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Arvin Walter Nelson

Missing
Case Description
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On August 6, 2014, Arvin Walter Nelson, a 51-year-old experienced hiker, was reported missing in the Los Padres National Forest in California. A friend had dropped him off at the China Camp trailhead near Tassajara Road for a planned solo backpacking trip to Big Sur Station. Nelson, a resident of Big Sur, was well-acquainted with the area, though he had not previously hiked the specific eastern side of the Ventana Wilderness he intended to explore. His plan was to hike for about a week, and he w ...Read More
Last Seen: Aug 06, 2014
Links to Additional Sources (7)
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  • Arvin Walter Nelson | State of California - Department of Justice
    •     ...View 5 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Jan 24, 2026

    Jan 24, 2026

    Arvin

    Walter Nelson

    51

    51

    6'3 inches

    200 lbs

    Black

    Male

    Nelson was last seen in the Ventana Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest in California on August 6, 2014. He planned to go for a long hike in the forest and was supposed to return by August 16. A friend dropped him off at China Camp near Tassajara Road, high and deep in the forest. He was possibly en route to Pine Valley, Pine Falls or the Black Cone Trail. He was supposed to finish his hike at Big Sur Station from Sykes and the Pine Ridge Trail, but he never arrived there and has never been heard from again. Nelson is an experienced hiker and well-known in the area. An extensive search turned up no sign of him. He is presumed to have gotten lost or injured in the wilderness.

    Aug 06, 2014

    Los Padres National Forest

    California

    Los Padres National Fores

    9

    Monterey County Sheriff's Departmen

    831-755-3722

    01/25/2026

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