Decades before Murder Mountain (which locals tend to see as sensationalized bullshit), The Emerald Triangle had a long held reputation for being the Bermuda Triangle of NorCal. People have a way of, well, going away. Unintentionally. The War on Drugs intensified risks of every kind—growing weed, hiking and camping, teens running away, even car issues on a rural road.
The Whys
Ever heard the term “cash crop”? It refers to agricultural production of a crop with huge financial returns. The market value determines gains for farmers, since production costs can usually be expected to fall within a reliable range. When supply is abundant, prices drop. When supply is choked, prices skyrocket, and that’s when protecting their cultivation vault becomes critical for growers. This was the case from about the mid-1970s through the Green Rush until recreational legalization leveled the market in the 2020s.
In a region of mostly mountains, rivers, and ocean, the landscape is loaded with invisible nooks. And because prosecutors have such a difficult (if not impossible) chance of winning a murder trial without a body, they often don’t even try. So, those who want to get away with murder know to abide by the cryptic criterion of no corpse = no crime.
Not all disappearances were/are a result of the illegal cannabis industry, though. Other contributing (and overlapping) factors include:
Crazy curvy roads (driving off the road, vehicle disappearing in a river, ocean, or gulch)
Gnarly storms (not respecting bad weather or speed limits during a storm)
Vast rural areas (getting stuck in the middle of nowhere without proper provisions)
Dangerous oceanside cliffs (falling off a trail or ledge into the ocean)
Raging rivers & creeks (driving off the road, body carried by the strong current)
Ill-prepared travelers (taking unnecessary risks, not carrying proper gear)
Wildlife (bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, rattlesnakes, etc.)
The occasional psychopath (puts everyone on edge, including growers)
My research uncovered dozens of archived news stories about missing men, women, and youth. The variety of ways to vanish shows the reality of the Emerald Triangle…it can be a dangerous place. It’s also filled with really good people—salt of the earth types.
Our Communal Place of Nunya
More common than HOAs in the Emerald Triangle are certain unspoken rules we live by. The expectation among locals to pitch in when someone needs help is taken as seriously as the expectation that one looks out for their own. People don’t rely much on others in the mountains of EmTri, and we don’t easily trust outsiders or newcomers. From off-grid living to hunting and growing our own food, it’s a level of survival miles—and worlds away—from the ordinary that defines American suburbia.
Side note: This year (2025) in Trinity County, the poorest county in the state of California, over $300,000 was awarded in scholarships to graduating seniors (about 40 applied) for higher education…all raised through endowments and community donations. We take care of our own.
Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is another aspect of mountain living. What IS and IS NOT one’s business is a matter of survival in rural areas, reputationally and sometimes literally. Except for a few perma-haters, and the rare dispute between adversaries, mountain folks generally live and let live in a cozy little place we call “nunya” (as in nunya business).
At one point, NorCal weed was selling for $5,000 a pound. So, from the standpoint of stumbling upon someone's budding rural farm in September, it may have been tempting for a young guy to see it as a lucky windfall more than a deadly mistake. Sadly, lives were lost like this during the War on Drugs through a combination of stupidity and the cannabis black market created by prohibition.
Side note: While still dangerous to venture off a county road onto private property almost anywhere in the Emerald Triangle, since the plummeting value of weed due to legalization, trespassing executions are pretty rare these days.
This archive from the Ukiah Daily Journal is the story of a young man’s risky choices leading to his death in the 1980s. He was a local guy, too, he knew better.
When I say “he knew better”, I mean that there are places even locals tend to stay away from, knowing the dangers. Being from Fortuna right up the road, he also knew the dangers of crop stealing in the Emerald Triangle.
When it comes to newcomers or tourists, however, many are simply unaware of these red zone areas, like Bridgeville, Alderpoint, and as I mentioned in a previous article, Denny. I say this out of respect for these towns and their residents. They want to be left alone. Tour elsewhere, like Fort Bragg, or Trinidad, or Weaverville where you will be welcomed.
Missing in My Backyard
In one of my interviews with Sergeant Sanborn of Trinity County, he shared a story about a curious case that happened literally in my backyard in Helena, California, a couple years before we moved there. I remember the character at the bottom of our road, but I never knew this story until recently…
In rural corners of the Emerald Triangle like where I grew up in Trinity, ALL our neighbors (when we had them) lived on gold mining claims, not private property like our cabin. These dreamers were dredging the creeks and river forks for their fortune. At the base of our tiny, one-lane 1.5 mile (2,414 meter) gravel driveway, there was a mining claim with a small cabin. (Well, it was there until it mysteriously burned down in the 1980s, which we’ll talk about in an upcoming publication called Redneck Justice. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!)
The main resident on the mining claim (they are subject to change) was a longtime local guy named Michael Hudson. Hudson was a former surveyor who suddenly quit his government job in town, bought a VW bus, got married, had a son (also named Michael), and settled into a mining claim in the ghost town of Helena with his family. There were some guesses of drugs or maybe an accident…no one quite knew why, but all would agree that Hudson was a little off mentally. Seen as simply harmless and weird, the topic fell under the “nunya” category.
In any case, the Hudsons began hosting HUGE parties at their cabin in the late ‘70s. One thing about parties in the woods is that they’re rarely heard or interrupted by cops. The Sheriff’s Office is a good 45-minute drive from Helena, so unless they were invited, they ain’t showin’ up. Besides, there were no phones where I grew up, so someone would’ve had to drive 15 minutes to the nearest payphone to alert law enforcement. Sergeant Sanborn says that Hudson’s parties were gradually growing in size and length as time went on. He described them as “crazy, Animal House-style”.
The SO was called out to one of these ragers when the young Hudson boy, who was 4 or 5 years old at the time, disappeared with the family dog. Sgt. Sanborn described law enforcement and partygoers searching all night in the nearby creek and East Fork of the North Fork (literally the name of this section of river), neighboring mining claims, mountainsides, gulches…all over what was soon to be my backyard. Little Michael was nowhere.
A couple days later, the dog returned home. Shortly thereafter, based on a tip the Hudsons received from a psychic in Denmark or somewhere overseas, Sgt. Sanborn said he and fellow officers “took the dog way back up Helena Road. We hiked up to the dam at Squaw Gulch. I hadn’t been there since I was a kid! That dog went in there and just went ape shit crazy digging. We rearranged the whole landscape looking for that boy, never found him.”
There are a number of tragic scenarios for little Michael Hudson. This story is a sad example of vast rural areas, and possibly wildlife, playing a role in people vanishing here like fog in the California sun. In general, wildlife doesn’t hunt humans in the Emerald Triangle. Bears prefer to eat our food rather than us, and mountain lions seem to sense that living humans aren’t key to their food chain. That said, they are wild and anything goes if they, or their babies, need food or feel threatened. Survival of the fittest.
Side note: The mom of a friend of mine was attacked by a mountain lion while jogging on a trail near their cabin in Trinity. She survived with cuts & bruises, and never blamed the animal. After all, she was running, and animal instincts aren’t voluntary. I think she bought a treadmill after that. In general, though, predators are more likely to attack prey that is injured, young, or old. And many, including birds, will quickly devour any carcass filled with much needed protein and nutrients.
Still Missing After All These Years
In 2016, one of our old high school classmates, Stacey Smart, completely vanished. Poof! Gone. Her daughter, sister, and extended family and friends left with so many questions…about a boyfriend and some missing carpet, and things that stood out as obvious foul play. There have been warrants, searches, news stories, clues, vigils, meetings, and pleas for help. Yet, the case of this sweet local missing mom remains unsolved 9 years later. It’s heartbreaking.
On Dec. 26, 2018, The Trinity Journal published the following:
“Stacey Smart, of Lewiston, was last seen in Lewiston by family members on Oct. 12, 2016. Her debit card was last used Oct. 16, 2016. There have been many volunteer searches for Smart or for evidence of what may have happened to her.
“Status: The investigation has taken many different directions. The disappearance of Stacey is believed to be suspicious. Numerous search warrants have been prepared and served. Criminalists from the Department of Justice have assisted on countless occasions regarding this matter. Numerous searches have been conducted of the areas around Lewiston, to include the lake with side-scan sonar.
“It remains open with action taken weekly. Several persons of interest have been identified.”
Dateline, if you can hear me, we could use some exposure and momentum on the case of Stacey Smart. Anyone with information about Stacey’s disappearance, please contact the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 623-8126.
A Needle in the Forest
In 2024, The Trinity Journal did a follow up piece to their 2018 “Missing in Trinity” article, basically naming the same missing people + a few more. I counted 21 missing people in the 2018 cover story. That’s 6 years for law enforcement to make some headway and those same people still seem to be listed as missing in 2024. To be clear on the per capita and geographical scale, Trinity County is less than 16,000 people total in a county that, if flattened out, would be bigger than the state of Texas.
Finding a body in a forest can be a challenge, to say the least. It’s worse than the needle in a haystack scenario, due to scope and slope. Trinity and Humboldt counties both consist of 80% mountainous forest area, with peaks above 9,000 feet (2,743 meters), accounting for the upper portion of the Emerald’s inverted Triangle.
Humboldt (and northern Mendo) is also home to the “Lost Coast”, as shown on the map below, a long stretch of pristine coastline between Rockport and Ferndale. Shelter Cove is the main town in the Lost Coast. Once you make the drive, 45 winding minutes west off Highway 101 from Redway, you’ll understand why it’s called the Lost Coast. It’s beautiful, but boy is it out there!
Further south, Mendocino’s coast is extremely jagged. In addition to its precarious cliffs, Mendo also consists of 65% forest.
The Emerald Triangle is one of the most beautiful places on earth. “God’s country”, some will say—with its ancient skyscraper Sequoias, incredible alpine lakes, and unmatched coastal views. Packaged inside a virtually perfect climate and adorned with friendly folks.
If you’re lucky enough to visit, fill your tank when you can, carry a full-size spare tire if possible, have water, a knife, and noise makers like a whistle or air horn on hand. Be prepared for cell phone dead zones. And it goes without saying, but I’m gonna’ say it anyway…for the love of God, don’t steal crops–or anything you stumble upon.
The Emerald Triangle isn’t looking to swallow people, but it has. Travel wisely and you’ll enjoy the beauty and experiences without worry.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: The Skunk Train in Fort Bragg. The name is a happy coincidence in the Emerald Triangle, it doesn’t have a thing to do with cannabis aromatics. It actually comes from the black smoke the train used to emit before being updated to diesel-electric. When my kids were growing up, we’d take regular weekend family trips to Fort Bragg. The Skunk Train was always a highlight.
For starters, a train experience is hard to beat, right? Then you throw in the depot location right in downtown Fort Bragg with great restaurants and shops within walking distance. The Skunk Train offers traditional closed cars, as well as an open car for a real outdoor experience through some gorgeous roadless forests. It’s romantic, family friendly, and dog friendly (for an extra fee).
My family and I often enjoyed conversations with other travelers on the train, and awed at the occasional home surrounded by tranquility...except, of course, for the Skunk Train rolling through on schedule. Sorry, homesteaders! There are a variety of excursions to choose from on their website with different lengths–even themes–for the rides. They also offer railbike experiences and VIP passes. A memorable way to safely experience The Emerald Triangle.
Thanks for reading! Whether you’re a fan of cannabis, California, history, true crime, or law enforcement, I hope you’ll subscribe and stick with me for more unbelievable stories during the War on Drugs in the Emerald Triangle and my crazy childhood. It won’t be boring!
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GLOSSARY (If I’ve used a word/term not listed here, consider reading previous articles where the glossary likely explains it. I try not to repeat definitions in the glossary.)
Alderpoint, CA - Rural town in Southern Humboldt, not recommended for tourists. I’ll talk more about Alderpoint in an upcoming publication about the 1972 murder of Dirk Dickenson by a federal agent. Dickenson’s senseless slaying during a raid that produced absolutely no drugs, is what put Alderpoint on the map over 50 years ago in the beginning of the War on Drugs in the Emerald Triangle.
Animal House-style - Slang reference to a big party, like that from the classic John Belushi movie, Animal House.
Bridgeville, CA - Rural town in Humboldt, not recommended for tourists.
Cash Crop - Slang term for an agricultural harvest likely to reap large financial gains.
Gnarly - California slang for very bad.
Gulch - A natural ravine created between mountains, where a valley and homes might be. There is usually a creek or some type of watershed. Trinity County is loaded with gulches. They have interesting, yet meaningful, names like China Gulch, Five Cent Gulch, Hobo Gulch, Pasture Gulch, Dobbins Gulch, and so on. In fact, yours truly grew up in a gulch! We drove through a stream seasonally to get home. In winter, the stream was too powerful to drive through, so we’d park and shuffle across a rail-less footbridge that my stepdad built. I researched to find the exact number of gulches in Trinity because there are an unbelievable amount, but I guess no one’s counting.
Highway 101 - Major highway that runs North and South from Los Angeles, California, through Oregon and into Washington, ending near Olympia. Very scenic. The portion that runs through Mendocino and Humboldt is called the Redwood Highway, and in Southern Humboldt, it’s referred to as “Avenue of the Giants” as it meanders directly through old growth Redwoods (some of the largest trees in the world). Traveling the Avenue of the Giants is bucket list worthy.
HOAs - Homeowner’s Associations. These are strict regulatory groups very common in suburban neighborhoods in America. Membership-based, and non-optional, homeowner’s pay a monthly or annual fee for the governing services of the HOA to make rules and fine residents who don’t follow them. Rules (and costs) differ from one HOA to the next and can range from the height of one’s lawn to weed abatement, acceptable plants and shrubbery, even—and especially—the color of a house or front door (the HOA board chooses the pallet from which limited options arise).
Mendo - NorCal slang for Mendocino County. There is also a town named Mendocino just south of Fort Bragg. Generally when someone says “Mendo”, they’re referring to the county unless the conversation is taking place within the county of Mendocino, in which case they’re likely referring to the town.
Lost Coast - Wikipedia will provide a more succinct description than I can. What I will tell you that Wiki won’t, is to NEVER buy (or pay a deposit on) property for sale in the Lost Coast sight unseen. Do. Your. Homework. It’s common knowledge locally that scammers sell plots that cannot be developed due to sloping, erosion, or environmental conservation laws. The Lost Coast is a lovely day or weekend trip, if you’re up for a winding drive. The scenery is worth it! See link below under Shelter Cove.
Murder Mountain - A 2018 Netflix docuseries about a particularly dangerous area of Southern Humboldt, near Alderpoint. The series is mocked by locals as being a sensationalized version of facts for the sake of viewership and ultimately, money. The show dives into the 2013 murder of a newcomer, 29-year-old cannabis grower, Garret Rodriguez, who locals feel was not representative of how we roll here. You know, the unspoken rules I mentioned. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but there’s a big difference in respect between a grower and a farmer in the Emerald Triangle. Murder Mountain does not represent the true culture of NorNorCal farmers.
Nunya - Local slang, short for “nunya business” or the more proper “none of your business”. It’s not said as much as it is universally understood and practiced in the Emerald Triangle, although it IS used when necessary.
Perma-haters - Often called “Karen” in urban slang, these are people who always seem to find something to bitch about. Drawn to anything negative like glitter on sweat, they schlepp distain in their front pocket and sprinkle it everywhere they go.
Redway, CA - An important small town in the Emerald Triangle’s War on Drugs. Located in Southern Humboldt, along Avenue of the Giants, Redway is home to passionate mountain people, legacy growers, and artists, who organized resistance groups in response to heavy-handed law enforcement. Showing their commitment to the cause, community members from Redway, Garberville, and neighboring towns, built the Mateel Community Center as a hub for organizational meetings, as well as performing arts and local events. Redway is located along the Eel River, and serves as the exit point from Highway 101 to the Lost Coast.
Salt of the Earth - Describes a person with the utmost values and ethics.
Shelter Cove - The main town in the Lost Coast, population around 800. There are subdivided areas, with affordable property for sale, and many conservation regulations to protect the indigenous wildlife both in and out of the Pacific Ocean. Visit before purchasing property. Wonderful day or weekend trip. Great trails! Gift shops, golf course, general store, inns, and a tiny airport. Here’s more information.
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