#saguache

[eopederson]

"Warning No Trespassing," house with red metal roof, Saguache, Colorado, 2006.

[unteriors]

San Juan Avenue, Saguache, Colorado.

[hiawathab]

October 2020

[dougrobyngoold]

We Love Having Company - Buffalo Pass Campground, CO

Our friends, Kathy and John (and their dog, Lev!), came up from the Denver area to spend the last couple of days with us. John explored the area on his bike, we took a hike in Penitente Canyon with Kathy, we hiked around the BLM area on the other side of Highway 114, and, of course, we had happy hour on the porch! 

John, trying to convince Doug to try out his bike - that didn’t happen!

PENITENTE CANYON

This is a wonderful area to hike in, located on the way to Del Norte off of Highway 114. We had a warm, sunny day to explore the area.

Pictographs at the start of the trail.

Summer blooms along the trail.

Views from one of the high points on our hike.

Doug and Kathy taking a breather on the hike up.

A little history of the area and the ruts in the rocks are incredible - imagine how many times the carretas must have gone over these rocks to create these ruts!

Great day in Penitente Canyon! We stopped in Del Norte for lunch and a cold brew - needed to cool off from all that sunshine.

BLM HIKE PHOTOS:

Kathy, John, and I took a little hike around the area just on the other side of Highway 114 from the campground. It is wide-open country, lots of cool rock formations, flowers, birds, and butterflies.

So grateful that Kathy, John, and Lev came up to hang out with us for a few days. Always nice to have friends visit.

[tetramodal]

Baca Sunset II Acrylic on canvas 9x12". Crestone, Colorado. Charles Morgenstern, 2024.

[ezkool-page]

Crestone Builders Inc Government Abstract

Martinez roof restore costs $1,066, roof installation prices $7,832. Oakley roof restore prices $955, roof set up prices $7,016. Brentwood roof restore costs $1,022, roof set up prices $7,510. This custom built 2BD/1.5BA 1500sf off-grid residence with visitor home & workshop is located on 2.eighty one acres on the southern perimeter of the Baca Grande subdivision. It backs to the greenbelt which…

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Getting ready for snow. Sunset at Crestone Peak in the San Luis Valley, Saguache County, Colorado. Photo: John Fielder (Nov 1, 2024)

[Robert Scott Horton]

* * * *

"John Ashbery, in an interview in the Poetry Miscellany, talks about wasting time: "I waste a lot of time. That's part of the [creative process] . . . The problem is, you can't really use this wasted time. You have to have it wasted. Poetry disequips you for the requirements of life. You can't use your time."In other words, wasted time cannot be filled, or changed into another habit; it is a necessary void of fomentation. And I am wasting your time, and I am aware that I am wasting it; how could it be otherwise? 

Many others have spoken about this. 

Tess Gallagher: "I sit in the motel room, a place of much passage and no record, and feel I have made an important assault on the Great Nothing." Gertrude Stein: "It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing." 

Mary Oppen: "When Heidegger speaks of boredom he allies it very closely with that moment of awe in which one's mind begins to reach beyond. And that is a poetic moment, a moment in which a poem might well have been written." The only purpose of this lecture, this letter, my only intent, goal, object, desire, is to waste time. For there is so little time to waste during a life, what little there is being so precious, that we must waste it, in whatever way we come to waste it, with all our heart." 

- Mary Ruefle Madness, Rack, and Honey [whiskey river]

[restinthewest]

In and around the Rio Grande National Forest outside of Saguache, CO

[letitgoloser]

Some splendors for Saguache, co

[photosbykrow]

saguache county, colorado

[truecrimecrystals]

Cases with Major Updates in 2023, Part Two.

As stated in part one, many cases featured on this page had major updates during the year 2023. Below is the second installment of cases this year that made progress during this past year. Here's to hoping they are resolved in 2024!

Once again, since many of you are already familiar with these cases, I provided a brief TL;DR description with each, but links to the full case write-up are there as well!

The Disappearance and Murder of Hailey Dunn. TL;DR update: During June 2023, the murder charges against Shawn Adkins were dropped without prejudice. Hailey Dunn vanished in Colorado City, Texas at the age of 13 in 2010; her remains were found in 2013. Adkins has been a suspect since Hailey's disappearance in 2010. Since the charges against him were dropped without prejudice, the State hopes to charge him again in the future.

The Disappearance and Death of Taalibah Islam. TL;DR update: Human remains were found in Fort Worth, Texas during March 2023. In June 2023, those remains were identified as that of Taalibah Islam. Taalibah originally vanished in 2006 at the age of 20. The main person of interest in the case is currently incarcerated on unrelated kidnapping charges.

The Disappearance and Death of Paige Johnson. TL;DR update: In July 2023, Jacob Bumpass was found guilty of tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse in relation to Paige Johnson's disappearance and death. Paige vanished at the age of 17 from Covington, Kentucky in 2010. Her remains were found 10 years later, in 2020. Her loved ones hope for more charges against Bumpass in the future.

The Disappearance and Murder of Suzanne Morphew. TL;DR update: The remains of Suzanne Morphew were found in Saguache County, Colorado during September 2023. She had been missing since May 10th, 2020. Her husband, Barry Morphew, was previously facing murder charges in the case, but the charges have been dropped without prejudice.

The Disappearance of Tyreek Pettigrew TL;DR update: In November 2023, Brandon Smith (33) was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in relation to Tyreek's disappearance. Tyreek originally vanished from Moncks Corner, South Carolina in February 2018. Although Smith is being charged with murder, Tyreek remains missing today.

[shamandrummer]

The Crestone End of Life Project

At 8,000 feet in elevation, Crestone is a small, unique community nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of south central Colorado. Both beautiful and isolated, Crestone is a spiritual center that includes an astonishing array of sacred sites. Within walking distance of this international village are ashrams, monasteries, zendos, temples, chapels, retreat centers, stupas, shrines, medicine wheels, labyrinths, a ziggurat, and an outdoor cremation pyre.

The Crestone End of Life Project (CEOLP) operates one of the only legal, open-air cremation sites in the state of Colorado. Steeped in Hindu, Sikh, and Christian tradition, open-air cremations are rare ceremonies that bring an ancient tradition of disposition to western culture. This ancient and inspirational end-of-life choice returns the body to its original fire and air elements. The process involves a pyre, a half-cord of wood, a wooden stretcher and a shroud. The family or friends of the deceased work together with CEOLP staff to plan the ceremony, and various teams from the organization are trained to produce a deeply meaningful context for marking the passage of a loved one into death.

CEOLP offers a non-sectarian, community-driven ceremony where your body can be cremated outdoors in a fiery pyre. Conducting an open-air disposition begins with wrapping the body in a natural fabric shroud, which is placed on a wooden stretcher on a steel grate atop an outdoor hearth. Each member of the procession places a juniper branch on the body.

The fire reaches temperatures of over 1,500 degrees, consuming the body. What remains is about three gallons of ashes. The process of dissolution takes three hours, but more than 18 hours for the ashes to be cool enough to collect. Unfortunately for out-of-towners who want to have an open-air cremation, CEOLP's services are only available to local residents of Saguache County. Despite having a population of just 6,000 county residents, CEOLP still performs multiple open-air cremations every year for those who want a disposition ceremony performed by family, friends and community.

[dailynewskit]

5-year-old Lea Vikhrev missing from Texas may be in southern Colorado

Authorities in southern Colorado are asking for the public’s help in locating a 5-year-old girl missing from Texas. The Saguache County Sheriff’s Office is seeking tips on Lea Vikhrev, who has been missing from Houston since Sept. 4, 2021. She is described by missingkids.org as a white female with brown hair and brown eyes, standing 3’6″ tall and weighing 39 pounds. Investigators believe the…

[dougrobyngoold]

Hangin’ at Camp - Buffalo Pass Campground, CO

Today we hung out at the campground for a nice relaxing day. We did take a short hike up to the ridge above the campground. Nice views and some cool rocks:

[tetramodal]

Turquoise Lake Acrylic on canvas 8x10". Charles Morgenstern, 2023. Turquoise Lake, Leadville, Colorado.

[deadnburied13]

Kristal Anne Reisinger, age 29 (at time of disappearance), missing from Crestone, CO since July 13, 2016. Foul play suspected.

🔵NAMUS case#: MP34811

🔵Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Kristal_Reisinger

🔵 Up and Vanished podcast about Kristal: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Frcvvi8TFfAbQE4JCiR08?si=0LH_dI6PStOqzxnGF6Or5Q

Foul play suspected in case of missing mother

This is an archived article and the information in the

Reisinger case.

CRESTONE, Colo. — Former Denver resident Kristal Anne Reisinger, 29, moved to a small town near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains seeking religious enlightenment.

Then around July 13, 2016, she disappeared.

KRISTAL ANNE REISINGER

Over the past year, the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office has transformed its investigation from that of a missing person to a case of suspected foul play.

Two detectives from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation have also joined the team looking into what might have happened to Reisinger.

Although those closest to her hope she is alive, detectives believe it’s likely Reisinger met a more sinister fate.

CRESTONE AS SPIRITUAL CENTER

The area surrounding Crestone long has been considered sacred ground by the Navajo Nation.

Visitors in the summer come in droves to see the raw beauty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at sunset and walk through the nearby Great Sand Dunes.

The population of the town is only 143 people.

The three-by-three-block downtown consists of an organic grocery store, coffee shop, ice cream parlor, gas station and a small brewery/restaurant.

Several thousand more “truth-seekers” live in the surrounding hills, drawn by Crestone’s reputation as the “New Age Religious” capital of the world.

Nearly every dirt road outside town leads to a temple, a sect or a religious compound.

Reisinger was one of those who left the busy city life of Denver, hoping Crestone’s spiritual centers would bring her peace and happiness.

Eli Guana, Kristal Anne Reisinger’s ex-boyfriend

“She was definitely on a spiritual path,” said Elijah Guana, Reisinger’s former boyfriend. “She was practicing Tarot cards, and was really into Hindu and Buddhism.

“Really into Native American traditions (and) the nature of raising consciences and living a peaceful life. Her motto was ‘do no harm.’”

Reisinger seemingly fit right in. She sang vocals with a local band, Stimulus, making enough of an impression they called their latest album the “Kristal-Missive.”

Around July 13, 2016, only a month after moving into an upper-floor apartment near the heart of town, Reisinger’s friends and family started to worry. They hadn’t seen or heard from her.

Rodney Ervin was one of the first to head toward Crestone to investigate why she stopped her routine calls back home.

His children and Reisinger had long been friends, and she had lived at the Ervin household for a number of years after a falling out with her mother.

KRISTALS APARTMENT IN CRESTONE

When Ervin went into Reisinger’s apartment, he had a bad feeling.

“The day before (she disappeared), she had purchased a number of her favorite health food items: Veggie burgers and almond milk. Shampoo and conditioner were new in the shower. Her medicine was on the ‘fridge’ and being used,” Ervin said.

When asked if there was “any sign in that apartment that she was going to pack up and leave,” Ervin responded, “Absolutely not. Absolutely no sign.”

SAGUACHE COUNT SHERIFF DAN WARWICK

According to Saguache County Sheriff Dan Warwick, Reisinger had previously gone on a two-week “walk-about,” so at first, deputies wondered if that was a possible explanation.

However, after a month, red flags were up for one reason: A 4-year old little girl named Kasha.

Reisinger and Guana had a daughter. Reisinger phoned Kasha nearly every day and night, staying connected while she was trying to settle into a new life in Crestone.

Guana said it’s heartbreaking to try to explain to their girl why mom hasn’t come home.

KASHA REISINGER

“To this day, she still asks for her, wants to call her on the phone. She doesn’t really understand that she’s gone. She thinks she’s just somewhere,” Guana said.

Guana and Ervin started putting up missing person flyers and talking to residents about what they might know or have heard.

And the sheriff’s office started ramping up its investigation, trying to narrow down a time and place where Reisinger was last seen.

Drum circle, last place where Kristal Reisinger was seen

One thing many locals agree on is she attended what is called the “drum circle.”

Held on the night of a full moon, it’s a religious ceremony and a wild party held at a campground on the outskirts of town.

Reisinger’s landlord and casual friend Ara McDonald said Reisinger had “been partying a lot” in the weeks leading up to the drum circle ceremony.

McDonald had received several complaints from other tenants in the complex that some “sketchy” people had been coming to Reisinger’s residence.

ASA MCDONALD , LANDLORD

When she went to collect July’s rent, McDonald said she encountered a teary-eyed Reisinger.

“She answered the door crying. Really distraught, saying that she’d been to a party the night before,” McDonald said.

“(She said she’d been) given a bunch of drugs and she couldn’t remember for sure, but someone had taken advantage of her.”

McDonald encouraged her to tell police, something Reisinger said she was considering.

With that conversation in mind, shortly after Reisinger disappeared, McDonald found her tenant’s dead cellphone in the apartment. She found a charger and said she played Reisinger’s messages.

“From what was on her phone, it seems like she was on her way someplace. She needed to go someplace,” McDonald said.

According to McDonald and multiple sheriff’s sources, the last person to have called Reisinger is a local man with a felony criminal history of assaulting and drugging a victim.

Investigators have asked to withhold the name of the potential suspect.

Sheriff’s deputy Wayne Clark, who also resides in Crestone, said officials are tracking down every possible lead, along with the help of the CBI.

Clark said officials are working on multiple theories of what might have happened, from homicide to suicide to a deadly drug overdose.

Clark believes “someone who went to the drum circle ceremony knows what happened that night — that there are people in Crestone who have information which can crack open this case.”

Warwick called in helicopters, tracking and cadaver dogs, and lots of search volunteers to look for Reisinger, but so far, they’ve found nothing significant.

As a year has passed, Warwick said he now suspects foul play.

“We’re not saying it is, but there is always that chance,” Warwick said. “For her to be gone this long is unusual, so that heightens the chances of foul play being involved. She didn’t just take off and not come back. She left everything she owns behind.”

SAND DUNES NEAR CRESTONE

Given the remote expansiveness of the area, Warwick admitted if something bad did happen to Reisinger, finding her body without specific intelligence is a tall task.

“Anybody who has spent anytime over there knows it’s all mountain. It’s one huge mountain and it’s hard to search every bit of that mountain,” Warwick said.

The sheriff also confirmed there are persons of interest connected to Reisinger’s disappearance and some “have colorful nicknames.”

“I’ll go to my grave believing that somebody had something to do with her disappearance,” Ervin said. “And not because that’s what she wanted. I just don’t believe there is any other explanation. Somebody in this town knows and they’re too much of a coward to come forward.”

Guana said he misses Reisinger’s laugh and the time they spent together with Kasha.

He said he remains hopeful Resinger is still alive, but he also admits it’s becoming more unlikely by the day. His latest hope is that justice will prevail.

“I want to say some really choice, aggressive words, but it doesn’t bring anyone back. Doesn’t bring her back,” Gauna said. “I believe in karma. Even if they don`t get caught, its going to come around.”

☎️

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 719-655-2525.

Reisinger’s friends are also offering a $2,000 reward for information that leads to solving the case.

#kristalannreisinger

#missingperson #HCCG

#ColoradoMissing #missing #coldcase