We were hiking out and back on ahistoric path that gold miners walked in the mid-1800s: the Savage-Lundy trail in the Sierra National Forestdown to Devils Gulch on the South Fork of the Merced River. Initial autopsy. He said crews have been searching around where the family was found to make sure they arent missing some mines or other hazards. At 3.20 am, the sheriffs office reserved a search helicopter for daybreak. Gerrish was excited to teach Muji how to swim and she loved the water, and spent the day splashing around in a pool float. 05-15-51-21-18 ) from August 29. Tracy Barbutes / Special to The Chronicle, Heres where California reservoir levels stand after this weeks rains. Her stories have been recognized with Best of the West and McClatchy Presidents awards, and many top awards from the California News Publishers Association. Mining lawyer Patrick Mitchell said it would take serious effort to reach a depth in any mine that would pose deadly health risks, and thats even if they could find access. The Savage-Lundy trail runs through an area of the Sierra National Forest known as Devil's Gulch, ending at the South Fork Merced River. This is no recreation area, said a neighbor, who lives next door to the familys Darrah property that they also rent out on Airbnb. 3,374' Up Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. In 2017, Gafni won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for his work on the Ghost Ship fire. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Friday, Aug. 20: Search warrants issued for a phone found with the family. Savage Lundy, though short, is known to be challenging. The buildings burned down in 1924 but quite a bit of the old foundations, mining equipment and diggings can still be seen. The rugged terrain presents many operational challenges to firefighters. Iwas stressed out when we reached the trailhead, soLeslie offered to drive back when we were finished hiking. 319.56 m Down, 8.0 mi 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. John and Ellen, together with their baby and dog, drove to the start of the trail in their Ford Raptor truck on the afternoon of Sunday, August 15. Exclusive: Stunning photos show Yosemite National Park under 15 feet of Warriors treating Andrew Wiggins with understandable patience, but his California snowpack hits highest level this century for March, could Map shows which parts of California exceeded entire years worth of rain, Map shows stunning improvement in California drought, Last chance to see: Bay Bridge lights turn off on Sunday. which turned into Hites Cove Rd., following it to the end of the good part of the road where there is a wide open area that looks like it has been used for camping and who knows what in the past. 1:12. Once we got toward the bottom, there was poison oak near along the trail, sometimes whipping our legs. Their friend, Mariposa real estate agent Sidney Radanovich, said, "(They) fell in love with the Mariposa area" and bought several homes there, a residence for themselves and rental investments.. For all of the fretting I did in my mind about the drive, it wasnt as bad as I built it up to be. Green is good, Daniel. Hites Cove Road. We're not focusing on one specific cause at this point. Defendant violated agreement, Tamale-making mom and son went viral on TikTok. School Food Waste Is a Big Problem, Lets Fix It, The Climate Crisis and the Catholic Churchs Mind-blowing Land Holdings, Leonardo DiCaprios Loud Voice Celebrates Lulas Win in Brazil that Ousted Bolsonaro, What Everyone Ought to Know about DiCaprio, Kerry and the Global Methane Pledge. The following year, he was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for his work covering the Camp Fire. Thus, the best time to hike this trail is when temperatures are cooler, which you'll find from mid-October through early May. Gerrish for years had been an engineer for Google, Jeffe said, and had only recently begun working at Snapchat after his paternity leave had ended. Briese said that his deputies were working to support the victims devastated families. Hiking Day Hiking. Ellen Chung, left, and her husband, Jonathan Gerrish. Autopsies for the family and dog were completed two days later. A flock of wild turkeys and woodpeckers were among wildlife in the area Wednesday afternoon. The path nestled in the chaparral forest narrowed and each hiker kept their own pace. 43,234' Up 0:00. The area is populated by pines, incense cedar and oaks many killed in the 2018 Ferguson Fire. After lunch I wandered around while Steve took a siesta. Heres how the chase played out, People keep dying. Two Madera patients died in the last month, one en route to Fresno, Special delivery: Deputies help Fresno County man needing medicine but trapped at snowed-in home. Weapons or chemical hazards along a trail have been ruled out as a possible cause of death in a mysterious case of a Mariposa family found dead while hiking in Sierra National Forest over a week ago. John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their daughter Miju, 1, and the family's dog Oski were all discovered on the 3-mile long Savage-Lundy Trail in the forest, in an area known as Devil's Gulchnear the community of Hites Cove. Your FREE account works with all Adventure Projects sites. 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. It begins at 3s02c and ends at South Fork Merced 21e01. Mariposa Sheriff Jeremy Briese said detectives are working round the clock to find answers for Gerrishs and Chungs family and friends. When will it re-open? Mitchell said it is very hot at this time of year and there is . Carmen Kohlruss is a features and news reporter for The Fresno Bee. He investigates stories in the East Bay and beyond. 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. A Mariposa County Sheriffs Office official stopped some media Wednesday afternoon along Hites Cove Road near the Hites Cove Helipad, past Apperson Mine Road, stating the scene ahead was closed. On July 21, Sierra National Forest authorities posted a public notice warning of a dangerous algal bloom in the Merced River at Hites Cove after water quality testing by the state fish and wildlife department showed high concentrations. The US Environmental Protection Agency states that algal blooms can produce extremely dangerous toxins that can sicken or kill people and animals. Sunday, Aug. 15: 7:45 a.m., witness sees the Gerrish/Chung family traveling toward the trailhead in their vehicle. It was a good trail though and easy to follow, although overgrown in areas where you would need to part the chemise sea of vegetation as you walked though a few sections. After two miles of uphill hiking, we reached the truck. They were heading home from athree-night backpacking trip and took the uphill stretch slowly, a two thousand five hundred foot elevation gain. Below is a list of common species of Plants, Animals, and Fungi found on the South Fork Merced River. Saturday, Aug. 14: Jonathan Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via a phone app. In September, Sierra national forest closed trails near where the family died, citing "unknown hazards found in and near the Savage Lundy trail". The long trailhead access road was not suited for cars with low clearance, so I brought thetruck. They look a little like a Digger Pine, but are very different and pretty scarce. I think it's going to be a very long and in-depth, thorough investigation because it isn't as clear cut as what some cases are.". Mitchell said some water samples were sent to labs for testing Aug. 19, and additional water samples were collected Monday from along the trail area where they were found. Hiking Trails Near Where Family of 3 Mysteriously Died Closed Due to 'Unknown Hazards' John Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, were found dead alongside the family dog on. They looked like they had sat down in the hot sun and succumbed suddenly, but to what? The toxins produced by some algae can be harmful to humans and animals. 254.57 m Up Want to report conditions for this trail? Be watchful for rattlesnakes too. The best time to hike this popular trail is in the Spring (March through mid-May), when the wildflowers are at their best and the wild South Fork is pulsing with snow-melt. Ecology of South Fork Merced River. Rita guided me in turning it around on the narrow roada three point turn or maybe four or five pointsand then we slowly made our way back to civilization. We left the trail to head over to the river where there was a wide flat spot. Autopsies for the family, along with toxicology tests, were scheduled for Thursday in Stanislaus County. Friday, Aug. 20: Search warrants issued for the familys home and cars. The family was found dead Tuesday on the Savage-Lundy Trail in Devil's Gulch near Hites Cove, a popular hiking destination. What is a toxic algae bloom? She was earning her Masters in Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies after having graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012. . (20E040) intersects the South Fork Trail at Mariposa Station P.O. Trail. Newsom declares emergency, A man was found dead in California river 25 years ago, cops say. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 13 min to complete. The greatest depth of development is about 800 feet.. We parked up here, not really sure how the short distance left of the road that is supposed to be driveable looked like. A ranger's gate blocks the final stretch that is steep and requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. 5.3 km It is more easily accessible from Highway 140 and is also well known for its poppy displaying spring. 3,990' Up Briese said the family was found over three miles away from the only mine hes aware of in that area, at the bottom of Hites Cove. Mariposa County sheriffs officials are awaiting toxicology results and told The Chronicle that they arent ruling out any potential causes of death. Search and rescue workers found the bodies of John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog Tuesday near the Devil's Gulch area in the Southfork drain of the Merced River, the Office of the Mariposa County Sheriff in a statement. Because there were no apparent causes of death, the scene was handled as a hazmat investigation, and a spokesperson told the Associated Press that there were concerns that it could be related to carbon monoxide, possibly from old mines in the area. More sharing options . California snowpack hits highest level this century for March. ", 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. Burstarse Falls via PCT from Dog Trailhead, Upper Sisson-Callahan Trail: North Fork Sacramento to Deadfall Crest, North Fork Sacramento River and Toad Lake Loop, Heaven's Spring via Soapstone Trail and PCT. We headed out Jerseydale Rd. The babysitter was . Its frustrating and were not going to rest . She was originally from Orange, California, and was of Korean descent. Once we made it down toward the South Fork of the Merced River and headed downstream from Snyder Gulch, we were at a fork in the trail. Isnt it wonderful that the Boy Scouts are always ready to help? Something else? The sheriffs office plans to share another update when toxicology results are back, and there is no current timeframe for that.. Length 5.0 miElevation gain 905 ftRoute type Out & back. Raptors, including hawks and eagles, as well as great blue herons may be seen. . Be aware. The trail follows up above the Merced River. But was this really a possible explanation, given the distance to the mine? Authorities say a family of three found dead near an area known as Devil's Gulch in Northern California in mid-August probably died of heat illness. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. A tragic whodunit is unfolding in California, where the mysterious deaths of a young family out for a hike in the Sierra National Forest have investigators scrambling for answers. California State Water Resources Control Board and Mariposa County said they were continuing to test waterways in the area for any toxic algae and cyanobacterial toxins. Detectives continue conducting interviews and investigating all potential possible explanations for the death of the Gerrish/Chung family, Mitchell said in a news release issued Thursday afternoon. . Dad. Trail at Hite Cove Distance: 2-4 miles (3.2-6.4) roundtrip for wildflower viewing, 9 miles (14.5km) to Hite Cove Elevation: 1,500 ft (457m) Difficulty: Easy Time: 2-5 hours Begin at: Savage's Trading Post on Hwy 140 Get Directions overview amenities Hite Cove Trail The beautiful Merced River along Highway 140, is a popular scenic area. The family had relocated to Mariposa County during the pandemic in 2020, when Gerrish's job became remote, according to the Merced Sun-Star. He had worked for Google for 15 years, starting in the London office in 2006. 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. Investigators combed the lower section of the trail for unreported mines, but experts said it likely would take an exposure inside a mine shaft to kill a family. The sky was becoming overcast and we could finally feel a cooling breeze. While there are several historic gold mines in the area, experts who spoke to The Chronicle on Thursday cast doubt on the idea that any noxious gases from there would be responsible for the familys demise. Overall just a nice walk next to the creek. There's just still so many that we can't rule out. The vehicle was parked a mile and a half from where their bodies were found near the Sierra National Forest gate leading to Hites Cove in the Jerseydale area and was the start point for the popular Savage Lundy and Hites Cove Trails. Its different from another popular trailhead to the Hites Cove area along Highway 140 in the river canyon closer to Yosemite. Most trees are destroyed by fire but fire is directly responsible for this trees future generations to thrive. The pair also mixed with the burner crowd, people who visit the famous arts and culture festival known as Burning Man in a Nevada desert. Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese sheriff rescinded that on Wednesday, both lifting the hazmat status and stating that there were no mines within three miles of where the bodies were found, according to the Sacramento Bee. Box 747 Mariposa Ca 95338 209-966-3638 OTHER TRAILS from the South Fork Trail The Savage/Lundy Trail (19E05 Snyder Gulch leaves the South for Trail at Devil Gulch. It starts near the town of Hites Cove (also called Hites Cove or Hite Cove). 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 . . We also spotted some really big fish in there. Continue reading Leave a comment The Hite Cove/Devils Gulch trailhead is where a family of hikers, found dead, had parked their car. near Hites Cove, a remote location in Sierra National Forest, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, No smoking gun. Algae blooms considered in mysterious death of family near Yosemite, Toxic algae warning rises to danger level at Fresno-area lake. Chung was a certified yoga instructor and a graduate student studying counseling psychology. "It makes for a very unique, very strange situation. The sheriffs office said the entire Savage-Lundy Trail loop, where the family was found dead, is approximately 8.5 miles, with 5 miles of that being a steep southern exposure path with little-to-no trees or shade in the 2018 Ferguson Fire burn scar. That is why we're treating it as a hazmat situation. 0 Matthias Gafni is an enterprise reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. Epic: Extreme storms have California near an all-time snowpack record set 40 years ago, Near-record snow and more to come: Heres how long Tahoe ski resorts will stay open, Male seadragon makes history at CA aquarium with arrival of more than 70 newborns, Mountain travel hazardous to impossible as Northern California braces for next storm. Her stories have been recognized with Best of the West and McClatchy Presidents awards, and many top awards from the California News Publishers Association. We've looked at storms the weather, animals. The Hite's Cove Trail is a very popular trail that people use to get down to those old mining camps. This data analysis was not released to the media. Monday, Aug. 16: 11 p.m., a family friend reports the family missing. Several trails and recreation sites in the Sierra National Forest are closed after a Northern California couple, their baby and the family dog were found dead there last month. . If you opt to travel in this area, be fully and independently reliant. Since then, the Mariposa County Sheriffs Office, which is investigating the deaths along with the California Department of Justice, has ruled out weapons and chemical hazards along the Savage Lundy Trail as contributing factors in the family's mysterious death, according to the Sacramento Bee. Gerrish had done well for himself and was extremely generous, Jeffe said, always sharing his good fortune with friends. In addition to the Hite Mine, they include the Brown Bear Mine, Bunker Hill Mine, Confidence Mine, Eureka Mine #2, Georgia Point Mine, Kaderitas Mine, Mexican Mine #2, Squirrel Mine and Williams Mine. Multiple water samples were taken in the area for testing. With fires raging across the state, the USDA Forest Service then closed all 20 million acres of Californias national forests to public access for two weeks beginning Tuesday, August 31, 2021, extending through at least September 17. That remote trailhead along a dirt road is north of Highway 49 and east of Highway 140.