The Prosecutors Podcast | Ep. 326: The Disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde Part 1 -- The River of Dreams
PodcastOne | September 2, 2025
Hosts: Brett and Alice
Overview
This episode launches a deep dive into the legendary disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde, a pair of adventurous newlyweds who attempted a record-breaking honeymoon rafting trip through the Grand Canyon in 1928, only to vanish without a trace. Brett and Alice combine detailed research with their prosecutor insights, exploring the Hydes' backgrounds, the hazardous nature of early river expeditions, and the cultural context of their era. This is Part 1 of a two-episode series, focusing on who Glenn and Bessie were, their ambitious journey, and how their adventure unfolded up to the point of their disappearance.
Key Discussion Points & Timeline
1. Setting the Stage: The Grand Canyon’s Mystery
- Brett and Alice share their personal awe of the Grand Canyon and why it’s so beguiling for adventurers and conspiracy theories alike (03:41).
- Brett: “Photos don’t do it justice. You have to go and stand on the edge... It is grand.” [03:38]
- Alice: “It blows you away... there’s a lot of mystery and magic to it.” [03:41]
- Colorful Grand Canyon lore, including legends of lost ancient temples and hidden artifacts.
2. The Hydes: Two Lives of Adventure
Glen Rollin Hyde
- Born 1898 in Idaho, son of boom-and-bust parents.
- Developed a passion for the outdoors, rafting, camping, and adventure (07:15).
- Experience rafting Idaho’s wild rivers using homemade scows.
Bessie Louise Haley
- Born 1905, Maryland; later moved to Pittsburgh.
- Artistic, independent, with “a real passion for art” and drama (09:29).
- Brief, troubled first marriage; moved west seeking independence and a new life.
Meeting and Romance
- Glenn and Bessie meet aboard a glamorous overnight steamboat to L.A. (11:08).
- Rapid connection: “Both were extremely bright... they each had a yin for the extraordinary, for adventure.” (Quote from Sunk Without a Sound shared by Brett at 12:07)
- Navigating divorce laws and quick remarriage in 1928, showing “do whatever it takes to get it done” spirit (14:58, Alice).
3. The Honeymoon Adventure Plan
- Ambition: To raft the Colorado River, making Bessie the first woman to do so.
- Only two prior successful expeditions; theirs would be the third (15:24).
- Bessie notably inexperienced with rapids. Glenn, while skilled, faced skepticism about his homemade craft.
Building the Boat ‘Rain in the Face’
- Glenn constructs it himself in Green River, Utah (16:42).
- Locals deride it as a “floating coffin;” Glenn undeterred (17:55).
- Details of their massive scow: two-ton weight, ill-suited for maneuverability but loaded with supplies, including a mattress and firearms.
Brett: “This was a boat they used in Idaho, not a boat they typically used on the Colorado River...” [17:55]
4. The Journey Downriver
Launching: October 20, 1928
- Depart Green River, Utah, headed for Moab, then into the Colorado.
- Early days “smooth,” with moments of learning and minor danger—e.g., Bessie falls in, Glenn rescues.
Into Peril: Cataract Canyon
- Water volume doubles at river confluence; they enter the notorious “graveyard of the Colorado” (24:44).
- Bessie is knocked overboard again, highlighting the dangers and Glenn’s skill.
- Make it through where most would portage, fueling confidence (26:32).
- “If Glenn had any doubts... they were gone. Because in his mind, this was the ultimate challenge.” [26:32]
5. Grand Canyon Progress
- Inscribing their names at historic sites to mark their achievement (28:30).
- By November 7, 1928: Reach Lee’s Ferry; ahead of schedule and aiming for a speed record (31:09).
- Gaining publicity—meet with a Flagstaff reporter. Hopes to parlay their adventure into a vaudeville storytelling career.
Brett: “Not unlike many a YouTuber and podcaster today, sort of had dreams of doing something else..." [32:20]
- Rapids along the way continue to test them; their strategies involve scouting and careful navigation.
- Notably, they do not use life vests, consistent with Idaho boating customs at the time (22:40).
6. Surviving Difficulties & Rising Tensions
- Challenging rapids such as Hance and Sockdolager; at Sockdolager, Glenn falls overboard, nearly knocked unconscious by the heavy sweep (40:14).
- Brett: “He came really close to dying here because he was almost knocked out... hitting the water woke him back up.” [40:14]
- Bessie can’t help Glenn back into the boat, and it’s only luck and his own strength that save him.
Break at Grand Canyon Village
- Nov. 14-15: Hike up the rim, resupply and get national attention through a Denver Post reporter.
- Bessie’s daring and independence resonates with the media; she becomes the “hook” for the press (45:31).
- Connection with famed photographer Emery Kolb, whose photos become iconic.
7. Last Sightings & The Vanishing
- Adventurer Adolph Sutro, who survived multiple plane crashes, joins them for a short leg.
- Sutro: “It’s better to be an alive coward than a dead hero.” [51:02]
- Sutro’s account: their practices terrify him more than plane crashes; he leaves the journey.
- Key Moment: Sutro and Kolb’s photos show striking contrast: initial photo of the Hydes—exuberant and happy—versus a second, days later, where they look “exhausted and defeated.” [53:24]
- November 18: Sutro watches them navigate Hermit Rapid and vanish around a canyon corner. This is the last confirmed sighting of Glenn and Bessie Hyde (53:15).
8. Foreshadowing the Mystery
- Brett hints at what Part 2 will reveal:
- The massive search effort
- Strange findings, rumors, and possible criminal intrigue (bodies, bullet holes, mysterious sightings).
- Alice: “What’s about to happen is an adventure, if there ever were one... but it’s just as mysterious now as it was 100 years ago.” [55:43]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Both were extremely bright... They each had a yin for the extraordinary, for adventure, for travel.” — Brett quoting Sunk Without a Sound [12:07]
- “If they could do this and generate some publicity, maybe they could get into vaudeville... This was a way to really channel their talents into a money-making venture.” — Brett on their aspirations [32:20]
- “Even if they had the right boat, people would be telling them to turn around. The very reason they’re doing it is because it’s hard.” — Alice [36:09]
- “It’s better to be an alive coward than a dead hero.” — Adolph Sutro (through Brett) [51:02]
- “They look like they are just at the height of life. ... After this picture is taken, they look absolutely miserable. ... Their entire persona has changed.” — Brett, comparing Kolb’s and Sutro’s photos [53:24]
- “Glenn and Bessie Hyde would never be seen again after this point.” — Brett [53:15]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Section/Event | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 03:41 | Awe & mystique of the Grand Canyon set up | | 07:15 | Glenn Hyde’s rugged upbringing | | 09:29 | Bessie’s background and defiance of social norms| | 11:08 | Fateful meeting on the steamboat | | 14:58 | Divorce & remarriage—adventurous spirit | | 16:42 | Building “Rain in the Face” scow boat | | 24:44 | Reaching and surviving Cataract Canyon | | 31:09 | Arrival at Lee’s Ferry, progress update | | 40:14 | Near-fatal incident at Sockdolager Rapid | | 45:31 | Bessie becomes a media focal point | | 51:02 | Sutro’s chilling assessment | | 53:24 | Kolb vs. Sutro photographs, before and after | | 53:15 | Last sighting: Hydes vanish around a bend | | 54:42+ | Hints at next episode/mystery expansion |
Tone & Style
The hosts are conversational, warm, and humorous, deftly weaving historical details, personal anecdotes, and legal perspectives. Alice brings playful sarcasm, and Brett combines earnest admiration with a fascination for technical and social nuance. They express genuine wonder at the Hydes’ audacity and the timeless allure of the Grand Canyon.
Summary
Part 1 ends at the moment Glenn and Bessie Hyde vanish from sight in the heart of the Grand Canyon, leaving behind a trail of ambition, mystery, and a host of lingering questions.
Next week's conclusion promises to tackle the search, wild theories, and whether this is just a tragic accident — or the makings of a true crime.