Morbid Outdoors

On June 4, 2017, a 42-year-old treasure hunter kissed his girlfriend goodbye at the West Fork Beaver Creek Trailhead near West Yellowstone at 9:30 am as he set off for another attempt to locate the Forrest Fenn Treasure. This was the last time he was seen alive.  Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_National_Park https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/mike-peter...

Arches National Park is a popular park and for good reason. Nestled in the red rock of southern Utah, Arches get over 1.4 million visitors a year. Unfortunately some of those visitors never make it home. Sources: https://npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/arch.htm Follow me on Instagram here. Support the show The 10 Essentials for Outdoor Recreation  here. Leave No Trace (LNT) principles&...

Tucked away in the vast, blinding dunes of White Sands National Park, there’s an eerie stillness that settles in as the sun dips below the horizon. In a park shaped by shifting sands and silence, it’s easy to wonder if something unseen is moving just beyond the next ridge. Sources: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://npshistory.com/publications/whsa/brochures/lingering-lov...

Two hikers disappeared on September 4, 2010 while heading to Valentine Lake in the Spetch Creek Forest in British Columbia, Canada. Few clues materialized as to what happened to them. They were never seen again. Sources: https://www.ehcanadatravel.com/british-columbia/cariboo/100-mile-house/parks-trails/5440-valentine-lake.html https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2017/10/27/jon...

Valles Caldera is my favorite part of New Mexico…it has it all: picturesque streams, green fields, and mountains galore. It’s within the Jemez National Forest/Santa Fe National Forest and it is abundant with wildlife…including bears. And in 2016 it was the home to a mauling during a marathon. Stop #3 on our roadtrip :) Sources: https://www.nps.gov/vall/index.htm https://www.theguardian.com/li...

Tucked into the dramatic red rock landscape of Ghost Ranch, there’s a place where beauty and mystery go hand in hand. Known for its sweeping desert views and ties to artist Georgia O'Keeffe, Ghost Ranch has long drawn visitors seeking inspiration, solitude… and sometimes, something they can’t quite explain. Stop #2 on our road trip :) Follow me on Instagram here. Support the show The 10 Essentials...

Surprise! Today I am in Page, Arizona on a mission to take my mom to see Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, and Antelope Canyon. So let’s read some bizarre incident reports from Glen Canyon NRA and hear about some tragic incidents at Horseshoe Bend. Sources:   https://npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/glca.htm Follow me on Instagram here. Support the show The 10 Essentials for Outdoor Recreati...

When people think of Acadia National Park, they picture rugged coastlines, crashing Atlantic waves, and peaceful hikes through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Northeast. But beneath that beauty, Acadia has a darker side. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at the deaths in Acadia National Park—the stories that don’t always make the brochures, but are just as much a part of thi...

Crater Lake is widely considered one of the most haunted and mysterious places in Oregon, rooted in indigenous legends of a "doorway to Hell" and modern reports of strange, unexplainable events. Its deep, clear waters and haunting legends have made it a hotspot for paranormal enthusiasts, researchers, and tourists alike. Join us for this installment of Haunted Parks. Sources: https://www.pacificad...

On April 11, 2019, a woman and her dog took a hike through the beautiful landscape of Cañón del Diablo, or Devils Canyon, with six other hikers. She decided to take a rest while the others continued without her. When the group returned to the spot where the woman and her dog had once been, she was nowhere to be seen. They vanished without a trace. What happened to them? Sources: https://en.wikiped...

A 37 year old businesswoman disappeared while visiting Yosemite National Park, after stepping away from her car near Bridalveil Creek for what should have been a brief stop. When she didn’t return, a large search effort began and did not produce any leads. It wasn’t until several months later that anyone got any answers but one still remains today: what exactly happened that day at the overlook? S...

When a 17 year old goes missing while on a hunt, a huge search is launched. The ten day search is extensive, but nothing is found–not the rifle or any of the belongings he had on him at the time of his disappearance. The FBI was even called in, but there were no answers until just over a year later. What happened that November day?  Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badger_Creek_Wilderne...

Today’s stories take us from a windswept California shoreline…to the steep cliffs of the Smoky Mountains…into the narrow slot canyons of Utah…down into one of the deepest canyons in North America…up to the top of the world on Mount Everest…and finally—to a rare story of hope, in the forests of Madagascar. Sources: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/remains-banker-missing-1999-found-california-be...

 In March of 1993, a hiker on the Wailau trail was suffering from scraped and bleeding feet after hiking miles in rough terrain. He approached a helicopter on the beach and asked for a lift out, but was denied the help because he didn’t have $650 to pay for the helicopter ride. He has been missing ever since.  If you have any information about the disappearance of Jeffery Zoltowski, plea...

Hikers who separate from a group statistically are four times more likely to die than group hikers who become lost and never separate. Many of these hikers that separate from their groups are still missing, lost to the wilderness. This is what happened in White River National Forest in 2005.  Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_the_Holy_Cross https://apps.colorado.gov/apps/coldcas...

On October 8, 1969, a 78‑year‑old hunter vanished while hunting with his family near Sparks Lake, Oregon — a disappearance that sparked a large search but yielded no trace. The following summer rescuers found his rifle, clothing, one boot and a glove carefully placed at the base of a tree.  Sources:   https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/lakes-reservoirs/sparks-lake/ https:...

 In August 2016 a British computer engineer disappeared while hiking a relatively easy route between the villages of Marie and Clans in the Tinée Valley, France. He set out alone on a familiar (3.7 miles) 6–7 km walk in good weather but never returned. What happened to him? Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Alps https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-37012596 https://www.miss...

It's September 2004 in the Bighorn Mountains and a Crow Nation man goes missing while on a hunting trip. He was experienced and knew the area well. Over a year later, a crow leads a hunter to human remains and there are more questions left than answers. When Indigenous people go missing or die in remote places, their stories too often disappear into silence, treated as footnotes instead of human l...

National parks are supposed to be peaceful—untouched slices of wilderness. But dig through the right reports, and you’ll find something else: the weird stuff. The unsettling stuff. The “what the hell actually happened out there?” stuff. Join us for part three of bizarre incident reports from various national parks. Follow me on Instagram here. Support the show The 10 Essentials for Outdoor Recreat...

Many stories of missing people in the outdoors sound like this: they were hiking with a friend, went around a bend or over a hill and were never seen again. It's a tale we’ve heard numerous times. On a few occasions, they are sometimes found, but not always alive. This was the case on Owyhigh Lakes Trail in June 2014.  Sources: https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/owyhigh-lakes.htm https://...

Imagine its September 2009 in the Santa Fe National Forest: aspen trees are beginning to turn gold and its hunting season. Three friends are planning to hunt near Elk Mountain. They separated and had plans to meet back up. One failed to return and has been missing ever since. Today I was able to sit down with his daughter, Kristen Nadel, who is still keeping her dad in the headlines to get answers...

Hey guys! This nature news. is sparse because not much happened in the natural world this month! Hope you have a great Saturday! Follow me on Instagram here. Support the show The 10 Essentials for Outdoor Recreation  here. Leave No Trace (LNT) principles  here. Share a "Campfire Story" for us to read on the pod! email us: morbidoutdoorspodcast@gmail.com Buy Me a Coffee Hosted on Acast. S...

Acadia National Park is said to be one of the most haunted places in Maine. Join us for this installment of Haunted Parks. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acadia_National_Park https://www.americanghostwalks.com/articles/hauntings-mysteries-acadia-maine https://moonmausoleum.com/the-founding-father-ghost-of-acadia-national-park/ https://www.nelights.com/blog/haunted-bass-harbor-light-in-acad...

Deserts can be dangerous places if you aren’t prepared for their unforgiving terrain and weather. White Sands National Park has seen its share of tragedy within its boundaries, with victims succumbing to the white sands nearly every year. But one boy survived in 2015 and made it out alive. Sources:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Sands_National_Park https://www.nps.gov/whsa/index.h...

If you’ve been on social media, you’ve probably seen videos or pictures of bison attacking tourists in our national parks. Online articles will tell you it's pretty rare but with the plethora of pictures and videos and stories online says otherwise. With many more people getting outside these attacks seem to be becoming more frequent, and not just for bison, but for all animals. Antelope Island St...