News Release
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Roberts was last reported seen on Wednesday, August 9, when his family dropped him off at the Cottonwood/Trail Pass Trailhead in the Golden Trout Wilderness of Inyo National Forest. Roberts’ plan was to hike north on the John Muir Trail and meet his family at Bullfrog Lake in the wilderness of Sequoia National Park on August 12. His family reported him missing that day when he failed to arrive as planned.
Roberts’ family was watching his progress via a tracker that he was carrying. The last updates that posted were near the west end of the Caltech Peak ridgeline in Sequoia National Park. It is not yet known if updates ceased because the tracker is turned off, because of a malfunction, loss of signal, etc, but that is the area where searches were initiated yesterday. Ground searchers covered that area today and located some of his tracks.
Roberts is Caucasian, 6’1”, slim in build, and has gray hair and a full gray beard. At the time of his departure, he was wearing a brown and black long-sleeved shirt, tan hiking pants, and a brown brimmed hat, and carrying trekking poles and an orange and black backpack. He has some experience with backpacking, but this was his first solo overnight trip.
Anyone who has been in or around the area of Roberts’ planned itinerary since August 9 is encouraged to contact Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks at the tipline, 888-653-0009, whether or not you believe that you saw Bill Roberts.
Three teams of ground searchers and an uncrewed aerial system (drone) crew were inserted within the search area today, in addition to aerial searches using helicopters. At the time of this release, the parks are planning for continued search operations tomorrow, concurrent with investigations.
Roberts’ itinerary passes through an area that still has approximately 40% snow cover, and creek crossings are unseasonably high and swift. Furthermore, rain and thunderstorms are currently heavily affecting the area. These conditions are hampering search efforts today for both ground and aerial searchers.
Further updates will be issued as more information becomes available.
Last updated: August 13, 2023