Cell Phone Signal Narrows Search For Missing CNET Editor

CNET ^ | December 4, 2006 | Leslie Katz and Michelle Meyers

[BunnySlippers]

Amazing it took 7 hours to get to the place where they pinged from. Ping was at 1:30am. Wasn't dinner at 5pm or so?

[hc87]

The waitress says they left the Denny's in Roseburg at 9:00.

[Phsstpok]

I was under the impression that they were still traveling north, not really aware in my own mind that Portland was at the north end of the state, not the south. I knew it was a border town but didn't really have that clear in my head.  Hey, I lived in San Francisco from 77 to 82 and only passed through Portland once on an airline stop over, so it was never really fixed in my head.  Sorry about that.

Now I know that they were on their way back to SF so Roseburg would have been before Glendale. However, there's no direct evidence that they continued on I5 and passed the Glendale cell tower on  that road. The article does point out that the cell signal only indicates that they were within that towers range, which could be up to 26 miles. State 42 does come within 26 mules of Glendale at least on one stretch around 43 North, 123.45 West.  That's a section of 42 that is descending from 1500 feet to around 600 feet, while Glendale is at 1700 feet and apparently the cell tower is on a hill at around 2000 feet.  That could make it possible that this section is where they were when that signal was picked up.  There's a small town there but my map doesn't have a name for it.

[hc87]

Agreed. It looks much smaller on the Mapquest version.


http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=&city=Galice&state=OR&zipcode=&country=US&title=%3cb%3eGalice%2c%20OR%20US%3c%2fb%3e&cid=lfmaplink2&name=&dtype=s

[BunnySlippers]

Oh, thanks. Still, they did not go far in 4 1/2 hours.

Anyone see the press conf. I can'r figure out what channel it will be on.

[Howlin]

They found the mother and the children!

http://www.cnettv.com/?live=111991

[r9etb]

Alive?

[Howlin]

Yes, alive! On the way to the hospital!

Fatehr still missing.

[Diddle E. Squat]

"We're going to start backing away from the investigation," he said, adding that the search will shift to roads off state Highway 42 instead of Highway 38. Both are common routes taken to get from Interstate 5 to the Oregon coast.

Weird, considering how far north of Glendale those roads are, and how the most direct (and fastest) route to Gold Beach would have been to go south on the 4-lane I-5 freeway to exit 66/Merlin and then turning west to cross the mountains. And Hwy 38? That's far north of Roseburg, why would they backtrack, unless they aren't sure they ain't at the Roseburg restaurant. Also odd that a week later the SFPD still hasn't gotten all the credit card trail.

[BunnySlippers]

OMG!!!

[Howlin]

The mother and children were found at 1:45 this afternoon their time.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Have they said where/what road they were found on? Car run off the road?

[Howlin]

Great, isn't it?

And the father walked out, so that's a good sign if he was the one they chose to walk out!

[WestCoastGal]

What does it say I can't get anything at the link? Are they alive?

[Howlin]

They did not say that or they did not say it in a manner that I would have understood, being unfamiliar with that area.

It sounds like it was an accident though; she flagged the helicopter down with an umbrella.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Thanks, just saw on the other thread the rumor that they were found by a private helicopter hired by the family.

[hc87]

Wonderful news. I was particularly concerned for the baby. Keep praying for James.

[Palladin]

Good news!

Thank you Lord!

Hope the Dad is OK, too.

[OregonRancher]

I live, own, and operate a ranch near this area. One: You don't drive over that road in the winter unless you are absolutely positive the road is cleared and inclement weather is not imminent. The snow can come very quickly and can make driving impossible in less than an hour. And if you're all the way to Eden Valley, you won't be able to walk out.

The road is paved, narrow, no guard rails, road markings, and at night, dark as the back side of the moon. Maps all show it for a nice ride. Maps are flat, this road changes elevation seveal times in thousands of feet. And last, no cell towers. Its 85 miles of desolate, towering forrest, no lights, habitations, nothing and in the winter, will kill you quick...

[Howlin]

Thank you for that information, OR. It's always good to know some local information -- I'm simply amazed at the things I learn on FR.

Do you hold out much hope for the father? What is the weather now?