Lightning Photographer Missing!

[Susan Strom]

A photographer friend has gone missing!

His name is Steve Davidson and he is a resident of Mesa, Arizona. Car last seen: Superstition Mountains. This is a rugged area with craggy terrain. There has been high heat and fierce flash flooding throughout the desert areas. I went out there last weekend to check trailheads and talk to rangers, but the area is vast and so many other areas there need to be checked. His son and sister are also now in Arizona, combing the Superstitions as well. The Superstition range is a probable spot, but also not the only possibility. Photographers move around, as we know.

Steve is a dedicated photographer of lightning, rock art, and desert subjects. Steve also has a heart condition. Things are very serious, friends and family worried. If you are in Arizona...please keep your eyes open and see the link below!

Last seen: 7/23/06. This is an official Missing Persons case now with Mesa Police Dept (480) 644-2211.
Missing: STEVE DAVIDSON
HIS CAR MAKE: 1998 Silver Honda Accord
Last probable location: Superstition Mountains

PLEASE LOOK AT MY PAGE:
HELP FIND STEVE DAVIDSON

 

[Matthew Havin]

Please dont tell me he does slot canyons..... that would not be good right now.

 

[Susan Strom]

Good point Matthew - yes during monsoon is not the time to shoot slot canyons that's for sure. Steve's pretty experienced though, I'm sure he wouldn't have done that. The flash flood that swept 11 hikers to their deaths up at Antelope Canyon during August 1997 is still pretty fresh in our memory.

As we speak, it is flash flood season. They have been pretty fierce around here. Severe mudslides have occured in Sedona/Hwy 89, Bartlett Lake area, Seven Springs, Tucson, and major flooding going on in the Central Deserts right now in towns south of Casa Grande such as Arizona City, and on the Tohono O'Odham reservation.

So you're right, no chaser would want to tangle with any flood just for a photograph.

Regarding Steve, they think he might be around the Superstition range. When I was out there Sunday the flooding wasn't too bad, on the north side anyway. However, photographers move around a lot, so the Superstitions are probable but not definite.

Here is Steve's Web site, showing his favorite places to shoot.

Steve's Gallery

 

[Matthew Havin]

I am hoping for the best of news. We will keep him in our prayers.

After reading Between a Rock and a Hard Place, this scares me with him being alone.

 

[Sheila_Ward]

I hope you don't mind that I've posted the link to your page in my blog.

 

[Susan Strom]

Please do, thanks!

Here's another page someone put up, lots of details.

Missing Steve

 

[Brian Stertz]

I have passed along the information to one of our customer's in the Tucson/Green Valley area. She has lots of contacts in the area and she be spreading the word out to them. This is certainly a tough situation and hope and pray for the best of outcomes.

 

[Susan Strom]

Thank you so much. It is so nice to know that people care.

As of today, Steve is still missing. His sister and son are in town from out of state, combing the Superstitions and viscinity as well and doing TV interviews. His friend Tina is coordinating a lot of the effort and sending out regular updates. I'm helping with some media stuff and contacting desert/outdoors people. Everyone is really hoping. I have never had this happen to someone I know before. It is a really weird and frustrating feeling. I look out at the desert and it is a big place. I wish the phone would ring with good news any minute.

Thanks, Susan

 

[Kurt Hulst]

Keep me posted on the situation. I am hoping for the best and praying he will be found.

 

[joel ewing]

I just stumbled onto this thread tonite (Mon. 8-7 @ 9:46pm mtn. time).
Any new news or good news at this point?
Do you think there's any chance that he'd be working storms between Tucson and Phnx?
I'll probably be chasing in my favorite area here in the state tomorrow, which is the "old" road to Phoenix...aka known as the "back way" to Phnx. which is the road between Florence and Oracle Junction.

Sorry, but did you already list what he drives? I'll go back and check. Thanks Joel

 

[Susan Strom]

Thanks Joel. That back highway would also be a logical place Steve would go too as he lives in East Mesa and his photography reflects a lot of activity east of Phoenix. That road is very photogenic and not far from the Superstition Mountains, where he was last seen on 7/30 by a Pinal County Sheriff who was patrolling (it wasn't an official missing persons case at the time so no report was made about seeing him there). I'm not entirely sold on the idea that the Superstitions are the only place to look. The terrain is so big out there Steve could be anywhere. Even in closeby areas you have the Apache Trail, Saguaro/Canyon/Apache/Roosevelt lakes on the Salt River, Globe, Miami, Tonto Natl Forest, historic Florence, Superior/Picketpost area, Queen Valley and more. So thanks for keeping an eye out. You just never know.

Here is some more press. Seems that he also was battling depression. Some people hide it well I guess. Last couple times I saw him and his girlfriend at a hiking area he was so friendly and very chatty, talking about all kinds of interesting things. You never know about people I guess. Here is some more coverage:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=70989

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/ar...ing0805Z11.html

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories...__.55bfcf1.html

 

[David Wolfson]

Jacob Waltz Street/Mountain View Rd. where he and his car were probably last seen is right off the Apache Trail. What I'm thinking is so not what I'm hoping, but I fear he drove off the Apache Trail someplace. Every time I drive that road I'm amazed that more vehicles don't slip off its sharp curves and precipitous shoulders.

My prayers go out for him and all his family and friends.

 

[Susan Strom]

Jacob Waltz Street/Mountain View Rd. where he and his car were probably last seen is right off the Apache Trail. What I'm thinking is so not what I'm hoping, but I fear he drove off the Apache Trail someplace. Every time I drive that road I'm amazed that more vehicles don't slip off its sharp curves and precipitous shoulders.

My prayers go out for him and all his family and friends.
[/b]

I had that same scary thought. That is a gnarly road, especially as it climbs to Tortilla Flat. There are so many places he could be though. The south side of the mountain has many trailheads too. He may not even be in the Superstitions, that is just where his car was last seen. It is all such a mystery at this point. Lastnight I was looking east at the lightning over the Salt River lakes. The desert was so huge and dark and just seemed to go on forever. I was wondering where could he have gone. I think about how his friends and family feel all the time.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

No matter what the outcome is, I hope the family finds him for either better or worse. The worst feeling is having no closure...

Aaron

 

[Greg Campbell]

It's an odd situation. Assuming it was him in the car on the 30th, it seems as if he doesn't want to be found/contacted. I wonder if he's had some sort of emotional meltdown, gone on a drug or alcohol binge, or has perhaps suffered a small stroke or other brain injury that is affecting his behaviour. With luck, he'll just drive home some day, althouth that seems less likely as time passes.

For what little it's worth - the area is far from his beaten path - I've been checking guest registries and asking around during my chase travels, most of which have been SE of Tucson, in the Benson, Wilcox, Sonoita, Tombstone, Chircahua area, south of I 10.

Thanks to Susan and others for their efforts.

-Greg