Explore Walking possibilities that Dylan or MR could take from the MR home

[asyousay]

Have LE not already said that Dylan would not of gone to that location where he was found?

 

[Dee10]

Have LE not already said that Dylan would not of gone to that location where he was found?

Yes, they have. I am interested in exploring what method Dylan's body may have arrived at that location or maybe surrounding area.

 

[Salem]

My thought is that Dylan was actually somewhere between where he was found and MR's house and that the items found were taken there by animals. That could be totally wrong because of the shoelaces.

But LE asked a long time ago for help with possible places someone could have walked to - be it Dylan, or someone with Dylan. Our discussion didn't get very far but I think it is worthwhile to take another look at this. The backpack is still missing. Animals wouldn't want that unless there was food in it, kwim?

The backpack could be between the two places.

Salem

 

[katydid23]

My thought is that Dylan was actually somewhere between where he was found and MR's house and that the items found were taken there by animals. That could be totally wrong because of the shoelaces.

But LE asked a long time ago for help with possible places someone could have walked to - be it Dylan, or someone with Dylan. Our discussion didn't get very far but I think it is worthwhile to take another look at this. The backpack is still missing. Animals wouldn't want that unless there was food in it, kwim?

The backpack could be between the two places.

Salem

Are you thinking that Dylan took all of his belongings and voluntarily went for a hike, by himself, that morning? Did he decide to blow off his friends?

 

[katydid23]

I've read the posts, and think maybe there's a misunderstanding here. I think walking (or carrying) possibilities are interesting, and certainly discussable, although, as I recall, LE has ruled out Dylan getting himself up there, but if we're going to do so, we have to take into account what footwear Dylan had on, what he would have been carrying (presumably, as his backpack wasn't at MR's), as well as the terrain. We can get a pretty good idea of the last item from the pictures of the search teams. The other things we'll have to speculate on -- well maybe someone has a photo of the Dylan's footwear?

I wish we knew more about his footwear. It has not been clearly confirmed yet that his shoe or shoes were found on that mountainside, imo. I am so curious to know the truth about that.

The same with the backpack. It seems that pieces of it would still be found in the area of his remains, if his pack was with him. They are very durable.

I agree that it is important to remember that LE released a recent statement saying that Dylan did not get himself up there and was not killed by wildlife.

 

[ColdHands]

There are two routes from MRs house to CR 501, which is the road that goes around the lake. To get up Middle Mountain, the most obvious route is to take CR 501 across the north end of the lake and meet up with Middle Mountain Road at the northeast corner of the lake. ETA: Dylan was found ~ 1/2 way up Middle Mountain Road. Also reported as ~ 6 miles up Middle Mountain Road. Also reported as ~10 miles up Middle Mountain Road from MRs house. All of those estimates are within an acceptable (IMO) range of each other. In other words, 10 miles from MRs house is ~ 6 miles up Middle Mountain Road.

Route 1 - CR 500 to CR 501 to Middle Mountain Road. It is 3.4 miles from MR's house to the intersection of CR 501 and Middle Mountain Road using this route

Route 2 - CR 500 to Trust Dr to Ponderosa Rd to W Vallecito Creek Rd to CR 501 to Middle Mountain Road. It is 3.2 miles from MR's house to the intersection of CR 501 and Middle Mountain Road using this route

It looks to me, on Google maps, that there are 5 houses facing CR 500 from MR's house to N Bridge Rd.

It looks like (it's difficult for me to see what is a driveway into a house vs a building on someone's property, sorry) like there's maybe 3 houses before you get to Boulder Lane.

Then just 2 houses along CR 500 between Boulder Lane and Mountain View Lane.

N Bridge Rd, Boulder Lane and Mountain View Lane are short roads, that end near the creek.

From MR's house:
It is 1.1 miles to the intersection of CR 500 and Trust Dr.
It is 2.3 miles to the intersection of CR 500 and CR 501

There is a store along CR 501 south of the 500/501 intersection http://vallecitolakecountrymarket.com/index.htm This store is 2.8 miles from MRs house

That is really close to the Schank House restaurant that I see in the news as a place where folks are eating dinner.

Random notes. Hope they help!

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...s-hzEZVyduhYZ64w&t=h&mra=mi&mrsp=1&sz=16&z=15

 

[azgrandma]

I'm not sure why a child would climb a mountain. The pictures of the searchers showed how steep it was and these are men trained to search in areas like that. I would hardly think that a 13 y/o would decide to take everything and head up a mtn with tenny shoes on and a back pack with all his belongings. MOO, there were too many other options available, like walking 18 miles to his friends house, 6 miles to another friends house or to the lake. IDK.

 

[Eileen730]

Why don't they give SAR dogs Mark's scent and see where it leads them up on that mountain?

 

[azgrandma]

Why don't they give SAR dogs Mark's scent and see where it leads them up on that mountain?

Can they do that? That would be interesting. Didn't Dylan's scent end on the property? That would make me think he didn't walk up the mountain. MOO

 

[Salem]

If you put aside the thoughts that Dylan went on his own, or by himself, or even willingingly there is a lot to be explored here.

Coldhands - your notes are very helpful. Thank you.

My thought is that the road was not used but more that possibly a trail that winds around the back of the house up towards Middle Mountain was used. And that possibly, Dylan's backpack is somewhere on that trail.

LE is calling this a homicide. There has to be a crime scene somewhere. To date it doesn't appear that it was in MR's house or his vehicles (unless the swabs taken per the search warrant have yielded info that we don't know about, which is certainly possible).

I guess one factor in all of this is that the dogs did not follow Dylan's scent around the back of the house. But, we don't really know if they were led there, either or how that might work?

Salem

 

[Eileen730]

Can they do that? That would be interesting. Didn't Dylan's scent end on the property? That would make me think he didn't walk up the mountain. MOO

I said this way back.... give the dogs Marks scent and see where it leads.
they said dylans scent ended what 50 ft?

They might find a lot more with Marks scent!

 

[Salem]

Working with the above, and assuming Dylan would think his father would be coming home to take him to his friend's house, I would think Dylan would not travel more than 30 minutes away, which gives me this area going South. I cannot imagine him going north for any reason. Anyone?

I have found an RSO on the West side of Vallecito Reservoir, and one just south and east of point B in my map, in addition to the one already known about in the RV park. I am guessing these are all the ones LE have already spoken to.

So, I could see Dylan walking over to the river, just hacking around. Or walking down to the bridge-North Bridge Road (I think Mark mentioned that). Or to the quarry looking thing behind the house. (see second map). But I am sure all of those places have been searched by now?

You can follow this road straight up to that quarry looking place. Interesting...

Salem

 

[Ghostwheel]

For all of the quotes that are mine, I was mostly referring to the areas BEHIND Marks house. That is NOT Middle Mountain. Middle Mountain road is in the area IN FRONT of Marks house. To get to Middle Mountain Road, anyone walking could cross the creek, if it were low enough and not running very fast, or walk down to the bridge and cross there (dang, I wish I would think of the maps when I have the bigger monitor)

On the two maps attached, you see where Mark's house is, the bridge, the creek, and part of Middle Mountain Road.

On the topographic map, you can see that each topo line represents 40 ft. The elevation for each five lines is on the darker lines. The closer together the topo lines are, the steeper the grade.

From Mark's house to the area that I took a guess for Dylan's remains being found, it is a rise of 1400 feet and a distance of about 6000 ft (really rough estimates). This makes the hike a grade of 23% average (greater in some areas, less in others. A 20% grade is considered extremely difficult (double black diamond) for hiking. Most don't do it for fun, you do it for challenge. In fact, the area slightly north, where you see the words "Vallecito Creek", has a rock face that people rock climb (links over in the Media thread with the gate info [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9618427&postcount=134"]Post 134[/ame])

If the remains were found in a drainage culvert, it could not have washed uphill, it would have had to come downhill, so the place where the remains started could only have been higher, not lower.

Based on this information, I can only conclude that no one hiked up there for fun, nor did anyone carry Dylan from Mark's house to that area, unless they had some kind of special "dead man's pack" for their back and were in tip top condition.

On to other walking possibilities.

 

[Money Girl]

IIRC, the scent dogs, using items items available from Mark's home that LE originally had, followed Dylans scent to the junction of CR500 and CR501.

 

[Salem]

Okay - I see what you are saying Ghostwheel and I agree. But ... what if the crime happened, say before the rock face? Could animals have taken the bones to where they were found?

 

[Salem]

IIRC, the scent dogs, using items items available from Mark's home that LE originally had, followed Dylans scent to the junction of CR500 and CR501.

This has never been confirmed. I have waited and waited for LE to confirm this. I think it has never been confirmed because LE was never sure they had a clean scent of Dylan before ER had the additional items brought to Bayfield. That's just my speculation - I don't know why this has not been confirmed or denied, really.

Salem

 

[Salem]

Ghostwheel - are you using Google Earth?

I thought I had it loaded on one of my computers, but come to find out I don't. I have not had time to load it up and take a look and I can't get google to zoom in close enough.

Salem

 

[Salem]

Even still - I guess it would be a long, convoluted way around.

I want to go there and see it for myself.....

Salem

 

[Ghostwheel]

Ghostwheel - are you using Google Earth?

I thought I had it loaded on one of my computers, but come to find out I don't. I have not had time to load it up and take a look and I can't get google to zoom in close enough.

Salem

I use Google maps on Firefox, Satellite for the picture maps, and Map, then select Terrain for the Topo map. And a 15" laptop, hence the small jpgs.

I also use Greenshot for screen captures. (it's freeware, but you can give them a donation)

 

[katydid23]

IIRC, the scent dogs, using items items available from Mark's home that LE originally had, followed Dylans scent to the junction of CR500 and CR501.

LE had scent items for those dogs? Everything I have read said there were no scent items available, and those dogs picked up "A" scent, not specifically Dylan's.