Glen and Bessie Hyde
Encyclopedia
Glen and Bessie Hyde were newlyweds who disappeared while attempting to run the rapids of the Colorado River
through Grand Canyon
, Arizona
in 1928. Had they succeeded, Bessie would have been the first documented woman in history to do so.
, Idaho
; Bessie Louise Haley, born December 29, 1905, was a divorcee originally from Parkersburg
, West Virginia
. They met in 1927 on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles
, California
, and married April 12, 1928, the day after Bessie's divorce from her first husband was finalized.
, having traveled the Salmon and Snake River
s in Idaho
with "Cap" Guleke, an experienced river runner, in 1926. Bessie was more of a novice. In 1928, Hyde built his own boat, a twenty foot wooden sweep scow
, the type used by river runners of that time in Idaho. The couple set off down the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers in October 1928, as a honeymoon adventure trip. Glen wanted to set a new speed record for traveling through the Grand Canyon, while also putting Bessie in the record books as first documented woman to run the canyon.
out of the canyon to resupply. They approached photographer Emery Kolb at his studio and home on the canyon rim, where they were photographed before returning down into the canyon. Some historians note that Adolph G. Sutro traveled back into the canyon with the Hydes, taking photographs and even riding a short distance with them in the scow. Sutro was the last person to see them, on November 18, 1928, as they launched back into the river at approximately river mile 95.
Note the Sutro reference regarding riding with the Hydes for one day and possibly being the last to see them, is not mentioned by name, but the story is mentioned specifically in National Parks: US Best Idea series part 1920-1933 Ken Burns series.
in May 1992 that she was really Bessie Hyde, due to some documents and a pistol found in her effects, but no conclusive evidence for such a link was ever found, not to mention that Clark and Hyde do not look alike in photos.
Skeletal remains found on the canyon rim in 1976 with a bullet inside the skull were later proven not to be those of Glen Hyde. Suspicion had turned to photographer Emery Kolb, the last person to see the couple, because the remains were discovered on his property. However, a later forensic investigation conducted by the University of Arizona
concluded that the skeleton belonged to a man no older than 22 and who had died no earlier than 1972, ruling out the possibility that it was the remains of Glen Hyde.
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
through Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in 1928. Had they succeeded, Bessie would have been the first documented woman in history to do so.
Early life
Glen Rollin Hyde, born December 9, 1898 was a farmer from Twin FallsTwin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
; Bessie Louise Haley, born December 29, 1905, was a divorcee originally from Parkersburg
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. They met in 1927 on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and married April 12, 1928, the day after Bessie's divorce from her first husband was finalized.
Raft trip
Glen Hyde had some experience with river raftingRafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
, having traveled the Salmon and Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
s in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
with "Cap" Guleke, an experienced river runner, in 1926. Bessie was more of a novice. In 1928, Hyde built his own boat, a twenty foot wooden sweep scow
Scow
A scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight; cf. barge. The etymology of the word is from the Dutch schouwe, meaning such a boat.-Sailing scows:...
, the type used by river runners of that time in Idaho. The couple set off down the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers in October 1928, as a honeymoon adventure trip. Glen wanted to set a new speed record for traveling through the Grand Canyon, while also putting Bessie in the record books as first documented woman to run the canyon.
Disappearance
They were last seen in November 1928, when they hiked Bright Angel TrailBright Angel Trail
The Bright Angel Trail is a hiking trail located in Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona.-Access:The trail is accessed by the mule corral, as seen here:-Description:...
out of the canyon to resupply. They approached photographer Emery Kolb at his studio and home on the canyon rim, where they were photographed before returning down into the canyon. Some historians note that Adolph G. Sutro traveled back into the canyon with the Hydes, taking photographs and even riding a short distance with them in the scow. Sutro was the last person to see them, on November 18, 1928, as they launched back into the river at approximately river mile 95.
Search
A search was launched when the Hydes did not return to Idaho by December. In mid-December, a search plane spotted their scow adrift around river mile 237; it was upright and fully intact, with the supplies still strapped in. A camera recovered from the boat revealed the final photo to have been taken near river mile 165, probably on or about November 27. There is some evidence to indicate the Hydes made it as far as river mile 225, where it is believed they made camp. No other trace of the Hydes has ever been found. It is thought to be most likely that they fell or were swept out of the boat in heavy rapids near river mile 232.Note the Sutro reference regarding riding with the Hydes for one day and possibly being the last to see them, is not mentioned by name, but the story is mentioned specifically in National Parks: US Best Idea series part 1920-1933 Ken Burns series.
Theories
The romance of the story, coupled with the lack of any conclusive evidence as to the fate of the Hydes, has led to a number of legends and rumors. An elderly woman on a commercial Grand Canyon rafting trip in 1971 announced to other rafters that she was Bessie Hyde, and that she had stabbed her abusive husband to death and escaped the canyon on her own. The woman later recanted this story. There was some speculation after the death of famed rafter Georgie ClarkGeorgie White
Georgie White Clark was a river-running guide in the Grand Canyon. She was the first woman to run the Grand Canyon as a commercial enterprise, and she introduced several innovations and adjustments to the way that guides ran the Colorado. In particular, she used large army-surplus rafts, often...
in May 1992 that she was really Bessie Hyde, due to some documents and a pistol found in her effects, but no conclusive evidence for such a link was ever found, not to mention that Clark and Hyde do not look alike in photos.
Skeletal remains found on the canyon rim in 1976 with a bullet inside the skull were later proven not to be those of Glen Hyde. Suspicion had turned to photographer Emery Kolb, the last person to see the couple, because the remains were discovered on his property. However, a later forensic investigation conducted by the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
concluded that the skeleton belonged to a man no older than 22 and who had died no earlier than 1972, ruling out the possibility that it was the remains of Glen Hyde.
See also
- Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
- River raftingRaftingRafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
- Colorado riverColorado RiverThe Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
- Missing personMissing personA missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....
s - List of people who disappeared mysteriously