Found Deceased NJ - Hector Zamorano, 41, Missing Hiker, Mahwah, 13 November 2022

[sjinnj]

N.J. hiker missing for days entered reservation, but didn’t leave, mayor says

Rescuers in Bergen County continued searching Thursday for a 41-year-old man who went missing last weekend while apparently hiking along the Ramapo River.
Hector Zamorano, of Mahwah, was last seen Sunday morning hiking in the Ramapo Valley Reservation, authorities said.
Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that a security camera recorded Zamorano walking past Continental Soldiers Park toward the Ramapo Valley Reservation.
“They believe he went into the reservation. No other cameras picked him up after that,” Wysocki said. “They believe he remained in the park.”

This large park has extensive hiking trails. Hopefully he will be found safe, unfortunately the weather around here has gotten colder this week.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Another lost hiler.

 

[Unsolved]

This article mentions his wife telling LE "He had not had his phone with him when he left the home that morning, she reported."

That seems strange to me - why did he not take his phone? Also the article mentions "No definitive account had yet even placed him in one of the two parks, as the only information provided was that he had often hiked there." - but I guess that changed when they got the camera sighting?

Still No Sign Of Missing Mahwah Dad, Police Continue To Investigate

It has been nearly three days since Hector Zamorano was reported missing; the search continues.

patch.com

OK answered my own question about entering - this article says (BBM):

"Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that a security camera recorded Zamorano walking past Continental Soldiers Park toward the Ramapo Valley Reservation.

“They believe he went into the reservation. No other cameras picked him up after that,” Wysocki said. “They believe he remained in the park.”

N.J. hiker missing for days entered reservation, but didn’t leave, mayor says

Hector Zamorano, of Bergen County, was last seen Sunday morning hiking in the Ramapo Valley Reservation, authorities said.

www.nj.com

So... what if he didn't enter after all?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Search for missing Mahwah, NJ hiker called off as investigation continues

Police have found no evidence of Héctor Zamorano being in the Ramapo Valley Reservation during a search over the past two days on land, the river and from the sky.

nj1015.com

MAHWAH — Police have ended their two-day search for Héctor Zamorano in the Ramapo Valley Reservation but continue to investigate his disappearance.

A search of the reservation was done on Monday using a drone and State Police canine bloodhound. On Tuesday, several county and state agencies joined the search which included a K-9 unit, rescue/airboat and a cadaver dog.

No evidence of Zamorano ever being in the reservation was found during the search, according to Jaffe.

 

[sjinnj]

This article mentions his wife telling LE "He had not had his phone with him when he left the home that morning, she reported."

That seems strange to me - why did he not take his phone? Also the article mentions "No definitive account had yet even placed him in one of the two parks, as the only information provided was that he had often hiked there." - but I guess that changed when they got the camera sighting?

Still No Sign Of Missing Mahwah Dad, Police Continue To Investigate

It has been nearly three days since Hector Zamorano was reported missing; the search continues.

patch.com

OK answered my own question about entering - this article says (BBM):

"Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that a security camera recorded Zamorano walking past Continental Soldiers Park toward the Ramapo Valley Reservation.

“They believe he went into the reservation. No other cameras picked him up after that,” Wysocki said. “They believe he remained in the park.”

N.J. hiker missing for days entered reservation, but didn’t leave, mayor says

Hector Zamorano, of Bergen County, was last seen Sunday morning hiking in the Ramapo Valley Reservation, authorities said.

www.nj.com

So... what if he didn't enter after all?

I am familiar with the area. If you were walking south bound along Ramapo Valley Road, you would pass Continental Soldiers Park. I doubt there are any other cameras by the road in that area. There may be one in the parking area of the Reservation as there was a Police substation there at one time. There could be ones at the Church or the Trail Conference building.

He most likely entered the reservation as the road isn't very conducive to walking south of the reservation. It's downright dangerous.

 

[sjinnj]

Search for missing Mahwah, NJ hiker called off as investigation continues

Police have found no evidence of Héctor Zamorano being in the Ramapo Valley Reservation during a search over the past two days on land, the river and from the sky.

nj1015.com

MAHWAH — Police have ended their two-day search for Héctor Zamorano in the Ramapo Valley Reservation but continue to investigate his disappearance.

A search of the reservation was done on Monday using a drone and State Police canine bloodhound. On Tuesday, several county and state agencies joined the search which included a K-9 unit, rescue/airboat and a cadaver dog.

No evidence of Zamorano ever being in the reservation was found during the search, according to Jaffe.

It is a huge park. You could hike there all day and never have to go on the same trail twice. You could hike all the way up to New York, southward to Skyline Drive and westward to New Jersey Botanical Gardens at Ringwood State Park.

 

[deadfoot13]

It is a huge park. You could hike there all day and never have to go on the same trail twice. You could hike all the way up to New York, southward to Skyline Drive and westward to New Jersey Botanical Gardens at Ringwood State Park.

I think the area has also had issues with aggressive bears in the recent past, and aren't there a number of abandoned mines?

 

[sjinnj]

I think the area has also had issues with aggressive bears in the recent past, and aren't there a number of abandoned mines?

You are correct, they recently had issues with bears. On the trail map there is at least one mine shown, so there could be more.

 

[deadfoot13]

You are correct, they recently had issues with bears. On the trail map there is at least one mine shown, so there could be more.

Do you think it could be possible that he stepped off trail for some reason and fell into a mine? I've never hiked in this particular park, but I've done some hiking at Harriman and other places in the Hudson Valley with abandoned mines and they always seem to be marked or at least a safe distance from the trail.

 

[acutename]

it has a large lake in the middle too- no swimming- believe it is sort of shallow but no idea what the water level is. have seen people fishing in it.
there are multiple roads you could hike out to if you got lost... assuming you were not injured.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

NOV 19

Found deceased.

Body of missing N.J. hiker found after weeklong search

The body of Hector Zamorano, 41, was found Saturday after rescuers searched along the Ramapo River for days.

www.nj.com

 

[YaYa_521]

Rest in peace, Hector.

 

[MissMYB]

Tragic. RIP Hector

 

[annpats]

Oh no! So many people seem to be going off alone and committing suicide in forests. It's so very sad.

 

[sjinnj]

So sad.