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The strange disappearance of Michael Ficery near Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite

Michael Allen Ficery, disappeared June 15, 2005, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Tiltill Mountain area, Yosemite National Park, California.

Revised July 2024

On Wednesday, June 15, 2005, Michael Allen Ficery, 51, an avid, experienced hiker and backpacker, visited the north side of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park for a solo hike. He had planned this hike to take him to Rancheria Falls, Tiltill Mountain, Lake Vernon, and then through Beehive before returning to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The area is relatively lightly visited compared to more popular places in Yosemite.

At some point during the day, he began walking north up the Pacific Crest Trail towards TilTill Mountain. Then he vanished with only his backpack recovered. No remains have ever been found despite a search operation that cost $0.5 million, at the time the most expensive ever undertaken in Yosemite’s history.

Hetch Hetchy history

Humans have lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for over 6,000 years. For millennia, the valley was a summertime home for the Miwok and Piute people, who hunted and gathered edible seeds and plants from the vast meadows that they maintained via controlled bushfires. The valley name is said to be derived from the Miwok word anglicized as hatchhatchie, meaning “edible grasses,” a reference to the Indigenous use of the valley.

Early white visitors to the valley didn’t realize the grasslands were engineered, and believed “the valley was purely a product of ancient geological forces (or divine intervention).”

Interest in using the valley as a water source dates back to the 1850’s. In particular, the city of San Francisco hoped to use Hetch Hetchy as a reservoir to improve its unreliable water system. They tried to acquire the water rights to the valley in the early 1900s but faced opposition from environmental and conservation groups. It wasn’t until after the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires revealed the inadequacy of the city’s water system that political will forced action.

Work to convert the valley into a reservoir began in 1914 with the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad, and the 227-foot-high O’Shaughnessy Dam was built between 1919 and 1923. In 1938, the dam was raised to 312 feet, and when full, the reservoir holds around 117 billion gallons of water that is supplied to the bay area and also used to power hydroelectric generators.

Who was Michael Ficery?

Michael grew up in Southern California and attended the University of California in Santa Barbara when he was 18. He was adopted, as was one of his sisters. He was described as an intelligent, nice guy, an “off the grid kind of guy” by his family with a photographic memory. When he graduated, he worked for the post office and spent time surfing and hiking.

He hiked, stayed fit, and cycled to work every day. When hiking he tended to overestimate what he could do in a day regarding distance.

Mike had been to Hetch Hetchy several times before and knew the area well. The only medical issue he had was with swallowing food, and he had to chew for a long time to prevent choking.

The search for Michael Ficery - timeline of events

His family became concerned when he did not return by June 19, four days after his due date, and when his wilderness permit expired. On June 21, they called the park service. Michael’s car was found in the parking area, and an extensive search of the area around the reservoir and Pacific Crest Trail was launched.

Relatives thought initially he had been hurt. On a previous trip to Yellowstone, he had survived and crawled back to civilization after breaking his ankle. After that, they were concerned he had been attacked by persons unknown.

The search and rescue operation involved personnel from five counties with aircraft and tracker dogs. Even the Marines took part in the search. Tracking and cadaver dogs failed to pick up a scent, and no tracks were found.

Discovery of the pack

Michael’s family found his backpack near Tiltill Mountain, just off the trail, containing a topographical map and a camera bag (but without the camera). The backpack was discovered quickly after the search started and was at the snow line. He used a large gallon milk bottle for drinking with his name on which was missing from the pack. Friends said he would never leave his pack behind to go somewhere, so its discovery was very troubling.

Aftermath

Apart from the pack, no other clues were found, and to this day, 15 years on, Mike remains missing and on the NPS cold cases list. Various psychics claimed that Michael was still alive, but despite repeated additional searches by family members, nothing turned up.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir california — Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

The NPS said Yosemite accounted for one-quarter of all SAR dollars spent in 2005 - $1.2 million out of the $4.99 million. The park service spent $452,000 looking for Mike Ficery, which shows how extensive the effort was.

On April 5th, 2012, National Parks Traveler showed the following comment. Michael’s sister, Honor Boone, had formed a company called Pack 6 (No longer operating) that helped equip hikers with pre-assembled survival kits (Compass, Knife/Multi-tool, Headlamp, Firestarter, Signal Mirror, and Whistle). The comment refers to Pack 6, likely written by her or Michael’s other sister, Robin Ficery.

"Michael Ficery, the hiker mentioned above who disappeared in Yosemite in 2005, was my brother. While Michael was never reliant upon technology (he never owned a cell phone or computer), I firmly believe he was not adequately prepared for his hike in terms of the equipment he did carry. I'm sure he did not carry a simple signal mirror or whistle, for example. He also apparently deviated from his planned route, which made the search much more difficult. I strongly recommend to all hikers to consult any variety of "pack lists" found on the internet, focusing on the "ten essentials." And please make sure to leave a planned itinerary with at least one responsible adult (and stick to it). More excellent tips can be found on websites like REI, Scouts, Backpacker Magazine, and the "Science Drop" page of my own site at www.pack6.biz, among others. Please, if only for the sake of those who are waiting for you at home, do not attempt even a day hike without being adequately prepared. "

What happened to Michael Ficery?

It seems strange that Michael Ficery disappeared that day in June 2005, given he was an experienced backcountry hiker and had spent over 30 years hiking in wilderness areas. What caused him to leave his backpack behind that day and vanish? Despite the NPS spending close to $0.5 million on the search, Mike's body was never located, and no evidence of bones, equipment or clothing was ever located, apart from his back.

There was a river below the point where the pack was located down a slope. Did he take his water container to refill it and slip into the water, and was he swept away?

Did he come across criminals operating in the area producing drugs, and was he murdered to keep his mouth shut? The area of the park was large and could easily have hidden illegal meth or marijuana activity.

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