Chris Sylvia

📍 Location

📝 Description

Chris Sylvia, a 28-year-old outdoorsman, disappeared while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Southern California in February 2015. He began his solo hike from Anza on February 12, intending to reach Campo, but after a February 16 phone call arranging a pickup at a Buddhist temple on Chihuahua Valley Road near Warner Springs, he vanished. His camping gear, ID, sleeping bag, and backpack were found abandoned about 13 miles north of Warner Springs along the PCT at mile marker 127 near Mike's Place, triggering a large multi-agency search that ultimately did not locate him. In the weeks following, investigators pursued clues including a hostel-related lead traced by the Fowler-O’Sullivan Foundation, which reported a physical clue suggesting Sylvia may have visited a hostel prior to his disappearance. As of the latest publicly available updates (through 2021), the case remains unresolved with Sylvia listed as Still Missing/Missing.

🔍 Circumstances

Timeline: Feb 12, 2015 – Sylvia departs Anza, CA to hike southbound on the PCT toward Campo. Feb 16, 2015 – he calls his roommate to meet for a pickup at Chihuahua Valley Road near Warner Springs on Feb 17; he does not appear. Feb 20, 2015 – a hiker finds Sylvia’s gear (ID, sleeping bag, backpack) abandoned along the PCT about 13 miles north of Warner Springs, near mile 127 (near Mike’s Place). Feb 24–26, 2015 – San Diego County Sheriff and regional search teams conduct ground and air searches; weather hampers efforts. Mar 3, 2015 – sheriff ends active search; remains missing. Later leads (including a hostel-related clue) are noted by advocacy groups and investigators, but no definitive trace has been found.

👤 Physical Description

Male, White, 5'9" tall, about 155 lbs, brown hair, hazel eyes; had a mustache and goatee. Distinguishing tattoo of Asian symbols on his side. Clothing at time of disappearance: dark fleece jacket, green camouflage pants, brown and black hiking boots.

ℹ️ Additional Details

LKP (last known position) along the PCT near mile 127, north of Warner Springs. A large search involving multiple counties occurred; a hostel-related clue was later identified by the Fowler-O’Sullivan Foundation, which also notes evidence Sylvia may have visited a hostel prior to disappearing. The California DOJ page provides official physical descriptors and last-seen details; multiple independent outlets (Charley Project, KPBS, East County Magazine) corroborate the timeline and investigation status.

🔗 Sources (10)

👥 Community Contributions

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