Homesteading in paradise August highlights, and searching for Samantha Sayers, a lost hiker in our area

My Homesteading in Paradise movie is late this month, but last week was the start of school, so I had to prepare for it (for example, hitting the thrift stores with my high-maintenance clothes-picking daughter to find clothes for her that are "her style". Ahem.)

Let's just say I hate shopping for clothes and leave it at that, shall we?

Watch the movie here <---

This movie is part of our monthly "Homesteading in Paradise" video series. It's about August, and it includes scenes of our homesteading life, plenty of wilderness, amazing food, and as always: gorgeous Pacific Northwest scenery!

The other thing that has occupied my mind is the search for a missing hiker in our area, Samantha Sayers.

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you will have heard about this, because I'm obsessing about this young woman, and her mother's and fiance's fight and plight to bring her home.

And this is why after faithfully writing a weekly blog post for over half a decade, I've dropped off the mountain these past two weeks.

Literally.

Sure, my time and energy have been used up doing all the things you do on a homestead in the late August frenzy: harvesting, preserving and cooking food.

But mostly, I've been occupied searching for Sam, a young woman who has been missing since August 1st after a solo hike in our area.

Steve and I, and sometimes our kids, have gone out on several occasions looking for her, scouring creeks, scrambling up steep hillsides, and hiking up some seriously treacherous terrain.

I want you all to know about this case.  She still might be alive, and I want to raise awareness.  After hiking and searching, I made a movie about it that will tell you how you can help or get involved. 

Watch the short movie I made about our search for Sam HERE <---

Samantha (Sam) Sayers went on a day-hike to Vesper Peak in the North Cascades on August 1st, 2018, with the plan to return to cell service at 6pm. She did not make it back to her vehicle at the Sunrise Mine Trailhead, and a missing persons report was filed.

After 24 days, authorities in Snohomish County, Washington, suspended one of the largest ground searches ever conducted after failing to find any trace of Sam.

Ever since then, Sam’s family has organized themselves to launch an army of volunteers, searching on foot, by drone, helicopter, and with dogs.
On August 30th, my husband Steve Sahlin, our friend Rob, and I (Corina) hiked up to Vesper Lake to search on foot and with Rob’s drone.  --->