A picture of the rental van found in Anvil Springs Canyon area of Death Valley Park in 1996 belonging to four German tourists who seemingly vanished. On Thursday, hikers found remains possibly belonging to one of the tourists. Photo courtesy of The San Bernardino Sun

By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
11-14-2009

Death Valley is again earning its namesake as remains of German tourists, who had literally disappeared in the park in 1996, have possibly been found.
According to a press release from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, the remains, including human bones, were discovered southeast of Goler Wash by two Riverside residents on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The evidence is still being evaluated. Undersheriff Jim Jones said in the press release,  “Located close in proximity to the area where the skeletal remains were discovered was personal identification for one of the missing German tourists.”
Jones was a key investigator in the case in 1996, but was unavailable for comment at press time.
In 1996, German architect Egbert Rimkus, 34, his girlfriend, Cornelia Meyer, 28, his 10-year-old son, Georg Weber, and Meyer’s son, Max, 4, drove a rented minivan deep into a remote canyon in Death Valley in July – and simply vanished. On Aug. 14, they were listed as missing, but it wasn’t until Oct. 26 that Park Ranger Dave Brenner spotted the van.
One of the few clues to the tourists’ whereabouts was found in a can at an old mine near Mengel Pass.
The minivan eventually made it to Anvil Spring, but a mile short of the pass, the van traveled into remote Anvil Spring Canyon.