OR KAYLEE BIRT: Missing from Fields, OR (while on road trip from Oregon to Iowa) - 4 April 2025 - Age 29

https://amp.heraldonline.com/news/nation-world/national/article304018456.html

29-year-old on solo trip across US leaves burger joint and vanishes, OR cops say​

A 29-year-old vanished on a solo trip across the country after she last seen leaving a burger joint in Oregon, deputies said.

Kaylee Birt disappeared April 4, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

Birt left the The Fields Station in her gold 2008 Chevy Malibu with an Oregon license plate of GW21073, deputies said.

The Fields Station is a restaurant, store, motel and gas station in Fields, which is a remote and unincorporated community in southeastern Oregon.

She was headed to Iowa, deputies said, but her vehicle was discovered abandoned April 6 in a remote part of Harney County in Oregon, deputies said.

Deputies said they determined a location where her cell phone last pinged, and they searched the area but couldn’t find her.

Search teams looked for her for seven days by “air, ground, UTV, drone, foot and horseback,” deputies said.

However, authority-led search efforts ended April 10.

“The Sheriff’s Office will post signage near Kaylee’s last known location, informing visitors to the area to be vigilant of any potential evidence,” deputies said.


Media - KAYLEE BIRT: Missing from Fields, OR (while on road trip from Oregon to Iowa) - 4 April 2025 - Age 29

 

[RoundPeg]

I question the circumstance of the Denio Junction gas pumps were closed / locked because according to their facebook page, they're open 24/7.
(They also offer lodging...)
I think her friend having encouraged her to drive back at that point shows she (the friend) was unsure of the circumstances and concerned.

Did the flooding affect them? I have no idea where it flooded.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I was just reading some reviews of Denio Junction gas. Someone says despite a big new sign saying 24/7 gas, etc. it isn't true. Others say they are over $2 per gallon higher. One says their credit card was charged well beyond what they got. People calling it a rip off in every way. And so on. All bad reviews right off the top. Says they "take" you every which way they can, only gas in area, etc.

 

[Regina]

Did the flooding affect them? I have no idea where it flooded.

I think it was only that road where her vehicle was found that was affected by flooding.

I want to add that I don't know when that happened, I mean, I don't know how long that road had been washed out.

 

[Kimster]

Did the flooding affect them? I have no idea where it flooded.

I’m not sure? There was some flooding in different parts of Oregon. But I thought most of it was in Harney County? Was she lost in Harney County? I’m not super familiar with eastern Oregon. I’ve only made that one trip over there and we only went from here to John Day.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I think it was only that road where her vehicle was found that was affected by flooding.

I want to add that I don't know when that happened, I mean, I don't know how long that road had been washed out.

I don't think anything has been mentioned other than where her vehicle was found. No clue here either. I mean clearly they could get from the farmer's to Fields and then she to Denio.

 

[Regina]

I don't think anything has been mentioned other than where her vehicle was found. No clue here either. I mean clearly they could get from the farmer's to Fields and then she to Denio.

My impression's been that the road was washed out from a prior flood, in other words, dry but impassible (in her vehicle, anyway).

 

[Tresir]

My impression's been that the road was washed out from a prior flood, in other words, dry but impassible (in her vehicle, anyway).

There were floods prior to her heading for that area. I posted upthread about the governor visiting on the 10th, I think it was, after floods had subsided.

 

[Tresir]

Apparently a levee failed in early April and a lot of flooding happened in this area. The Governor is just visiting about it.

Flood survivors hold on for help as Kotek tours damage in Harney County

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the resiliency of Harney County residents and the volunteers who came to their aid during a Thursday visit to view flood damage in Eastern Oregon.

www.opb.org

Bringing this forward about a levee failing early April.

 

[Tresir]

Here's more detail about where and when the flooding and levee failure occurred.

Harney County flood warning extended indefinitely due to snowmelt

National Weather Service forecasters said the Silvies River, near Burns, Oregon, will remain at or near flood stage through early next week.

www.opb.org

 

[Tresir]

More about the floods at the time - which was 4th April - the same date Kaylee left on her trip. It can't be ignored as it is a big coincidence considering when she went missing and when/where her car was found.

Dozens evacuated in Burns flood, sewer system down: ‘I think I’m out of tears’

The city sewer system is in “complete collapse,” the city manager said.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

More about the floods at the time - which was 4th April - the same date Kaylee left on her trip. It can't be ignored as it is a big coincidence considering when she went missing and when/where her car was found.

Dozens evacuated in Burns flood, sewer system down: ‘I think I’m out of tears’

The city sewer system is in “complete collapse,” the city manager said.

www.oregonlive.com

Burns is more than 100 miles north of where she disappeared.

 

[Tresir]

Ok the road that she got onto heading east was about halfway between Denio and Fields and is called Whitehorse Ranch Road. According to the map it does connect with the 95 eventually but she did not get that far.

I"ll do a screenshot.

 

[Tresir]

She turned east along White Horse Ranch Lane just before Fields. According to her friends map this is the road the car was found on. See my screenshot below.




If you go onto Google maps you can see this windey road eventually meets the 95.

Her car was found along this road and footprints were found also. See her friend's map upthread for more details.

 

[Tresir]

I’m not sure? There was some flooding in different parts of Oregon. But I thought most of it was in Harney County? Was she lost in Harney County? I’m not super familiar with eastern Oregon. I’ve only made that one trip over there and we only went from here to John Day.

Yes she was in Harney County i believe. Her vehicle was found in White Horse Ranch Road near Trout Creek I believe. Her friends map is upthread.

 

[Tresir]

I was just reading some reviews of Denio Junction gas. Someone says despite a big new sign saying 24/7 gas, etc. it isn't true. Others say they are over $2 per gallon higher. One says their credit card was charged well beyond what they got. People calling it a rip off in every way. And so on. All bad reviews right off the top. Says they "take" you every which way they can, only gas in area, etc.

She was taken in by it maybe. I do hope they find her. The area her car was in/near Trout Creek and a wilderness area , I believe.

 

[Tresir]

Burns is more than 100 miles north of where she disappeared.

I'm just giving context. Her vehicle was found in the SE of Harney County in an area of creeks and mountains. The flood alert was county wide due to snow melt but please correct me if i am wrong. The Oregon governor visited a week after the floods but the alert is still in effect, I believe, but please correct if you or anyone else has further info.

 

[GrandmaBear]

My impression's been that the road was washed out from a prior flood, in other words, dry but impassible (in her vehicle, anyway).

Yeah I just recall washed out. Not a lot of detail on it. Might explain why she stopped IF indeed SHE did.

 

[GrandmaBear]

There were floods prior to her heading for that area. I posted upthread about the governor visiting on the 10th, I think it was, after floods had subsided.

Yeah when the gov visited it said it had mostly/largely subsided or many of the waters had.

 

[GrandmaBear]

She turned east along White Horse Ranch Lane just before Fields. According to her friends map this is the road the car was found on. See my screenshot below.


View attachment 24606

If you go onto Google maps you can see this windey road eventually meets the 95.

Her car was found along this road and footprints were found also. See her friend's map upthread for more details.

Yeah when the gov visited it said it had mostly/largely subsided or many of the waters had.

I'm the type who loved to take back roads and such in my life but if headed somewhere on one's own? That's a bit of a different story. I guess I would possibly in a several county area during the day, but again I was just driving, not having to get somewhere. I'd never be doing it if there were still flood issues, that's for sure.

Nothing has been said that it was a detour so I'd say that's out.

If my ex and I were traveling together, I'd get out the physical Atlas or area book and find back roads. I find interstate driving very boring. However, again, I had someone with me, not a very old car, and even then, the next town would be within how many miles generally and again, we were just taking time, didn't have to be somewhere at a certain time.

Lol he never knew how to travel taking time when I met him. He was just the opposite. At least when we were on a trip.

Maybe she was the type to take time and stop off but there are things indicating otherwise, like that she would be back in a few days.

I guess who knows. Maybe she wanted to hike, take time, do back roads. Maybe she was lost. She apparently called her mom and said she was lost and scared. Authorities were called too by the farmer. What was done about it, I'd still like to know?

 

[Regina]

Yeah I just recall washed out. Not a lot of detail on it. Might explain why she stopped IF indeed SHE did.

It explains why she stopped but doesn't explain why she was there in th first place and makes twice that we know of that she was way off track from where she should have been.