The strange disappearance of the landscape painter Alexander Pisch

North Cascades Nat ParkDiablo LakeWashington StateAlexander Pisch

Oct 21

Alexander”Alex” Pisch, disappeared October 8, 2020, near Colonial Creek Campground, North Cascades National Park, Washington

Revised July 2024

Alexander “Alex” Pisch, 35, from Discovery Bay in California, was last seen on Thursday, October 8, 2020, in the Whatcom County portion of the North Cascades National Park, near Colonial Creek Campground and Diablo Lake. The campground is an hour east of Rockport, off Highway 20 in Washington State. He appeared to have vanished whilst painting a landscape scene, and his easel was mysteriously left behind at the site.

At the time of his disappearance, he mentioned on various social media posts that he was not drinking water and fasting. He also claimed that God was talking to him through his car radio, indicating a fragile mental state exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. According to his younger sister, his mental health has been declining for a few years, but Alexander refused to take any meds for it.

Pisch was an architectural drafter/designer who graduated from Newschool of Architecture and Design in the East Village of San Diego. Shortly before he went missing, he was convicted of vandalism and assault against a police officer and had just finished a period of probation.

About North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park is an American national park in Washington, with 500,000 acres (200,000 ha). It consists of a northern and southern section, bisected by the Skagit River that flows through Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

The park features the rugged mountain peaks of the North Cascades Range, the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States, the headwaters of numerous waterways, and vast forests with the highest degree of flora biodiversity of any American national park.

Paleo-Indian Native Americans first settled the region; by the time European American explorers arrived, Skagit tribes inhabited it. By the early 19th century, fur trappers visited the area, and several British and American companies fought for control over the fur trade.

The first significant human impact in the region occurred in the 1920s when several dams were built in the Skagit River valley to generate hydroelectric power. Environmentalists then campaigned to preserve the remaining wilderness, culminating on October 2, 1968, with the designation of North Cascades National Park.

Before the disappearance

Alex was seen in a diner on his way to North Cascades National Park in Washington State. His sister went there after her brother was reported missing. According to the chef, he was acting normally. The waitress said that he was very interactive, more so than an average customer, and that he seemed happy and joked around.

On Thursday, October 5, 2020, a worker of the National Park Service noticed Alex's white Toyota Corolla parked along Highway 20 near Colonial Creek Campground on the shore of Diablo Lake in the North Cascades National Park. The car had a full tank of gas, and the oil had been changed when he was in Washington. A painting easel was found nearby.

According to the last person who allegedly saw him at the campground, Alex was acting erratically.

Diablo lake, North cascades national park

The search

An NPS employee noticed his car again on Saturday, October 7, and when the vehicle was still there the next day, the alarm was raised. The area was searched on Monday. On Tuesday, October 12, the area was searched again by twenty NPS employees. His car was towed by the NPS and later picked up by his sister, who seemingly drove back to California, where the rest of his family lived.

Potential remains

On October 15, 2022, a piece of human cranium was found at the Colonial Creek Campground by a team putting out a wildfire in the area. It's unclear if Alex has been excluded as a match or if one was ever attempted.

Previous deaths and disappearances at Colonial Creek Campground

Ritchie Collins

Ritchie Collins' vehicle was found at the Colonial Creek Campground on April 30th, 2019. Whatcom County Sheriff's detectives say the 58-year-old's Honda Element had been parked there for weeks, with the key sitting on the roof and Collins nowhere to be found.

There were many searches for Ritchie around Diablo Lake that have come up with no clues.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Det. Ken Gates said, "We found out that the family said that Mr. Collins had a lot of firearms in his possession. He was in the Army. He worked for Customs and Border Patrol, and his firearms were nowhere to be found. His safe was open, as well, and there were no firearms inside the safe. We searched the residence. We searched crawlspaces and didn't find firearms. We just don't know where the guns are at this time and what would happen with that many guns. Family members said that he had upwards of at least 30 guns in his possession, so it's just odd that many guns are missing and we haven't found them yet.”

Remains were finally found in July 2021 in the forest above Colonial Creek Campground. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office heard back from Bode Technology, and the DNA extracted from the human remains (Tibia/fibula) matches the DNA sample that the family provided.

Cornelius Zippro

In July 2018, Deputies found the body of Cornelius "Casey" Zippro, 31, who was reported missing in June 2018 in the North Cascades National Park.

Search crews discovered the body in a remote wooded area near the Colonial Creek campground and Diablo Lake on Tuesday, July 3, and an autopsy was performed on Thursday, July 5. The body was identified as that of Zippro

Deputies said there were no signs of foul play or violence at the scene. His death was determined to be a suicide.

Zippro, originally from Gainesville, Georgia, was camping with a friend at the Colonial Creek Campground and was last seen on June 16 at site No. 3 near Diablo Lake.

His family told officials that his friend reported him missing at 4 pm, and he told authorities that the two argued. The friend then left to go on a hike alone. Zippro's tent and backpack were still at the campsite when the friend returned, but there was no sign of him.

Officials said there has been no activity on his phone, social media accounts, or bank card since he disappeared. He didn’t drive.

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