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Brad Dozier, 55, has gone missing in the Carson Pass area as of yesterday, Oct 27. CHP and SAR have been contacted by his wife, Ruanne. He set off for what was supposed to be a dayhike of an unknown peak in the area. Our best guess is that he was after an OGUL peak that he has yet to climb - Red Lake, Stevens, Waterhouse, The Nipple, Markleville, Hawkins and Jeff Davis are all candidates. As of now (Sun Cot 28, 2pm), his car has not been located. It is a white 2013 Mazda M3, Lic:7CEN305. He is described as:

White male, 5’10”, 180 pounds, short graying brown hair, last seen wearing green long sleeved shirt with olive colored pants and dark hiking boots.

Please contact Ruanne Dozier with any pertinent info at 916-205-5168

His car was found at the Upper Blue Lake CG. It seems likely that he was heading to Deadwood Peak or The Nipple.

Odd place to park for a dayhike of either of those peaks. Nipple would usually be accessed from the PCT along Blue Lake Road. Deadwood trailhead is at the Middle Creek Campground on the other side of Upper Blue Lake. No other obvious choices in that immediate area tho.

I saw him heading east on the PCT, nearing Blue Lakes Road (east of the Nipple), Saturday around 9:30am. I've already been in contact with his wife and the detective on his case.

Most plausable route he took is to deadwood peak. He probly dropped down to meadow lake(thinking it was blue lake). Im guessing hes held up somewhere near meadow lake.

arbitton wrote:I saw him heading east on the PCT, nearing Blue Lakes Road (east of the Nipple), Saturday around 9:30am. I've already been in contact with his wife and the detective on his case.

What do you mean "east" on the PCT? The PCT runs north to south.

> What do you mean "east" on the PCT? The PCT runs north to south.

The PCT runs e/w when passing beneath the Nipple and then e/w again down near Blue Lakes Road. If he was spotted near the road he'd have been heading away from Deadwood- possibly toward Jeff Davis/Markleeville.

I see what you mean. I dont think there is anyway he would of parked at upper blue lakes to hike the nipple.... I think my route up deadwood peak is most probable.

His car was found at the upper CG which is at the north end of the lake, so it is not likely he used the trail if heading to Deadwood.
Searchers have checked Nipple and Jeff Davis registers and environs. Also checked the ridgeline to West Nipple & The Nipple which was my best guess for where he might have gone.

Nothing in the Nipple Register? (i.e. if he was spotted near the road he either bypassed tagging the Nipple or didn't sign the registry?) Anyone check the Markleeville registry?

He did not register at Nipple Summit

fedak wrote:Nothing in the Nipple Register? (i.e. if he was spotted near the road he either bypassed tagging the Nipple or didn't sign the registry?) Anyone check the Markleeville registry?

It's not clear to the searchers that arbitton saw Brad as the timing seems to be off. I believe his cell phone pinged he was at Carson Pass around 10a, well after he was reported to have been seen on the PCT. The 10a at Carson Pass makes sense as he dropped someone off at 8a back down in the Central Valley.

I believe Jeff Davis and Markleville were both checked, but it seems unlikely that those would have been his targets, given where his car was located. He didn't have time for a full day and his usual MO is to work off routes and tracks others have used before, not strike off into unknown territory.

> but it seems unlikely that those would have been his targets, given where his car was located.

I'm stumped then. No reason to park at UBL other than to head down into Summit City Canyon and that seems like an unlikely destination for a peakbagger.

He drove past all of the peaks you mentioned on his drive to the campground- and all of those (excepting Jeff Davis) are easy < half day walkups.

That leaves Deadwood, but he was at the wrong trailhead and it seems odd that he'd pass up all those OGUL peaks to get to that relatively obscure summit back in the middle of nowhere that isn't on any peak list.

Why would he have gone to nipple if parked at blue lakes????? Does nobody see that deadwood peak is most likely? It a very easy peak to get turned around on. PLEASE CHECK MEADOW LAKE!!!!!!!!

it's easy to get from UBL to PCT. given brad already has elephants back and round-top ridge peaks it seems unlikely he'd go north on PCT from there.

if i were looking to put together a long hike including the nipple, 9374, 8902, deadwood and maybe even 9205 then UBL would seem like one of a couple potential starting points along the blue lakes road. deadwood and 9205 are both P1k which makes them attractive to prominence baggers. and 9374 is just generally a nice hike with good views... this would seem like a pretty compelling full-day hike to me.