In December 1992, James and Jennifer Stolpa, along with their infant son Clayton, found themselves trapped in the middle of nowhere after a wrong turn onto a snow-covered road in Nevada. What started as a simple detour quickly became a nightmare of freezing temperatures, dwindling supplies, and a life or death choice—stay in their vehicle or brave the storm in hope of finding help.

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Episode Sources:
Deseret.com Your Tahoe Guide part 2 Your Tahoe Guide part 1 sfgate.com Lauren's Legend's Reno Gazette 

**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

The mysterious disappearance of 51-year-old Paul Miller during a 2108 solo hike in Joshua Tree National Park turned a celebratory vacation with his wife into a puzzling tragedy. Despite an extensive search, it would take over a year to get any answers.

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Episode Sources:
Strange Outdoors, AllTrails, People, CNN, NPS, SF Gate, Facebook, Youtube, Stav Is Lost, Desert Sun

**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

The Crazy Mountains of Montana are a place of rugged beauty, and unsettling energy. In September of 2014, Aaron Hedges set out on a hunting trip with two friends. But something went wrong. A missed turn. And then—silence. Days turned to months, then years. When Aaron’s remains were finally discovered, it only created more questions.

Awaxaawippíia - The Crow word referring to the Crazy Mountains 

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Episode Sources:
KULR8, Wikipedia, Websleuths, Billings Gazette, ABC FOX Montana, Washington Times, Youtube - The Missing Enigma

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In 1996, four German tourists disappeared in Death Valley, leaving only their abandoned van behind. Years later, when skeletal remains were finally discovered, the mystery deepened as to what happened in their final days.

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Episode Sources:
Other Hand, Youtube - Outdoor Disasters, NBC News

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Mount Rainier is as deadly as it is beautiful. With unpredictable weather, tough terrain, and a history of disappearances, it’s no stranger to mystery.  In July 1999, Joe Wood set off for a short hike—but was never seen again. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of him was ever found. Did he get lost? Fall? Or was something more sinister at play?


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Episode Sources:
Observer  Village Voice Strange Outdoors Seattle Times Alta Online The Travel

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The Sea of Cortez—a breathtaking yet unpredictable expanse of water teeming with life, where beauty and danger exist side by side. In May 1995, cousins Mark Sorensen and Rob Rusnak set out on a daring sailing trip, but when a violent storm capsized their boat, adventure turned to survival. Stranded on a desolate island with no food, no water, and no way to call for help, they faced scorching heat, relentless sandflies, and the terrifying reality of their situation.
Would both men make it back to safety, or would this trip quickly turn into a tragedy?


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Episode Sources:
I Shouldn't Be Alive SeaTemperature.org Britannica Wikipedia Villa Del Palmar

**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In November 2006, two teen hikers set out on what was supposed to be an epic adventure up Mount of the Holy Cross. Instead Tommy Hendricks and Matthew Smith, both confident and experienced, soon found that nature has a way of humbling even the most prepared among us.

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Episode Sources:
Denver Post, Vail Daily, Better Health, AllTrails, Backpacker, Bush Craft Buddy

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In June of 2013, a man vanished during a visit to Mesa Verde National Park on what should’ve been a quick and easy hike. Despite an extensive search,his whereabouts remained unknown for years—until skeletal remains were discovered in 2020, sparking more questions than answers. Did the search miss something crucial, or did fate simply take a tragic turn?

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Episode Sources:
Durango.com, More Than Just Parks, NPS, Durango Herald, The Journal, Youtube - Missing Enigma_1, YouTube - Missing Enigma_2, Alltrails_1, Alltrails_2

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Bear Valley Ski Resort is a winter paradise in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but it’s also the location of several untimely deaths. In March 2018, experienced skier Thomas Mullarkey vanished during a solo trip, despite extensive searching nothing could be found before the next storm blanketed the area in snow.

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Episode Sources:
Healthline, Ski Resort.info, ABC NEWS 7, CBS News, Strange Outdoors, YouTube - Peak Rankings, On the Snow, SFGate, My Mother Lode

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Friday, October 8th, 1976 began like any other for 16-year-old Trenny Gibson, a student at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. But when she disappeared during a field trip, the investigation that followed would leave authorities and the community alike, baffled to this day.

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Episode Sources:
Canadian Gurl, RAJ Experts, NCES.gov, Hiking in the Smokies, Medium, WATE, YouTube - Missing Enigma, NPS

**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.