2009 Reynolds, Edward Dale Feb 2009, 39 YO Nelson Lakes National Park

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Mystery over man's disappearance remains
MICHELLE COOKE Last updated 10:03 20/04/2012SharePrint Text Size Relevant offersAn American man fellow trampers described as "superman" is presumed to have died while tramping in 2009, but it is unclear how he met his fate because his body has never been found.

Edward Dale Reynolds, 39, was tramping in the Nelson Lakes National Park in February 2009, which is when he was last seen.

Police were only notified of his disappearance in April, 2009, when he failed to return home to America. His body has never been found despite extensive searches by foot, kayak and helicopter.

He hadn't checked his bank account since February 2009 and didn't leave the country, so it was presumed he was dead.

A Coroner's finding into his death was released today. Coroner Carla na Nagara did not rule out that "something sinister" may have happened to him or he staged his own disappearance, but concluded that it was "most likely" he died while tramping, and possibly of a fall.

She put his death down to "misadventure" while tramping.

Reynolds was an ultralight tramper, which he meant he carried as little as possible to increase comfort and speed. While most trampers cover about 18 kilometres a day, Reynolds was able to cover 26km.

Na Nagara noted in her findings that if he had more food, clothes and equipment then he may have survived, but said there was not enough evidence to prove that he died because of a lack of resources.

Reynolds embarked on his tramp around February 22. He spent the night of the 23rd at the Blue Lake Hut with other trampers, who told police he was like superman. "He could do whatever," they said.

The last confirmed sighting of him was by other trampers at East Branch Matakitaki Hut on February 25.

It was more than a month later that search and rescue were alerted to his disappearance after he failed to return to the United States and 15 different search teams went looking for him.

They found a tent peg and a watch strap, but neither could be confirmed as belonging to Reynolds. Police also discovered a footprint they believed was his.

The footprint was near Glenroy and close to a property where Reynolds may have been seen. A witness told police that in late February a man had approached her home. He was Caucasian, carrying a walking pole and wearing a light backpack. He was unshaven and asked her: "Where am I?".

He said he wanted to go to Matakitaki East and she pointed him in the right direction. Na Nagara said in her findings that it's believed the man the woman saw could possibly be Reynolds, but it wasn't confirmed.

The coroner also noted Reynolds had a history of bi-polar disorder but he had not been unwell for some years.

Ad Feedback The search was scaled back and eventually called off.

A coroner can make a finding into a disappearance if it is presumed the person died, even though no body has been found.

Na Nagara ruled that Reynolds was likely to have been exhausted having tramped for days with minimal supplies.

"Reynolds would possibly at that stage have been tired, it is likely that he would have been out of food, his judgement could well have been impaired," she said.

"He was in treacherous and very challenging terrain, there is a suggestion that his footwear was possibly not well-suited for that type of terrain, and it is entirely possibly that he fell there."

There was no evidence whatsoever to conclude that something sinister may have happened and Reynolds' character was not consistent with that of someone who would stage their own disappearance, na Nagara said.

"At the end of the day, I consider that Mr Reynolds was aware of the risks that he took, tramping the way that he did, and he assumed them."

She stressed she did not know if his ultralight tramping ethos contributed to his death because no-one knows how he died, but said it was important for trampers to always have personal locator beacons on them.

- © Fairfax NZ News

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6778810/My...earance-remains



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[PorchlightAustralia]

Missing: Edward Dale Reynolds Date of birth:
10th May 1969
Ethnicity:
United States of America
Missing since:
20th February 2009
Missing From:
Nelson, Tasman
Height:
170cm
Circumstances:
Edward Reynolds was visiting New Zealand undertaking some of our popular hikes. In February 2009, Ed emailed a friend from Nelson of his intention to hike to Hanmer Springs. His plan was to meet up with friends in Auckland before catching his flight back to the USA, however he failed to meet them or his return flight and has not been seen since.
http://www.police.govt.nz/service/missing-...d-dale-reynolds

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2311466/Fe...merican-tramper
Fears held for missing American tramper
BY HELEN MURDOCH Last updated 05:00 03/04/2009SharePrint Text Size Relevant offersAn American tramper missing in rugged South Island back country wrote of the dangers of crossing swollen fords and his desire to cover tracks at speed in his New Zealand adventure blog.

Edward Dale Reynolds, 39, was last seen on February 23. The next day, he left a message in an intention book in a Nelson Lakes National Park hut.

The lightly equipped tramper, who wrote in a travel blog that he pushed himself to cover tracks at speed, has not been sighted for more than five weeks.

He also wrote that he had almost run out of food on one leg of his South Island trip.

Hanmer Springs police constable Chris Hughey, who spoke to the missing man's Pennsylvania family yesterday, said "his mother is not coping well".

However, Hughey said Reynolds' father "is positive".

"It's a delicate situation and they have got their fingers crossed," he said.

Reynolds breakfasted with three New Zealand trampers at Blue Lake on February 23.

Nelson search incident controller Senior Constable Dave Colville said: "They said he was chatty and cheerful, but there was steady rain, predicted thunderstorms and it was cold with snow on the tops."

Reynolds' friends, who had tramped with him in the North Island, had told him to inform the Department of Conservation (DOC) when he entered parks and to complete intention books.

"If he had told DOC when he entered Nelson Lakes, we could have been advised a lot sooner," Colville said. Nelson assistant Search and Rescue co-ordinator Sherp Tucker warned that the minimal supplies Reynolds carried meant he had no room for error.

Eight South Island search teams will finish scouring tracks near the Lewis Pass for Reynolds today.

Tucker said a check by searchers on Wednesday revealed Reynolds' note in the park's East Matakitaki Hut intention book, saying he was leaving the hut on February 24.

He intended to tramp over the Spencer Range and exit at Lewis Pass, which should have taken two to three days, Tucker said.

The alarm was raised when Reynolds failed to pick up gear from friends and missed his flight back to the United States on March 29.

Tucker said Reynolds was a fast tramper who carried about 10kg of gear, minimal food, a sleeping bag and tent, and wore running shoes or sneakers and light clothing.

He was not carrying an emergency locator beacon.

"There is no room for error in what he takes," he said.

Reynolds had completed the Heaphy Track about February 19 before heading to Nelson Lakes to tramp from St Arnaud.

A spokesman for the Interpol office in Wellington said Reynolds' bank accounts had not been touched since February 22, which was also the last entry date on his adventure blog.

Ad Feedback The entry details Reynolds' South Island tramping and hitchhiking trip through Picton, St Arnaud, Westport, the Heaphy Track and Nelson.

He had then intended to continue to Otira.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article....jectid=10565013
Missing tramper last seen in bad weather
10:12 AM Friday Apr 3, 2009

EmailPrint
The last people to see missing American tramper Ed Reynolds alive say the weather conditions were bad and forecast to deteriorate.

Edward Dale Reynolds, 39, has not been seen for five weeks but police were only alerted to his situation earlier this week, when he failed to pick up gear from friends as arranged and missed his flight back to the United States.

An Interpol spokesman in Wellington said Mr Reynolds' bank accounts had not been touched since February 22, which was also the last entry date on his adventure blog.

The entry details Mr Reynolds' South Island tramping and hitchhiking trip through Picton, St Arnaud, Westport, the Heaphy Track, and Nelson.

He wrote of the dangers of tramping in rugged South Island back country and his desire to cover tracks at speed.

Mr Reynolds was last seen on February 23, when he breakfasted with three New Zealand trampers at Blue Lake.

"They said he was chatty and cheerful, but there was steady rain, predicted thunderstorms and it was cold with snow on the tops," Nelson search incident controller Senior Constable Dave Colville told The Press.

A check by searchers on Wednesday revealed Mr Reynolds' note in the national park's East Matakitaki Hut intention book, saying he was leaving the hut on February 24, intending to tramp over the Spencer Range and exit at Lewis Pass.

The tramp should have taken two to three days.

Eight South Island search teams are expected to finish scouring tracks near the Lewis Pass today.

Nelson assistant Search and Rescue co-ordinator Sherp Tucker said Mr Reynolds was a fast tramper who carried about 10kg of gear, minimal food, a sleeping bag and tent, and wore running shoes or sneakers and light clothing.

He was not carrying an emergency locator beacon.

"There is no room for error in what he takes," he said.

Hanmer Springs police constable Chris Hughey, who spoke to the missing man's Pennsylvania family yesterday, said "his mother is not coping well" but his father was remaining positive.

"It's a delicate situation and they have got their fingers crossed," he said.

- NZPA

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http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/in...pic=70280&st=0&

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Kia ora, Guest[Settings] [Logout] [ sign in] Richmond-WaimeaMotueka-Golden BayTahunanuiStokeNelson Rescue HelicopterNational NewsKey find in lost tramper riddle
SALLY KIDSON
Last updated 13:00 14/09/2012Relevant offersA small piece in the puzzle of what happened to a missing American tramper has been solved, with the discovery of his distinctive watch in the United States.

Ed Reynolds' father John Reynolds found the watch in the glove box of his son's car after getting it out of storage in preparation for selling it.

Mr Reynolds said he had rummaged through his son's car when he put it in storage three years ago, but had never looked in "all the nooks and crannies".

He said he was surprised to find the strapless Timex watch in the glovebox.

"Now, after finding this watch, another little small piece of the puzzle is solved, at least for me," Mr Reynolds said in an email.

The find is significant as it crushes a theory that a similar strapless Casio watch found on the St James Walkway - only an hour and a half from the end of the track - belonged to Ed Reynolds.

Ed Reynolds, 39, went missing in February 2009 tramping in the Nelson Lakes National Park.

He was walking the Te Araroa Trail, but decided to detour by crossing the Three Tarn Pass to join the St James Walkway.

He was last seen at the East Matakitaki Hut.

The only trace of him found by searchers was a footprint, a tent peg and the strapless watch.

His family believed it was his watch.

The watch's discovery took searchers from one side of a rugged mountain to the other side and suggested Mr Reynolds was only an hour-and-a-half from the end of a track; a point from which he could easily reach the end.

Search and Rescue volunteers extensively searched the area where the watch was found, but did not find anything of relevance.

Ed Reynolds was an ultra-lightweight tramper who carried a bare minimum of gear. He was so dedicated to tramping with the minimum of gear he removed all unnecessary parts of his equipment, including the straps of his distinctive Casio Timex watch.

Coroner Carla na Nagara concluded in April that Mr Reynolds died in the weeks before a search began. She said the exact cause of Mr Reynolds' death was unknown, but it was likely to be by misadventure.

At the inquest, Ms na Nagara said she did not think the Casio watch was distinctive.

This was later debated by John Reynolds in a magazine article. He was convinced the watch was his son's.

Mr Reynolds said he had contacted trampers all over the world to find out how common it was to remove straps, and in three months of trying was unable to find anyone who did so.

He said at the time the location of the watch at the St James Walkway "deepened the mystery" of what had happened to his son.

Ad Feedback Nelson Search and Rescue co-ordinator Sherp Tucker said the find of the watch in the US was pleasing as it resolved that part of the mystery about what happened to Ed.

"The coroner pretty much got it right. She didn't put much emphasis on the watch find."

If the watch had been Ed's it raised the chance he could have walked out of the wilderness.

"This find probably takes that mystery calculation out of it. This would lend more weight to Ed being in around the Matakitaki catchment than anywhere."

Someone thought to be Ed was directed into the East Matakitaki by a farmer and possibly got lost in some tough country.

Search and Rescue was still looking for information on Mr Reynolds' disappearance, he said.

Sergeant Mike Fitzsimons of Nelson said the find of the watch clarified some of what the searchers had done and why they did not turn up any information in the area where the watch was found.

"Any information is always interesting to see whether it goes into a jigsaw puzzle or whether it answers a question or creates a new one."

- © Fairfax NZ News

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/76...-tramper-riddle