Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Missing Escondido Woman - Sheila Lopes

Has anyone seen this woman. I was hiking from trailcrest on Sun morning (super windy & cold) when I think I may have seen her hiking alone. I definitely met a 71 year old lady all by herself who said she had wanted to hike whitney for the last 20 years. It just seems too much of a coincidence. Check out this link and if anyone has seen her please let the Escondido Police Dept know. Escondido police asked anyone with information to call (760) 839-4722

Thanks.

http://www.sandiego6.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=27548924-d814-4353-923b-673bd516ab31

Rick, have you talked with the police in Escondido? You might contact them and let them know about your experience. Better a false sighting reported than a real one unreported. (Escondido police asked anyone with information to call (760) 839-4722)
Bobbie

Bobbie,

It was the first thing I did this morning. Haven't heard back from them yet. I also asked another one from our party and he is pretty sure it was her too. I'm hoping someone from portal or the hostel may have seen her more recently and will report her appearance.

thanks.

Tristen also reported running into a 70 year old woman. I PM'd her with the news article link so she could take a look.
Bobbie

Hey guys,

I can't imagine that being the same women we looked for all weekend down here.She wandered away from her home wearing a sweatsuit and either slippers or tennis shoes.We did a pretty extensive search locally and didn't find anything and the search was officially called off this morning.

Thor

Hey Thor, I agree that it doesn't seem that she would be able to get to Whitney... but stranger things have been known to happen. Better to look into it than say "I should have".

Bobbie (your neighbor just to the south, I'm in Spring Valley.... BTW, do you fly fish the 395 area? That's my "normal" Sierra activity)

From the article: "Mankin said Lopes went inside her daughter's former home, also in Emerald Heights, Thursday morning, but the current resident -- who didn't know the woman -- shooed her out."

There is no way a woman in that mental state could make it on her own from Escondido to Mt. W and make the hike.

But I sure hope they find her. It must be awful for the family when someone walks away like that.

I have a lot of experience with dementia patents. You'd be surprised what they can be capable of while being so confused about some things. But, that said, I agree that it's difficult to believe she could have made it to Whitney. But.....

Bobbie

It probably wasn't her- but.....I just thought it strange to see such an older lady all by herself above 13,000 ft in a sweatsuit and tennis shoes. Not the most common sight.

If this woman has not been located yet and if it is even remotely possible she was spotted on the trail, perhaps a "local" can contact the Escondido P.D. and get the make and model etc..of her vehicle and go check see if it's parked at the portal.

Perhaps someone has already done this?

Jdub

Jdub... last time she was spotted she wasn't in a vehicle.. she walked away from home...