dawn

It's a beautiful morning, except for one thing, there's a bad guy still out here. Night and day here, there is very little difference. Get the bad guy.

Comes The Dark

Early afternoon a backpack and rifle are found. A bloody tshirt a few hours later. With darkness all about, Tom can see flashlights on the ledges, hear voices along the river, and watch helicopters above. There is a bad guy out here still.

The Hunt Is On

SWAT team members clear all structures and outbuildings around Base Camp and entry points from the river using the lodge, jeep, truck, and ATVs.

Bad Guy

At 8:40pm, Friday night at Poison Spider and Pot Ash, a Park Ranger checked out a vehicle and was hit by three bullets. Despite three wounds he returned fire and the shooter is wounded. His vehicle is found two miles from Base Camp. By 10pm helicopters are circling Base Camp and vehicle lights are flooding the area. When morning comes, vehicles, boats, helicopters and law enforcement on foot are everywhere.

Pine Tree, Tunnel, Turret, and Double Arch

Double O Arch

Landscape, Navajo, and Partition Arches (and trail between)

Thursday Evening From Arches

Delicate Arch

Tom spends late Thursday afternoon on the hike to Delicate Arch.

Fiery Furnace (The Way Out)

Fiery Furnace (Surprise Arch)

Fiery Furnace (Kissing Turtles Arch)

Fiery Furnace

Tom visits Walk Through Arch and Twin Arches during three hours Thursday afternoon in the Fiery Furnace.