Gayle Stewart missing: Woman who was found clinging to a tree in Reno disappears again

Gayle Stewart, a 64-year-old woman from Nevada, was reported missing after she was last seen in the Bypass Bridge parking area near Hoover Dam on March 14. The disappearance comes exactly a month after she first vanished and was later found clinging to a tree in Reno on Valentine’s Day.

The US Park Rangers and the National Park Service said that the woman traveled to the Hoover area to take photographs but did not return to her vehicle. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Lake Mead National Recreation Area spoke to NBC and confirmed that Stewart is the same woman who was found in Reno after an initial disappearance last month.

Authorities noted that Stewart was last seen taking photographs near the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on March 14. She reportedly did not have her “phone or any identification on her at the time.”

Gayle Stewart has been described as a 5 foot 8 inch woman with blond hair, blue eyes and weighing nearly 125 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt, black leggings and black shoes.

---

What happened to Gayle Stewart?

Gayle Stewart first went missing on February 14 and was found clinging to a tree in Reno (Image via Reno Fire Department)

Gayle Stewart was first reported missing in northern Nevada after she failed to return from a hike in the Caughlin Ranch neighborhood area on February 14. Several hours later, her son Mathew Stewart and his friends launched a search party and accompanied searchers in the woods near Alum Creek in Reno.

During a miraculous search organization, one of Mathew’s friends found Stewart clinging to a tree on a steep cliff. The Reno Fire Department confirmed the rescue in an official statement on February 15:

“A friend of the son found her injured and stranded on a steep slope.”

Firefighters also reported that Stewart was missing a shoe, and both of her legs showed signs of “quite a bit of trauma.” Authorities also noted that she possibly suffered injuries after falling down the cliff but managed to sustain herself by dangling onto the tree.

Gayle Stewart was found cold and dehydrated and reportedly suffered from hypothermia. Searchers reportedly formed a human chain to rescue Stewart from the steep and slippery terrain and sent her to the hospital after recovery.

Reno Fire Department Battalion Chief Seth Williams dubbed the situation as a “miracle story” while speaking to KOLO-TV at the time:

“The son called up some friends to start searching for her and one of the boys just decided to head off this cliff thinking maybe she fell down there and found her clinging to a tree. He said the last thing she said was ‘help’ and then didn’t talk anymore.”

Unfortunately, Gayle Stewart disappeared for the second time on March 14, exactly a month after the first incident. Her son Mathew took to Facebook to dedicate a post to Stewart:

"The smile I have is yours. You showed me the power of positivity. You taught me how to be happy and grew me into a man. My heart aches."

On March 17, he shared another follow-up and remembered his mother:

"Mom. Wherever you are I hope you are not in pain and you have found your peace. You were the sweetest person I ever knew. You raised me and helped me become who I am today. Your fun loving spirit and positive outlook on the world is something to be admired. I will always remember all the fun we had together. Love you always!"

Officials said that no details of the ongoing missing person investigation have been made available to the public but shared that information from other visitors can be of help to investigators.

Authorities have also asked anyone with information related to Stewart's disappearance to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) Tip Line.