I don't quite know where to post this, but as of Saturday, it will be a current event in the small south coastal town of Seward, Alaska. It's one of those true headscratcher stories.
Background: Seward is a two-hour drive south of Anchorage, along winding and phenomenally scenic highways, with mountains, glaciers, a big tidal inlet and, often, wildlife visible all the way. The town is nestled along a strip of land no more than half a mile wide on the north side of a narrow fiord, with mountains immediately behind the place. The permanent population is about 3,000, but it is the terminus of the Alaska Railroad system, and a major port, both for cargo and for passenger ships in summer.
Immediately behind downtown is a 3,000+ foot mountain called Mt. Marathon. It's called that because every July 4th there is a competitive race up and down the mountain, which draws serious outdoor running competitors and a lot of recreational runners. It is nothing close to easy, but gets hundreds of entrants every year. It's the biggest event of the year in Seward.
Three years ago an extremely strange and tragic event happened in the race. A 66-year-old man from Anchorage, a bit of a fitness and outdoor adventure buff, decided to try it. He came down to Seward with his family to watch the event.
He was last seen nearing the top of the mountain. After that, he vanished. Gone. Simply gone. Never found.
The entire upper slope of the mountain is bare rock, fully visible from town. The lower portion is wooded, but not very distant. It's just right there, behind the town. Search parties were dispatched, looked for a couple of days, and finally were called off because the slippery slopes in places were too dangerous even for them. To this day, nothing has been found.
A more detailed story:
http://www.outsideonline.com/1920136/disappearance-mount-marathon
caw
Background: Seward is a two-hour drive south of Anchorage, along winding and phenomenally scenic highways, with mountains, glaciers, a big tidal inlet and, often, wildlife visible all the way. The town is nestled along a strip of land no more than half a mile wide on the north side of a narrow fiord, with mountains immediately behind the place. The permanent population is about 3,000, but it is the terminus of the Alaska Railroad system, and a major port, both for cargo and for passenger ships in summer.
Immediately behind downtown is a 3,000+ foot mountain called Mt. Marathon. It's called that because every July 4th there is a competitive race up and down the mountain, which draws serious outdoor running competitors and a lot of recreational runners. It is nothing close to easy, but gets hundreds of entrants every year. It's the biggest event of the year in Seward.
Three years ago an extremely strange and tragic event happened in the race. A 66-year-old man from Anchorage, a bit of a fitness and outdoor adventure buff, decided to try it. He came down to Seward with his family to watch the event.
He was last seen nearing the top of the mountain. After that, he vanished. Gone. Simply gone. Never found.
The entire upper slope of the mountain is bare rock, fully visible from town. The lower portion is wooded, but not very distant. It's just right there, behind the town. Search parties were dispatched, looked for a couple of days, and finally were called off because the slippery slopes in places were too dangerous even for them. To this day, nothing has been found.
A more detailed story:
http://www.outsideonline.com/1920136/disappearance-mount-marathon
caw
