I was back at Soda Fork yesterday, continuing to clear the site a small section at a time. The plan for the day was to clear the gully that ran along the base of the hill in the morning, then begin to search the alder flat between the hill and the creek during the afternoon.
The gully ran north-south along the base of the hill. I searched that until I connected with an area I had previously searched on the 30th of June. I was working around a partially tipped over stump, mainly clearing out the hollow under the stump, when I found a hornet nest the hard way. I only took a few stings and Remy got none, so we are all ok here.
After finishing with the gully, I went back to the top of the hill, on the inside of the wood line from the berm. There was a bench on the hill, closest to where one would park if arriving at the landing from the Grissom site. I followed the line of drift from that bench to the alder grove along the river.
This area fits well with the description of where Karen’s clothing and baggage were found. It’s also fairly large, is fairly level, without a lot of erosion or water courses, and so will require more of a grid type search than a targeted search of washes and depressions. Remy found himself a cool spot in the shade, I adjusted my knee pads, and I got to work while he supervised.
I searched one part of the grove during the rest of the afternoon. The temps were well past 90, so the dappled shade was appreciated, as was the breeze from the creek ruffling the leaves. It’s a rather beautiful spot on it’s own, and without the weight of knowing what happened here, it could be a nice spot for lunch and a nap. I searched until my knees were pretty much shot and I wrapped up for the day and began the drive back. The forest will give up its secrets when it is ready.
The Search for Karen Jean Lee and Rodney L. Grissom 