Lemuria

The very mysterious disappearance of Carl Landers from Mount Shasta

Carl Landers Mt Shasta disappearance 1999

CARL HERBERT LANDERS, DISAPPEARED MAY 22, 1999, NEAR LAKE HELEN, MOUNT SHASTA, SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA. BODY AND BELONGINGS NEVER FOUND.

Updated March 2024

69-year-old Carl Herbert Landers, who lived in Orinda, California, headed to Mount Shasta, north of Sacramento, to attempt to climb to the summit on May 21, 1999. He went on the trip with two close friends, Milton “Milt” Gaines, aged 64, and Barry Gillmore, aged 60, whom he had met through a local running club called the Orinda Road Runners.

Carl was an experienced outdoorsman but vanished on the hike despite an extensive search of Mt Shasta by professional mountain rescue teams, including a veteran of more than 20 years, Grizz Adams, who led the effort. Adams, as well as Shasta locals, remain baffled by Landers’ disappearance. 25 years later, no trace has been found.

Landers’ story is not dissimilar to that of the disappearance of 80-year-old John Nezza on Mt Shasta on July 17, 1965. Nezza had summited Mount Shasta over forty times, and on that day, like so many others, he left to climb the mountain alone, leaving most of his kit at the Sierra Club cabin at Horse Camp as he expected to return within the day. He took some wine, whiskey, and fried chicken to sustain himself while climbing the mountain. He was last seen at Lake Helen on the mountain and vanished after that. No sign of John or his equipment has ever been located. The only possible clue was sighting some buzzards circling the mountain in the Red Banks area just above Lake Helen. But no remains were ever located.

The disappearance of Carl Landers remains one of America’s most perplexing and mysterious disappearances with seemingly no plausible explanation.

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Photos relating to the Carl Landers disappearance

Avalanche Gulch Route Mt Shasta

Avalanche Gulch Route via Lake Helen on Mt Shasta

Carl Landers disappearance Orinda Road Runners

Carl Landers with Orinda Road Runners

Carl landers and Bobby Landers

Carl Landers and Bobby Landers

Barry Gilmore, Carl Landers, Milt Gaines Mt Shasta disappearance
Carl Landers Bunny Flat Trailhead

Barry Gilmore and Carl Landers kneeling with purple jacket at Bunny Flat Trailhead

The cabin at Horse Camp

The cabin at Horse Camp

Carl Landers and Milt Gaines

Carl Landers and Milt Gaines

Carl Landers Mt Shasta disappearance
Grizz Adams

Grizz Adams SAR head

Grizz adams SAR

Grizz Adams SAR head

Grizz Adams 2020

Grizz Adams 2020

Area around 50:50 Mt Shasta

Area around 50:50 Mt Shasta

Mount Shasta
mount shasta Bunn flat trailhead
50/50 Plateau Mount Shasta

50/50 Plateau Mount Shasta

View from Lake Helen South Mount Shasta

View from Lake Helen South Mount Shasta

bunny flat mount shasta
Mount Shasta
Carl Landers Mount Shasta disappearance

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