The strange disappearance of the landscape painter Alexander Pisch

Alexander”Alex” Pisch, disappeared October 8, 2020, near Colonial Creek Campground, North Cascades National Park, Washington

Revised January 2024

Alexander Pisch, 35, from Discovery Bay in California was last seen on Thursday, October 8, 2020, in the Whatcom County portion of the North Cascades National Park, near Colonial Creek Campground and Diablo Lake. The campground is an hour east of Rockport, off Highway 20 in Washington State. He was painting a landscape scene, and his easel was mysteriously left behind at the site.

His white Toyota Corolla was parked along Highway 20, near where he had set up the easel for painting.

On Saturday, October 3, a park service employee noticed Pisch’s car and easel in the same position, with no indication he was in the area.

Park rangers began searching for Alex on Sunday, October 4, near Colonial Creek Campground and Diablo Lake. Approximately 20 people were in the field looking for Pisch the following week.

Diablo lake, North cascades national park

North Cascades National Park is an American national park in Washington, with 500,000 acres (200,000 ha). It consists of a northern and southern section, bisected by the Skagit River that flows through Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

The park features the rugged mountain peaks of the North Cascades Range, the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States, the headwaters of numerous waterways, and vast forests with the highest degree of flora biodiversity of any American national park.

Paleo-Indian Native Americans first settled the region; by the time European American explorers arrived, Skagit tribes inhabited it. By the early 19th century, fur trappers visited the area, and several British and American companies fought for control over the fur trade.

The first significant human impact in the region occurred in the 1920s when several dams were built in the Skagit River valley to generate hydroelectric power. Environmentalists then campaigned to preserve the remaining wilderness, culminating on October 2, 1968, with the designation of North Cascades National Park.

Previous deaths and disappearances at Colonial Creek Campground

There have been some recent disappearances in the North Cascades National Park area. Diablo means Devil in Spanish, and the area seems to be at the heart of dark and strange occurences.

Ritchie Collins

Ritchie Collins' vehicle was found at the Colonial Creek Campground, on April 30th, 2019. Whatcom County Sheriff's detectives say the 58-year-old's Honda Element had been parked there for weeks, with the key sitting on the roof and Collins nowhere to be found.

There have been many searches for him around Diablo Lake that have come up with no clues.

"We found out that the family said that Mr. Collins had a lot of firearms in his possession. He was in the Army. He worked for Customs and Border Patrol, and his firearms were nowhere to be found and his safe was open, as well and no firearms inside the safe. We searched the residence. We searched crawlspaces and didn't find firearms. We just don't know where the guns are at this time and what would happen with that many guns. Family members said that he had upwards of at least 30 guns in his possession, so it's just odd that that many guns are missing and we haven't found them yet,” said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Det. Ken Gates.

Collins had numerous gun cases inside his home that were all found empty after he vanished.

Cornelius Zippro

In July 2018, Deputies found the body of Cornelius "Casey" Zippro, 31, who was reported missing in June 2018 in the North Cascades National Park.

Search crews discovered the body in a remote wooded area near the Colonial Creek campground and Diablo Lake on Tuesday, July 3, and an autopsy was performed on Thursday, July 5. The body was identified as that of Zippro

Deputies said there were no signs of foul play or violence at the scene. His death was determined to be a suicide.

Zippro, originally from Gainesville, Georgia, was camping with a friend at the Colonial Creek Campground and was last seen on June 16 at site No. 3 near Diablo Lake.

His family told officials he was reported missing by his friend at 4 pm., who told authorities that the two argued. The friend then left to go on a hike alone. Zippro's tent and backpack were still at the campsite when the friend returned, but there was no sign of him.

Officials said there has been no activity on his phone, social media accounts, or bank card since he disappeared. He didn’t drive.

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