Comments from Mono SAR
Peak Baggers in the Central Sierra Nevada:
Please help locate a missing climber
Climber Matt Greene has been overdue since 17 July 2013, and you can assist in the search effort.
If you summit any peak located in the general area between Tom's Place and Lee Vining, please carefully examine the summit register for Matt Greene's name on the dates of 15-19 July 2013. Remember that summit registers can be disorganized, and several log books may be present. Note that we want to hear from you whether or not you see his name; the absence of his name on a given peak is useful also.
Please report your results to Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team at MosarOps@gmail.com. If you don't have email access, then please leave a phone message at: 760-566-6727.
Please print this page and take it with you as a reference for the dates and email address.
Thank you for your assistance,
Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team
Information
Please Call Detective Hornbeck at (760)934.2536 x 17 with any information!
Forum thread with additional discussion Details of Matt's Disappearance
Matt has been missing from the Mammoth Lakes area since July 17, 2013.
Matt was hiking/climbing with some friends in the Mammoth Lakes region and staying at the Shady Rest campground. Prior to his disappearance he happened upon some car trouble (his Subaru blew a head gasket). Matt stayed behind while his car was repaired at the Norco Goodyear repair shop with plans to meet up with friends in CO down the line. His last known phone call was to the repair shop around 4:30 pm on July 16th, with some texts to said friend around 8-8:30 that same night. Additionally, his last use of credit cards was a purchase in mammoth lakes that same day.
When Matt did not meet up with friends as planned, it was discovered that his car was waiting, fixed, for over a week and he had not returned to the campsite where his gear was and where he had been paying day-to-day in antipation of his car being ready on the 18th and moving on. Matt's friends called the MLPD, and Detective Hornbeck then called my parents. Matt's cell phone is dead and/or untraceable. It's also possible that it's damaged or he is just somewhere he can't get a signal; there is no way to tell. The last signal was traced to a cell phone tower on top of Mammoth Mountain that was pointing north towards the main ski area.
Matt is 39, approximately 5'11", 155 lb, with blondish/brown short hair and blue eyes. He was carrying a large black/white backpack (pictured directly in back of his car in the picture), yellow LaSportiva Nepal Extremes, crampons, and one ice axe. He had a blue hat, and was probably wearing a long sleeve shirt with a darker (green/black) short sleeve on top. He did not have his tent, bivvy, sleeping bag, stove, or green heavy jacket indicating he only expected to do a day hike.
There were not any permits registered with the wilderness office. The best clue thus far was that there were pages torn out of Matt's guide for the entire Minerat area, which covers approx a 5 x 20 mile area including Mt. Ritter & Banner, however searches at Banner/Ritter did not yield anything and he had not signed the summit registers. Matt tended to tear the pages out of his book (guide by R.J. Secor), carry them with, and then reinsert them when he'd completed the hike.
A hiker checked the register at the summit of Mt. Lyell but did not see Matt's signature.
In regards to using dogs to help search; SAR pointed out that any trails would already be 2 weeks old, the terrain is too treacherous for the dogs, and they also would have smoke from the forest fire interfering with any scents.
Without any further leads or direction, SAR is currently focusing on calling/emailing those who obtained permits and/or signed summit registers in the region around the time of Matt's disappearance.
Matt teaches high school math in Nazareth, PA and lives in Bethlehem, PA. He tends to spend every spring/winter/summer break in the outdoors - smaller jaunts in NY and heading out west for the summers. Prior to his current position, Matt was in the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea from 98-02 and then some - I believe he extended his service a few years but I don't have the dates.
Matt is no novice in the outdoors; he knows what he's doing and is a careful, critical thinker. What would be a 3 day hike for many experienced people would be a one day hike for him. What can I say but Matt has wings and flies over the land when he's out there; at least from what I've seen and I've not even seen him in his element.
Matt is humble and kind and quick to help others. I've gotten so many responses through this page from former students, old high school classmates, college classmates, current friends and colleagues. It is fair to say that Matt is a highly respected, highly loved individual. I and the family are in awe and appreciate everyone's support in this difficult time and just ask that you keep the prayers coming that there will be a good outcome to all of this.
If you know ANYTHING, please call the Mammoth Lakes Police at (760) 934-2536; Detective Hornbeck can be reached at extension 17.
Tiffany
Poster
![Missing person Matthew Greene]()
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