The Strangest Death in National Park History
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Park Ranger Randy Morgenson disappeared in the Sierra Nevada mountains in 1996.
Read more about Randy Morgenson's story: amzn.to/3xln4Q0
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One cool piece of Randy's story that Kyle didn't have time to mention was that Randy was born and raised in Yosemite National Park because his parents were both employees. He grew up roaming the park and was an early rock climbing pioneer. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of every plant, animal, geology, etc of the Sierra range. He just kinda naturally fell into the career of Backcountry Ranger. He was also an avid photographer and had aspirations of being a writer who would publish his work of writing and photographs someday.
Another interesting point is that Randy was a Backcountry Ranger which is a very specific thing, different from the front country Rangers, both the LEO and Interpretive rangers - Backcountry Rangers serve both functions in the most remote parts of the parks: especially in SEKI (Sequoia Kings Canyon) who are elite backcountry rangers with a reputation for being tough, prickly characters with very individual personalities. They show up at the beginning of the season and are airlifted into their posts via helicopter, with all the supplies they'll use for the season. They are tough, smart, and very physically fit. And still to this day, they are NOT full-time salaried employees - they are seasonal (contract) rangers and it's HIGHLY unusual for someone to have stuck with that position in NPS for as long as Randy did. He was certainly an elder, and reports are that he was feeling very frustrated with the situation, which Kyle alluded to. Seasonal rangers don't get the same pay and benefits as Full Time rangers, which to this day, is tragic and unfair.
Additionally, after everything about his case was resolved with the NPS, a mountain peak near Whitney was named Mount Morgenson. For anyone hiking the PCT this year, use the app Peakfinder (or any app that helps ID mountain peaks) - for NOBOs you will see it the day you hike north from Whitney, and SOBOs will see it the day before you get to Crabtree Meadow.
Mount Morgenson is 13,900+ feet in elevation. Say hi to Randy when you pass by.
Respect. Good info. Thanks Dusty.
@@rayosunshine Welcome! Yeah I was asking Kyle to do this story for a little while and some other people were too. I'm so glad he finally did it, and he did a great job too.
I will definitely say what’s up randy. That’s one cool dude and this is a crazy story
That only his foot was found is strange- maybe animals scattered &/or predated(?)
@@houseofsolomon2440 Sure, totally possible. What happened was that he fell at a crossing where there was a waterfall and his body wound up tumbling into the rocks at the base of the waterfall where most of his remains were later found, so over the years his body broke apart and some of it drifted down the creek while most of it stayed trapped and concealed in the rocks and water. Morbid but that's what happened.
That secret ballot to determine where to search and what knowledgeable people thought might have happened to their colleague is absolute genius. Police investigators should consider using a system like that in searches for missing people/bodies.
I thought that too. Definitely should be used more often.
The entire system would fail and or lose accuracy if it became public. It's ingenious but requires participants not to know the details of how it works...
@@vampirecount3880Week then definitely let's keep it a secret, we wouldn't want to help missing people or their remains to be found. Jeezis, not every piece of information needs to be proprietary.
One fact. People's remains have been found in areas that were previously searched in a number of cases. Just saying.
Any reports or references of these incidents that I could look up?
@@TenaciousTentacruel I think he's referring to the Missing 411 cases. David Paulides
@@markroberts7001 Yes, atleast those cases are the type he is talking about for sure.
Oh yea and it’s creepy asf when DOGS TRAINED IN FINDING DEAD AND ALIVE can not find a trace of them…….or it’s a toddler and miraculously is MILES away safe in the swamp. Like?!?!
@@TenaciousTentacruel Missing 411
As an outdoors person who has suffered depression and past suicidal tendencies " I won't be Brothering u anymore " is code for I'm done I'm no longer planing on existing anymore. Sad to say if he truly felt this way he probly offed himself in the one place he felt peace... The outdoors.
We're glad you are here!
@@themobseat agreed, as someone who has felt the same way and wanted to do the same. I'm glad you're here and I hope you're doing good!
As someone who struggles with the same, if I were to ever choose my time, that’s exactly what I have in mind… the most beautiful place I know, off the trail and deep into the forest, and go in peace. Several reasons.. the place I’m going is a tiny slice of Heaven on earth and also, I don’t want anyone to have the grisly task of discovering my body, especially family.
Thanks for sharing this. It is heartbreaking that Randy said that in the last conversation with his friend but I has been on his end of the line. There is such despair; it hurts my heart. I wish I could give him a hug and say - I see you. You are loved. You matter. I would go to a place I truly loved and quietly let nature take its course.
By saying that phrase, it was a call for help. Unfortunately, it wasn't taken seriously. Poor bloke.
I was on the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group in 1996 when we searched the area around Mather Pass for Randy. One of the first operations I went on. I was glad they found his body five years later, a long way from where we were searching. It's terrible for families when a loved one just disappears without a trace. They can't get life insurance to pay out and are always left wondering what happened. At least with a body a death certificate can be issued and there is closure.
Thank you for trying to find him. I'm glad they found him too. Not knowing what happened to your loved one is terrible.
I thougt they only found a leg
Losing a loved one to death is difficult enough... not knowing and not being able to have closure would be a nightmare.
@@patriciajones915 Are you from Kentucky or Tennessee?
@@patriciajones915 Go back and read the transcript at 12:02 he stated they found his body or I would guess bones. Also, he stated that when they checked the dental records, it was a positive match.
I feel bad for people who died in mysterious ways. Their private life becomes invaded by thousands of strangers over and over again, speculating on what kind of person they were and what they did. Their life becomes entertainment for others.
Well the good news is they're not capable of feeling bad about it 😉
If I died under mysterious circumstances I would definitely appreciate some strangers looking Into it, even if it reveals some unsavory things. It's better than just "we can't find them, oh well."
At least you get remembered.
Yeah, I don't feel bad that a dead person life is being looked at. I do feel bad about the family that might get stalked by reporters and other people looking to turn a death of a loved one into prove that Bigfoot exist.
@@giftedfox4748 true considering there is plenty other proof besides one person's death..
Something odd to think about is that someone could have an accident on their way to taking their life. Like, they could've been planning that but before they got there, an accident got to them first. Life can be so unpredictable.
Almost happened to me.
I was going home from school and was very convinced of taking my life, at about half the way home the bus I was in almost tipped over (all three left wheels took off) near a tanker truck because the stupid bus driver was speeding on a roundabout. I came home and then had to go to the hospital after failing.
It can also happen due to the state of depersonalisation that you feel when you start preparing your death (lightened head, feeling like a robot, not thinking that much about anytilhing else, euphoria and muscle relaxation), which makes you blind and deaf to everything around you
@@kino_61 I'm sorry to hear it's been so tough. I'm glad you're still alive and I wish you only the best.
@@kino_61 I hope you are feeling better about life. Depression is an insidious disease that, to others, seems to make little sense. I too have dealt with this but , thank goodness, never sent me over the edge toward suicide.
I encourage you to seek help with this disease.
Reaching out to others by offering your help in whatever way you can has done much to help me.
Take care.
@@fredpendergrass6960 everyday I think it's the worst but then comes the next day that somehow is worse.
After 7 years of psychotherapy and antidepressants, I'm more convinced than ever that I should off myself whenever possible
@@kino_61 Oftentimes the meds that could help you need time to get into your system. Also, physical activities, even if it's just walking, can increase your dopamine levels that will make you feel better.
Whatever you do, I would encourage you to avoid negative self-talk (thoughts like, "My life will never get better" etc.) It's easy to fall into that trap.
I remember seeing a sign at the trailhead about a missing ranger. My first thought was, animal attack, then a fall that he couldn’t recover from. It was frightening that a ranger could just disappear. Then a few years later I found a book at the Yosemite gift shop that told his story.
It's called "The Last Season" by Eric Blehm, and is an excellent read.
Any experienced ranger would know that you cross downstream of the snow bridge, you dont walk on it unless you want to die. Also dont cross above it bc if the water sweeps you off your feet it might jam you up underneath it.
I’m still trying to get past the roaring campfire out in the middle of nowhere but you don’t see anybody so you just call it a day 😳
There are people out there who don’t want to be found lmao
Ikr? That was weird.
@@User_yhvzI've worked with people like that 🤣
Falling through rotten snow into swift water, what a nightmare. Yet it seems fitting he was claimed by the Sierras.
Another story worth delving into, which I'm sure you're aware of, is that of Stephen Olshansky, who went missing on the CDT in northern NM in late 2015. A sad and frustrating tale of rescue near-misses.
Snow bridges are seriously no joke.
@@reginarobinson2080what are snow bridges? Thanks
@lydiapetra1211
Snow bridges form over creeks, crevasses, and other openings in the terrain. They often look stable, however they can and often, give way without warning, and hikers most likely will plunge into icy water or a crevasse, many times to their death. Some never to be recovered. As a Mountaineer we, at least my friends and I make it a point to avoid crossing snow bridges whenever possible. If we have to cross a snow bridge, we test it for stability before starting across, and never have more than one person on a snow bridge at a time.
I like this new direction your taking with your channel. Everybody does gear review. But you're the only one doing back country mysteries.
There are actually a lot of people doing backcountry mysteries but it’s usually done from a “maybe it’s supernatural” angle like the Missing 411 cases. I really find those to be annoying and illogical in their approaches, and most of the people making those videos don’t have backcountry experience which makes them sometimes come to silly conclusions. I like videos like this, or another example is the Death Valley Germans blog post series, from actual experienced backpackers with useful detailed information and no crazy alien theories
@@maddieb.4282 The Death Valley Germans blog series is amazing! I found it from the Outdoor Disasters video - would love to see a retelling on this channel
The last Season by Eric Blehm is what inspired me to take my hiking to the next level. More specifically it was the words of Randy Morgenson that inspired me. The way he described places like McClure Meadow inspired me to go see them. And the next summer I did. I hiked 116 miles over two weeks between rush creek and bishop pass, and I've returned to the Sierra most summers since then. That place is home! Thank you Randy, for inspiring me to find the most beautiful places in the world. I'll be sure to keep you in mind again the next time I pass by bench lake ranger station.
I’m not saying Randy did not take his own life. But I’m saying I would not be surprised that so many of these missing people in Natl Parks is due to heart attack. People do not talk about this possibility enough (especially for people older than 40 or 50).
Considering your exuding lots of energy that pushes stress on your heart, not to mention in Randy’s case the amount of stress he was potentially going through. Divorce is extremely stressful and take a huge toll on your heart.
Just keep this possibility in the back of your mind.
Yeah but if that were the case there wouldn't be so many cases where there's no remains or belongings ever found, or found where already previously thoroughly searched, etc...
I suffered an irregular heartbeat after separation, broken heart syndrome. I think divorce is as stressful as death.
@@melissasmess2773 Agreed, Melissa. Glad you're better 🙂
@@melissasmess2773I had broken heart syndrome some years ago myself.
Coyotes and other meat eating animals take care of the corpse and bones. Weather and whatnot does the rest. @goddammitalana
Dude, keep doing these and you'll hit 100k in no time. Basically the Mr Ballen of backpacking.
Yeah it's like the WatchMojo of hiking
Lmao yesssss.
That is a very nice compliment! Glad I found this channel! An good luck sir. Have no dought!
These are why I’m here! Newly subscribed 😊
It's on US viewers.... watch till the end , like and subscribe maybe even give him a share and comment...let's kick him in the algorithm people
Fine line between "dedicating a life" and just being trapped.
or 'feeling like' you're trapped, no one usually is truly trapped; they make the repeated decision to stay, for whatever reasons, fears of consequences if they leave, or concerns & worries but like this guy he wasn't truly trapped but his own mind kept him trapped there.
I think it was an accident. 27 years in the park service means he would have known that all the people who were tasked to look for him would have been his co-workers and friends, plus the amount of resources used to look for him. It could have been any number of medical emergencies as well, not just a fall or broken limb.
Yeah, I agree. He'd know of the potential danger he'd be putting all his co-workers and volunteers in and I don't believe he'd do that.
I totally agree.
It seems that way. A snow bridge over an ice cold stream could fool anyone.
I agree with this. He'd probably taken part in searches just like that before and wouldn't want to create one. I think he went over the waterfall during a stream crossing.
@@rickdff62 although that 100k to his family could be motive to go in way it looks like accident
I'm skeptical of the guy who said "if he/the radio was there at the time, I would have seen it". Well everyone thinks they would notice everything, especially if it's your job to notice... But everyone also misses things. I miss things all the time while doing the job I have done for 6 years. I usually catch the important things and generally do good work, but I miss things occasionally. I also know that people don't like to acknowledge when they miss assume crucial detail.
Big same. My job is literally to quality check things, and even as inspectors we acknowledge sometimes we miss shit. If it wasn't for people forgetting or missing simple tasks, then there'd be no reason for quality inspectors, and if quality inspectors were perfect all the time, there'd never ever be a defective product to have ever existed, which we know ain't the case :P Unfortunately errors are just part of human life. A radio is pretty small. I can imagine hiking for hours while on high alert could, ironically, make you miss the obvious. Especially if in your mind you might be thinking about looking for a body or backpack, your eyes would gloss over something else potentially. Honestly, sometimes the most obvious things are the easiest to miss.
Perhaps he's just trying to dodge some of the guilt he may feel at knowing if he HAD seen the radio, maybe there'd have been a chance of finding Randy while he was either still alive, or at least finding his body more in tact.
Yeah it's not a criticism of his skills to point out innate imperfection of being human. He's not a worse search party member for missing a radio if it were the case that it was there the entire search. It's a radio amidst rocks and varying levels of water and weather. No need to be defensive.
RIP Randy, his service was extremely commendable. May he rest in peace.
Not all yters can do this style of video well. You’re doing it very well. You’re a great story teller.
@@DD-lf9bcyou’re a fucking tool
@@DD-lf9bc haha go back to bed, kid
AGREE.
When I hiked thru King’s Canyon on the PCT, I will never forget falling in a pass. I arrested with an Ice ax. A piece of shale sliced my wrist and might have opened a vein of my watch strap had not been there. I met a ranger the next day who told me about the people who had fallen in that pass. It is a place of amazing beauty. I was interested in how each pass has symmetry, spirals.
It sounds tough but extremely rewarding. The symmetry and spirals sound poetic and enchanting! It's crazy how many times in our lives that we are mere inches, seconds, and simple choices from death! I'm glad your experience had a good outcome, despite some difficulties!
Take Care,
Amanda H.
TV hasn't been on in my house in many months and the family wonders why. It's because I keep finding great channels like these on UA-cam that cover topics I have no knowledge of, and which I didn't think I'd be interested in, but here I am bingeing hiking horror stories. You got a new subscriber, sir!
Good recounting of this case, Kyle. One of the most engaging books I've read is by Eric Blehm titled, "The Last Season." It provides a fairly complete depiction of Randy Morgenson's life and unfortunate demise. Good luck with your goals!
That book, Last Season was a good read. Such a tragic end to Randy's life.
Excellent book. I couldn't put it down.
I feel like everyone always forgets that experience breeds complacency. Being the most experienced in any given field counterintuitively makes someone *more* likely to have a tragic accident, not less likely.
Except the concept is not a truism. Experience CAN breed complacency. It also breeds what we would call: Experts.
@@joelspaulding5964 The more experienced are more likely to cut corners, and tend to be operating closer to the limit, where mistakes are far less forgiving than they would be otherwise....and *everyone* makes mistakes, experts included. It's not a matter of IF, its a matter of WHEN.
Third 50 something guy, all experienced hikers, that I read about dying in the mountains.
@@joelspaulding5964 Yeah i think its more than if you spend your entire time outdoors for example to be expert of that activity you are just more likely to end up in accident in outdoors just the odds it happening obviously increases. For example if its true he fell through snow bridge it would be extremely difficult for even expert to see happening, and if you cross snow Bridges more than average eventually accident happens
@@cen7ury LOL "It's not a matter of IF, its a matter of WHEN."
"Being the most experienced in any given field counterintuitively makes someone more likely to have a tragic accident, not less likely."
Joel Spaulding has it right, it CAN breed complacency. I don't know why you are stating that like fact when there are thousands of experts in fields that actively focus on not being complacent every single day. Most physical jobs mention complacency in morning meetings.
Out of curiosity what do you do for work?
You're gonna make it far man. You are very good at telling a story and it's very easy to follow along. No stuttering or faltering at all. Bravo
I bookmarked this for later but the strangest death I know of up til now is the couple who are entombed under a boulder in Yellowstone that fell on their tent during the big quake back in the 60s or whenever . Edit: it was mr and Mrs Stryker. Reports talk about the boulder being car sized but it’s humongous, more like half of a large RV. I also forgot they had kids there in a separate tent who all survived.
Nice video!
One small correction I would make, is when you comment on how the 'reasons' for his depression aren't clear, but suspect failing marriage; overall depression doesn't have or need a reason. Depression exists outside of reasons. You could live what people could deem the most perfect life in existence and still have depression. If you think of it less as something like an emotion or mood that tends to have a 'reason', and more like an anatomical injury, it makes more sense. Aka you wouldn't say "I suspect his failing marriage was the reason for his chronic back pain". Depression can have triggers that worsen it though, don't get me wrong. Much like chronic back pain could be worsened if you're forced to sleep on the couch ;P
Well said - when I was younger I felt unable to talk about feeling depressed as I didn't have any external reasons to be depressed about. My basic needs were met, I wasn't horribly abused or neglected, what reason did I have to be depressed? Even knowing that it's due to a chemical imbalance in the brain didn't quite make that guilty/imposter-like feeling go away.
Depression doesn't need a reason, it can affect anyone - whether life is absolutely perfect or not.
@@cocopuddles6479 Thank you.
I was very much the same. Didn't have the worlds most perfect up bringing, but generally not a huge amount to complain about, but I struggled with depression from a young age. If I ever disclosed feeling down to my family (especially my grandparents) it was always met with "don't be stupid, you have no reason to feel that way", which usually just made me feel all the worse because of the guilt. Ended up that I was very solitary and angry in my teens because I was so worried about opening up about my feelings to anyone and meeting the same brushing aside reaction I'd got all childhood.
I'm glad mental health is more talked about and recognised these days, but there's definitely still a lot of misunderstanding and stigma attached to it.
Sorry you had to go through that/are going through it.
I found out my chronic back pain was caused by depression. It went away when I left.
The chemical imbalance theory has been discredited. Abnormalities in the brain are a reflection of depression, not a cause of it. Medication can help a lot, but in the end, it doesn't address the problem.
Try this definition of depression on for size: a mental state in which repression of anger dominates emotional functioning.
To repress is to uncouple an emotion from awareness and stuff it down into the unconscious. In other words, you're angry but don't perceive it anymore. You've pushed your anger down because expressing it has only brought more pain and rejection. You've locked it in a box and thrown away the key in order to protect yourself from others' inability to accept you as you are. For anyone depressed, my advice is to take a brutally honest look at the relationships in your life, both past and present. The only thing that can prompt us to deaden our emotions is OTHER PEOPLE, especially our parents. How can anyone NOT be depressed when they're constantly invalidated by the people they love and trust the most? Told that they're being stupid and have no reason to feel the way they do? Who, then, can they go to when life inevitably dishes out suffering? No one! They're left to drown in their own pain, which is so unbearable that they'll do anything not to feel it, hence depression. It'd actually be odd if such a person came out totally unaffected and OK!
Our brains are in fact working perfectly and responding beautifully to our environment. To cope with the pain of not being understood and accepted by the people most important to us, we clam up and push our anger and grief down -- because if we stop being vulnerable, we can at least avoid feeling the pain of rejection. We can then keep from falling apart (just barely) by pretending to others that everything is OK, but at a cost: we become so out of touch with ourselves that over time we forget what reasons we even had to be depressed. This is why it seems like there's no rhyme or reason to our depression. But the truth is that we just can no longer feel the pain that would normally alert us to what is amiss. It has been replaced by a vast hollowness inside.
No huge traumatic event or evil, abusive parents necessary. This happens everyday in loving, well-intentioned households. Parents can only do for their children what they themselves already know. It's often a generational thing. The way we relate to our parents provides the blueprint for how we relate to everyone else later in life, so if you're an adult with good, supportive people around you, unprocessed emotions from childhood are likely the culprit. Don't automatically dismiss this because you can't remember being unhappy as a child. It's possible you were already numb to your unhappiness back then. Children's brains do it automatically because they need mom and dad to survive.
@@Meowch3 This seems to be the ramblings of either personal experience, or circumstantial evidence.
It's also bollocks. :)
Please don't spread this sort of thing, it can be genuinely harmful to people who are struggling. Just because it's now beleieved serotonin isn't the one to blame doesn't mean there aren't still something within the brain that we haven't discovered or understood yet.
You're devaluing hundreds of thousands (ppotentially millions) of peoples experiences by claiming you know what's best for them, and claiming it's to do with parental figures. There are people with extremely loving and supportive families, who raised them without problems, who STILL have depression. You're basically saying they shouldn't have it, or if they do they need to find a 'problem' that isn't there.
I hiked the John Muir one year back in 1972 with my husband and his brother. Back then the Pacific Crest trail was only talked about among us hikers. I remember hiking Mather Pass and thought I would die on that uphill section of trail. Remember, back in those days, our gear wasn't fancy. I carried a 6"Buck knife, a bic lighter, a plastic K-mart cantine along with a cheap foam pad and a cheap sleeping bag, as well as one third of our food. And yes, back then, the trails were tough, and I'm certain in places they still are. I loved that hike despite us having to leave the trail to get to the towns along California Hwy 395 to pick up our cached food, get a meal of something not freeze-dried and a cheap room to shower and sleep on a real bed. Then early the next day we'd hitchhiker to the trail head, back over the ridge and continued our thru-hike going north on the John Muir. Met a few rangers and alot of hippies but had basically a good time and took away some great memories. I'm 70 yrs old now and live only 4 miles off the AT in NC. Don't do much hiking now and miss it at times.
Wow, I envy your beautiful memories. I love nature , I love animals and I love hiking but read so many bad stories about hiking in the internet so now I won't consider it at 43 years old. I think you have had a wonderful wonderful life with nature and yourself ❤❤
My brother and his girlfriend did the John Muir that year also. He’s the same age.
I'm not present enough in my own life. I don't have enough adventure, and I think it's really cool when people do!! I love hearing about your adventure! I do love to walk a lot, but I've been having a lot of arthritis in my feet. So hopefully, I can do somewhere walking/light hiking when this flare-up subsides. I'm 41, but my arthritis is substantial in sidelining me. I don't have much free time or energy, but I live in a town of 500 surrounded by the country in Missouri. So, there are plenty of walking spots that I take advantage of when I am able. The kind of long hike you went on, that sounds so difficult, but also equally rewarding!! There's one spot just a few miles from my house that I used to go to a lot. It is all uphill, basically, but I plan on getting up there again soon. That's my health goal for the year. To get fit enough and keep my flare-ups down enough to go back to my spot overlooking the river! When the wildflowers first start to blossom, it's spectacular! It has so many types of flowers! So full of variety, in the grass to the one side of the trail! It's not a large area, but it is stunning! I was SO surprised when I saw them the first time. Someone must have planted some of them, I'm guessing. Because there were just so many types all together. It might just be a fertile area, I don't know. It was what they call, "trail magic" for me every time I saw them!! I always wonder if they're still there and when I'll see them again! When my Mom first got dementia we walked it a lot. It breaks me that she can't walk much anymore, but maybe I will get the courage to go again alone. I might have to find another favorite spot to go to... I get overcome with sadness even thinking about the place, sometimes. We have plenty to choose from, though I don't think I've ever seen such a variety of wildflowers in one spot near here before. In any event, take care!
Always,
Amanda Heath
@@debbieheath7838 Amanda, I hope you find relief from your arthritis. That sounds painful, but do what you can and don't push it. I pray that you have good health and are able to see your field of flowers again. Have a blessed day.
@lindabriggs5118 Aw!! Your comment is SO touching!! I needed that... You made me tear up! I'm hormonal... I think menopause is knocking hard, 😆!! I push myself too much sometimes, and then my neuropathy kicks into high gear, too. My podiatrist gave me braces for my feet, and I'll start physical therapy soon. If the facility that takes medicaid in my area is still accepting new patients. My hands were tested through blood tests, so I'm trying to patch my ragdoll self back together, 🤣! My mental health has been bad, but my pain is a little less in my feet today. So, hopefully, that will transfer into less anxiety and depression. I just try to stay busy, busy, busy. It helps keep my ever active, worrying mind a bit preoccupied. I think I'll get back to my flower spot soon. Slow and steady are the keys until I can, hopefully, get things to a better place again. I sure wish I had the energy you seem to have! Adventurous not just in mind, but body! There are so many beautiful places I'd love to hike to someday! You are an inspiration, and I also pray your health is great and that you are happy!! You really made me feel better.
Take Care,
Amanda Heath
Great video Kyle! I read "The Last Season" many years back. I then read the book, "I Heard the Owl Call My Name" that Randy was mentioned having read before he went missing. I still love the part in the "Last Season" where one of the other rangers said that if Randy had encountered a bear, instead of the encounter having have been a potential problem, Randy probably would have just sat down with the bear and had lunch with it! 😁
Randy really comes across as an interesting dude in that book
I highlighted that very note about the bear in my book, I thought, "What a wonderful person to be so in tune with nature."
After watching a vid of very polite black bear at a Lake Tahoe convenience store helping himself to *one* Snickers bar and leaving with it, returning another night to sit down and enjoy a box of chocolates, only getting up to leave once the police showed up.. before the police even entered, only quickly turning back to grab itself one more pack of snacks for the road on its way out.. I’m thinking a well-concealed Snickers bar might be the way to go if encountering an angry bear… here mate, eat this and chill…
The radio being found on high ground above his pack is hardly suspicious if we think he may have climbed up to get a signal out to get help. It's tough to carry a backpack up a steep incline uninjured.
This can't be the strangest death in park history
Perhaps nobody will ever know the truth about what really happened to Randy. Whatever the case, his disappearance and death are very strange and quite puzzling, but whatever the case; he passed away in a place that he loved doing what he lived for. 😌💚🕊
At a still in his strong prime of his fine life.Thank you for your service.What a great man.
RIP. Randy.
Randy should have stayed single and happy, surrounded by nature
Crossing snow is seriously no joke especially during spring thaw. He was an artist and writer. His radio being at the top of the falls, may not have been found due to the snow pack. I've lost things only to find them 6 months later. Sometimes when we fall we drop the things we are carrying. And it isn't crazy to find things off trail. Ask any hiker, skier, snowboarder about back country travel and they will tell you that you aren't always on the main trail. That Backcountry travel is allowed because of the amount of snow pack. During spring thaws rangers have often stopped people from traversing areas ok to travel with snow depths of 10 or 12 feet or more. I also loved that nature photographer Ansel Adams was a very close family friend and an early mentor to Randy.
I’m wondering if his body was actually washed down with the runoff from somewhere further up, which is why the radio was at the top, some of his gear and one leg and boot at the bottom and other parts washed into other spots.
Oh heck, my dad found his hearing aid on his suburban driveway after the snow melted about six months after he lost it. It actually worked too.
Pretty clear. The affair he was having wasn’t with another ranger but a rangers wife, Dirkys wife. The husband did him in for sure. The radio conversation seems fishy at best. He didn’t radio them to ask random questions the day before just because he wanted to talk to sometime but in fact for Dirky’s purpose to slip in the “ I won’t be bothering you anymore” quote.
He obviously loved the area for him to dedicate his life to it. If he was wanting to end it, it makes perfect sense to go out where no one else goes as much. To enjoy what he’s always loved
As somebody who carries a gun for a living, I'm 100% saying he took his own life.
You would NEVER leave your firearm behind if you were going into the wild like that.
He left it because he WOULDN'T be needing it & to not cause the bullshit paperwork that a missing gun causes a leo-type job.
My guess is he took something to go to sleep in the water knowing he'd go over the falls & this would disguise his method so his wife got the money for putting up with his infidelity & the stress he caused her during his career.
@@ClickClack_Bam good insight. Also creepy username given the scenario..
@@Fishifyed excellent observation
I don't blame him at all, he trully love Nature enough to let Nature take him away🐯
@@ClickClack_Bam I hope she’s living her best life now. Too bad they didn’t divorce sooner. I feel really bad for his depression, but he sounded like the free spirit type that needs to stay single. They both would have been happier. Maybe he could have avoided getting to such a low state of mind.
Regardless his death is very sad. I don’t know for sure he intended it, he might have just been having a heavy bout and maybe even SI but not necessarily going to act.
But being in that state of mind can make one act irrationally or carelessly…I hope he’s resting in peace now.
I've been to Sequoia / Kings Canyon.....it is a truly magical place. If you have never walked amongst the Redwoods.....please do so if you are able. It doesn't seem like a real place. It's beyond explanation. Love the story Kyle. Earned a sub and a like. Looking forward to watching more..... Love from Kentucky.
I’ve walked amongst the Sequoias. It’s magical! I’ll be returning this year and I’m so looking forward to it.
The landscape across America is truly majestic and breathtakingly beautiful. It’s just a shame that the people make it so damned dangerous.
Unusable leg injury, perhaps a pneumothorax of some kind, or a severe head injury would be pretty easy to get in that terrain. Severe head injury causes lack of judgment, coordination and decision making which can quickly lead to death-on top of bleeding out and intracranial swelling and pressure. In that difficult terrain even a useable leg injury could make navigating that terrain to save yourself virtually impossible. Lastly, it would be quite easy to take a bad fall on one of those rocks and end up with either an open or closed pneumothorax; or a broken rib or clavicle that later punctured the lung causing a closed pneumo. You’d suffocate fairly quickly even with a small pneumo. Those are the most likely scenarios.
I remember reading about this case back in the day. Very sad, whatever the truth may have been.
Whenever I am in the backcountry, I select one day during which take a quiet hour to reflect on the countless lives that have travelled the same route.
May he rest in peace.
This was good !
I became so interested in Randy’s story that I bought the book which gave good answers about his mysterious disappearance!
It was a tragic ending for such a long career as a park ranger !
I am a solo backpacker, primarily on the Superior Hiking Trail, but I have also hiked: the Rocky Mtn. Ntl. Pk, Mammoth Cave, KY, the Great Smoky Mountains Ntl. Pk, Sand ridge st. forest, IL and Blue Mounds, WI.
I am a new subscriber to your channel! 🙂
The suspicious campfire was probably a poacher, thats why they hid themselves from the search chopper.
I'm confused. The story went from a leg bone in a boot being found, to remains being identified by dental records. When/where were his remains found, other than his leg in his boot?
he kinda skipped over some stuff from the history. randy's body was found upstream from where the boot was found, his body had been decomposing in the rocks at the base of a waterfall for several years and the foot finally broke free and was found. when they searched again, upstream of the boot, they were able to locate the majority of his remains and his uniform, backpack, etc. they were able to ID dental records at that time.
Thank you🙂
@@helpfulcommenter Do you know if there was a possibility he fell down the waterfall, seeing as his radio was all the way up there? This video leaves out so much, haha.
@@Spamhard Yeah I think they mention that in the book
@@helpfulcommenter Nice, might have to check the book out. My mind went to the waterfall considering he was found downstream. Poor guy.
Appreciate that you did the research to find pics of him, the park/his patrol area, & other relevant ppl/sites etc.; also, like that u included maps & other demonstratives instead of an entire vid of stock photos. There was a bit of a confusing jump from someone randomly finding the boot/leg bone to him being identified by dental records, so that might be an area to make sure to give extra details in future vids. Esp bc it’s essentially the climax of the story- but that’s nitpicking.
Great vid. I can’t hike anymore so I appreciate the visuals and everyone loves a good mystery, esp when it’s solved! The mountain named after him would have been a good touch to add but u can’t know/find info abt eveeerrrrything!
Just wanted to give some feedback in case it’s helpful. Looking frwd to future vids!
Perhaps some stories abt ppl in other countries too?
Would it not have made more sense that his radio was on because he was either on patrol or attempting to call for help?
Agreed.
Not surprised it may have been overlooked during a search either.
Massive area to cover, small dark object, there's only so much you can see and register at once. Especially if you let your guard down for a moment because you don't expect to see something.
The fact that he left his gun before going out on patrol makes me lean towards the suicide angle. Even though it was a remote area he may have wanted to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands if someone discovered his body. It also couldve been both. He couldve been on his way to a spot to end his own life but died in an accident before he got there. No matter what happened its still such a tragic story.
Great story, and you tell it well. One suggestion is to turn the music way down or off, it's distracting and doesn’t do anything for the vibe of the video.
The back country rangers in Kings Canyon were an interesting bunch in the 80's and 90's. Lots of counter culture types.
The book “last season” goes into a lot more detail about everything it’s a great read. I read it actually while I was on a trail crew in kings canyon. It was very surreal to be out there and having been to some places they talk about in the book. Also the California conservation corps backcountry I believe found him which is also the exact same program I was doing.
I feel that bro I was in Inyo this past season n read it too so weird hearing all these places you’re in talked about ina book
As was said about the poor signal in the area, the radio being on may indicate that he was trying to call for help, the radio may have been in that position above the stream as it was the highest point he could reach with a broken leg. The ranger not seeing the radio could have overlooked it on the several occasions he mentions crossing the exact area due to brush or snow obscuring visability from the path he was taking, as the theory that he stayed alive all that time the search was going on just to throw them off his trail is so far fetched and unlikely I would probably sooner believe that he was eaten by migrating geese.
What a sad story. There was a DEC Forest ranger who took their own life in the Adirondacks, last year. You should do a story on that.
I live about 30 minutes from The 'Dacks.
@@tinanephew921 Very nice and I am from Rochester, NY
Well wonders never cease, they managed to match dental records with a leg bone. Amazing, what an age we live in.
yeah, that was quite a forensic/medical feat. I'm assuming there were other remains (i.e. the poor guy's head) & the Kyle just forgot to mention it or accidentally edited it out.
okay good I was wondering
@@tarampryce1372 You're not alone!! I've been a science nerd my whole life, & when I first heard the leg bone/dental record thing, it felt like my brain ran into a brick wall, like "....WHA...?!?!
Stop, please stop...my hurt! Lol
His foot got trapped under a rock and he had to knaw off his own leg to get free. He heard them calling on the radio and tried to climb back up the falls. Unfortunately the blood loss and exposure got him anyway. They matched the teeth marks on the bone to his records.
Lived most of my life in Bakersfield and Visalia and went up to the mountains all the time. R Ranch (aka Johnsondale, CA) has always been a favorite family vacation spot. My dad grew up there when it was still a little logging town (my grandfather was a logging trucker). We've spent a lot of time exploring the mountains on foot and on horse during our trips to the ranch or camping. It's beautiful but can be very rugged.
I do not understand why people go hiking alone, whether ranger or average citizen? Most of these stories I’ve watched where something bad happens to a hiker causing their death is about a line hiker. It’s insane.
Because solo hiking (biking, skiing, running, climbing, etc) is an enjoyable and often more difficult and rewarding endeavor?
@@joelspaulding5964 And more lethal.
When your friends abandon you for sedintary life, some folks arent having it. Going solo is the default. Its up to others to value the same things you do, if they dont then why would that stop someone who has the moral obligation to fulfill their sense of freedom?
@Mäy ᛉ Go right ahead if you think a walk is worth your life! There are hiking and outdoors groups you can join and make new friends. Almost every death I read about in the wilderness is someone who "valued their freedom over their life" and were alone.
As for as we know, this is the only life you are gifted with. I prefer to live to my natural end, and I still enjoy hikes and bird walks with groups.
I agree, don't go out hiking alone and always tell someone where you're going, what you're doing, and what time you expect to be back. Can never be too careful, a lot of hikers make mistakes because they have a lot of experience and underestimate how harsh nature can be sometimes.
You do such a thorough job on these cases and your speaking skills are great, keep up the great work!! RIP Randy Mortenson.
The book "The last season" by Eric Blehm is excellent and goes into the tragic accident and his life in depth, highly recommend!
Was it about him?
@@janefromtennessee lol what
@@janefromtennessee yes
Many many people dissapear in National Parks so this is definitely not the strangest! Some are discovered dead with no shoes on ect, after the same place was searched over and over. And they are usually found near water. This is a missing 411 case for sure. Don't spread news that he took his own life. That is awrful!
My hubby was watching one of your videos about a guy named Otter or something and came and started watching more of your videos! You have a great speaking voice and are easy on the eyes. 👀❤️ Thanks for these videos! Keep them up!
Even with a lot of experience and education you can still have an accident, meet a wild animal, encounter bad weather and so on. Maybe he just had bad luck.
Dude just started listening to your channel and I’m hooked. I love the solitude the outdoors can give you but when you’re struggling with depression being alone is bad news bears
I live in the Central Valley and I am up there in the mountains every chance I get, in fact, I disperse camp up there every summer, every weekend, days at a time alone even! I freaking love it. I love Big Meadows! Great for camping
One of the few reasons to live in the central valley
There is a great book about this called "The Last Season". It's fairly certain that his death was an accident. He fell through the ice bridge, broke his leg, was trapped under it. Tried to radio for help but was out of range and died. In subsequent years his body was slowly swept over the water fall. I search do DID pick up a scent in the area during the search, but was injured on a rock and had to be carried home.
Well done Kyle. Whenever I have hiked there, I go to the Ranger Stations along the JMT and try to chat with the backcountry rangers. I also ask them about Randy Morgenson and what they think happened. In 2011, a few of the old timers still remembered him.
Asking about Randy seems tacky and potentially hurtful.
Oh my goodness. I’m pretty sure I met Mr Morgenson once, in the early 90s in the Saguaro National Forest Park outside of Tucson. He, or who I think I remember was him, was visiting AZ with another person (maybe more). I think he said his name was Randy, but if I’m being honest, I don’t remember. What I do remember distinctly about him was that he said he worked at Sequoia Canyon Park outside of Fresno, I believe he said “as a Ranger”… and I remember his beard. My GF & I spoke with him for about 15 minutes on a trail near Wasson Peak while we all had stopped, enjoying the view, the breeze and those he was with took pictures… & I marveled at his beard. At just 19 then, I was trying to grow out my whispy excuse for one at the time. I hope I’m just mistaken or misremembering something, like him working at Sequoia. Because this is just so sad Kyle. But thanks for the video.
Having 3 sons your age I felt this "please mom" feeling and of course I'm a sucker and subscribed.
He walked into his Wilderness and died there because thats what he wanted to do.
I often think, whilst walking the baby mountains in lreland near me, that this truly is the place to go to to die in. I want to die under the sky with the sound of Buzzards Robins and Skylarks...with the smell of freshly exhaled oxygen all around me from mosses and herbs and the native scrub, with my head upon the living earth.....l dont want to die in a sterile box room surrounded by beeping machines and strangers.
Stride on High Randy...
Agreed. I’ve watched plenty of people die in hospitals and nursing homes. Better to die under the sky even if it means sooner.
I think if he had any intention of a staged “accidental death” for life insurance money he would not have done it in such an incredibly difficult place to find him. Also if he was taking his own life don’t you think he’d want to have his body be found? I just don’t see why he was found in such a hard to get to place?? It had to have been a true accident.
Pretty sure they would pay out even if his body wasn't found. As long as he's eventuely declared dead they will pay out. The problem is that takes 7 years.
@@unropednope4644 Never knew this
Wow, your goal was 100k, and I checked out of curiosity how many you had, and you’ve reached more than double that in 5 months! Congrats!
Not the most mysterious.
The dude who straight up disappeared while climbing Shasta with his friends- when he was right next to them- is the most mysterious.
it's not that mysterious when you understand Telos
@@helpfulcommenter🤦🏻🙄
@@ProbablyOnLSD6669 It was a joke, genius
do you know whether there is a video about this
Nice video that the algorithm showed me this morning, subbed and all. Interested also in you gear videos as I've wanted to get into hiking and camping since I never go to as a kid, my father would always say "I spent three years in a tent in 'Nam and I ain't ever stepping into one ever again" bless him, can't blame him for that
Poor man. Great vid
Dude thank God I found you again I remember watching one of your videos a while ago and forgot to subscribe I couldn’t find you but luckily you popped up on my page again 🙌
I went on a hike back then on jmt and was one of the last hikers he reported seeing. We had the fbi call when we got home. I’ve been waiting to hear about it on UA-cam so thanks
Heard this story before,but the way you told it,explained his surroundings etc etc, well it made me subscribe :)
I do enjoy these videos! I like a mix of solved and unsolved, as I don't know about a lot of these. Keep them up.
I've binge watched a few of your videos now. Very well produced. I have now subscribed and look forward to many more.
My first time in Sequoia and Kings was in 1976. Most recently in 2019. It has changed some; the biggest way has been personal safety. Randy is missed.🌿
I really like the videos you do like this about people have disappeared or been killed in the parks or on the trails.
These videos are really good dude...great idea for content..Hearing stories about the trails is better then the same old 5 things not to bring on a trip videos
.Keep em coming for sure
I am so glad I found you. Great storytelling. My husband and I spent time in Sequoia/Kings Canyon in 1994. I wonder if we saw him in our stay and camping at this beautiful park. 30 years and 40 National Parks and we have met so many wonderful and helpful rangers. ❤
I love your content, and I tried really really hard to watch this video but I cannot finish it. Because the background music that you’re talking over is too loud and too anxious and it literally detracts from what you’re saying. I know this is something that probably doesn’t bother a lot of people, but I wanted to at least make you aware that to some people it is very offputting to have a repetitive track of music running super fast over the word you’re saying.
I agree. Couldn't finish it, either. 😢
Congrats on 100k man. Its only been 2 months and your almost at 200k now. Keep telling those stories man
Living only an hour and 15 mins from the Virginia triple crown 👑 I really appreciate your stories! I feel extremely blessed to be so close to the AT! We hike at least 3 times a month! If you ever get the opportunity, you should hike sharp top if you haven’t already.
Hey
I grew up in the Colorado mountains and can totally see how even an experienced back-country ranger can have a problem and die in the wilderness, so my questions are on different lines. I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer (LEO), and I find it very odd that Randy who also is a LEO was last seen on 7/21, but wasn't officially declared missing until 7/24, three days later and then the official search didn't start until 7/30. Not only that the search was then canceled on 8/3, only four days later. Looking at the legit dangers of being alone in the back country, falls, animal attacks, illness (heart attack?) or injury. Now add the known threats by people (interviews or not)and how common it is for LEOs to be threatened and how many people in the back country carry weapons and how easy it could be for Randy to have faced a deadly threat while alone in the wilderness as well as the concerns about his mental health. I can't think of a single reason why any organization wouldn't start searching for Randy immediately. I don't find his disappearance/death nearly as strange as the Park Service waiting 9 days to even start searching for one of their own and then to call off the search after only 4 days. I have helped search for missing people for weeks and even months. They didn't even start searching until a point where a lot of people would consider the search a probably recovery as opposed to a rescue. Odd very odd.
It seemed like Randy had said he would be gone for a few days, which isn't particularly specific. The Park Rangers would have known the protocol to check in (let's say 2x a week), but we don't know that protocol. If he missed a check-in by a day, no biggie; two days, worrying; three days - okay, we declare him missing. Then, given that he's an employee of the Parks Service, not a member of the public, I imagine the bureaucratic route is slightly different within the Service, regarding getting permission to search and then organize that search. It also seems like the search included almost all of the current rangers in the area - again something not as easy to organize as first suspected. Then regular duties have to be kept up with, meaning there is a fixed length of time to search for.
Using a reverse calendar, it looks like he was last seen on a Sunday, was declared missing the following Wednesday. The search began on the Tuesday after and was canceled on the Saturday about two weeks after he was last seen.
He was 64 when he went missing 😅 not 54
Hey btw I just found this channel and I’m enjoying it a lot. Thanks for the video!!
Kyle, I believe you have found your niche.🔥👍
thank you!
My husband works at a gold mine, for 8 months straight. And it really takes a strong healthy communicative relationship with mutual understandings to make it work.
You do a great job telling the stories of these peoples’ lives. I don't even hike and I just subbed! 😊
Me too (can't hike, just subbed)! I read adventure books and these are like the Cliffs Notes versions!
Ok, new subscriber here. I’m not even 5 minutes in but I just have to comment on the perfect cadence of your voice. It’s the one thing that many youtubers don’t get quite right, which results in an overly-rehearsed quality rather than the organic feel of natural conversation. It’s not a make-or-break thing for me because if it was, there are too many channels I’d miss out on 😬 I just really appreciate it in the rare occasions I find it. After all, as Richard Strauss once said: “the human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play.”
Perhaps Randy wanted to permanently remain part of the area he dedicated his life to. I’ll read the book, but depression can make you make odd decisions.
his depression could also have made him less focused and more prone to an accident
@@TigerLily61811 yes, radio at the top of a waterfall and body at the bottom sounds like an accident to me.
Excellent book
When you first showed window peak I thought "that is not a bad place to die"
He was the one who had been unfaithful to his wife, maintaining an "open" marriage. I think that it is important to rotate Park Rangers so that they have variety in their work life. Working hard in a harsh environment for so long is bound to take its tole emotionally.
Agreed! You do a great job with these Kyle, and we’re all gawkers so you should boost your subscriber base in no time. It’s filling a void, and your story telling has improved a lot!
Subscribed! Your videos are made so well with a lot of respect to the people lost. Well done, I hope 100k comes fast. I’m a yoga teacher and when I was doing my teacher training, my teacher said “teach for you and your students will find you”. Create the content you want to see and the right people will find your page ❤
Don’t listen to your yoga teacher, the students will destroy you. Just do what you gotta do and forget the bullshit
I often wonder, when remains are found in areas that were "Searched"... Obviously, not searched well, or did the person who "Searched" it, search it at all, or simply glass the area with binoculars...
Def not the strangest death in national park history. But it is very sad.
Maybe he meant one of the most mysterious? 🤔
The strangest one to me is the poor woman who tried to rescue her little dog who fell into one of the boiling hot, colorful pools in Yellowstone.
I’m fw these videos man, keep it up. I’m a big fan of “strange dark and mysterious” as mr ballen would say, your covering the strange pretty well. Along with the story’s that need to be heard. Keep ur up
What is even remotely strange about this story
Nice job man! These are so intriguing!! That’s so horrendous to think someone would snap a leg and just succumb to exposure like that. Yikes! When I went up to humboldt state university in 91 one of my dorm mates was a park ranger for the summer in kings canyon. He was a highly skilled rock climber as well as quite the ladys man in the dorms if you will. That aside, he had some gruesome stories of recovery missions where they had to rap down into these waterfall canyons and secure a deceased individual in a litter and get them up to an area where a chopper could lower a line to transport them out of there. He was a good guy but after that first year in the dorm, i never saw him again. I have no idea where he went after that. I’m sure he knew this gentleman though. I want to say the guys name was Dave. He had blond hair and a ponytail. Just hate to hear of good folk like this dealing with depression so heavily.
Thanks Kyle again. This was really cool. Take care man. NQU
Thanks for watching NQU
Randy most likely drowned actually
Thank you for the thorough discussion of Randy's disappearance. This is the best I''ve heard.