Into the Wild. Gone Without a Trace.
Case Archive: 83 files

Unresolved Wilderness Archive

People vanish.
Their stories remain.

An independent case archive preserving the names, faces and last-known paths of people missing from America’s wild places.

83 case files currently held in the archive.

Archive Ledger · Active

Total documented disappearances

83

Each entry represents a person who entered the wilderness and never returned.

File 01 · Longest Unresolved

The Disappearance of Joseph B. Labonte Jr. at Baxter State Park

Missing since 11/08/1938

Missing for 88 years and 2 months

Last known: South Branch Pond area, Baxter State Park, Piscataquis County, Maine, USA

File 02 · Most Recent

Joel Thomazin - Missing From Hetch Hetchy Area

Disappeared on 6th September 2021

Missing for 5 years and 1 month

Last known: Lake Eleanor Rd, California 95321, USA

Registry ledger

Inside the archive

A factual overview of the records currently preserved by Vanished.

Total cases logged 83 Each entry is a missing person in wild terrain.
States with recorded disappearances 6 The wilderness is not confined to one region.
Parks / regions tracked 30 Clusters often form around familiar names.
Cases with mapped coordinates 83 These appear on the map below.
Cases without a known date 1 Some stories arrive incomplete.
Faces in the files

The open case wall

Every photograph belongs to a person whose story deserves to remain visible.

Paula Jean Welden vanished hiking The Long Trail in December 1946

Paula Jean Welden vanished hiking The Long Trail in December 1946

Missing since 1st December 1946

7429+7P, Fayston, VT, USA

Open case file →
Allen Clarence Theis Missing From Lewistown

Allen Clarence Theis Missing From Lewistown

Missing since 22cd November 2003

Lloyd Rd, Winifred, MT 59489, USA

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Scott Tenzcar - Unexplained Death In Yosemite

Scott Tenzcar - Unexplained Death In Yosemite

Missing since 11th August 2018

75694 US-395, Bridgeport, CA 93517, USA

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Dennis Martin vanished in the space of 3 minuets. Never to be seen again.

Dennis Martin vanished in the space of 3 minuets. Never to be seen again.

Missing since 14th June 1969

Spence Field, North Carolina 28771, USA

Open case file →
Frances Brown Vanished From Kitseguecla Lake Rd

Frances Brown Vanished From Kitseguecla Lake Rd

Missing since 14th of October 2017

Kitseguecla Lake Rd, British Columbia V0J, Canada

Open case file →
Jeffrey Michael Bratcher is missing and was last seen in Ocean Shores

Jeffrey Michael Bratcher is missing and was last seen in Ocean Shores

Missing since 15th of June 1974

Ocean Shores, WA, USA

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Jeff Estes Missing In Yosemite

Jeff Estes Missing In Yosemite

Missing since 24th May 1976

May Lake, California, USA

Open case file →
Richard Judd - Disappeared In Yosemite

Richard Judd - Disappeared In Yosemite

Missing since 25th July 2021

Lower Merced Pass Lake, California, USA

Open case file →
Jody Roberts vanished and turned up 12 years later in Alaska

Jody Roberts vanished and turned up 12 years later in Alaska

1988 Dock St, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA

Open case file →
Alfred Nicholas Kochendorfer Vanished From Butte

Alfred Nicholas Kochendorfer Vanished From Butte

Missing since 27th October 2000

18748-18886 Walling Rd, Palmer, AK 99645, USA

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Gilbert Mark Gilman Missing In Staircase Olympic National Park

Gilbert Mark Gilman Missing In Staircase Olympic National Park

Missing since 26th June 2006

Staircase Ranger Station, Hoodsport, WA, USA

Open case file →
Ronald Scott Grey Disappeared From Mirror Lake Ridge

Ronald Scott Grey Disappeared From Mirror Lake Ridge

Missing since 26th September 2008

Kooskia, ID 83539, USA

Open case file →
Donald Buchanan Missing From Half Dome Yosemite

Donald Buchanan Missing From Half Dome Yosemite

Missing since 11th August 1988

Half Dome Trail, Yosemite Village, CA 95389, USA

Open case file →
The Disappearance and Death of Jacob Gray in Olympic National Park

The Disappearance and Death of Jacob Gray in Olympic National Park

Missing since 05/04/2017

Sol Duc Hot Springs Road

Open case file →
David Scott Partlow Vanished From Columbia Mountain

David Scott Partlow Vanished From Columbia Mountain

Missing since 8th May 1987

Columbia Mountain, Flathead National Forest, Montana, USA

Open case file →
Jack Forest Thomas Missing From Fern Falls Area

Jack Forest Thomas Missing From Fern Falls Area

Missing since 15th June 2016

Idaho Centennial Trail, United States

Open case file →
Bryce Florian Disappeared From Shi Shi Beach Trail

Bryce Florian Disappeared From Shi Shi Beach Trail

Missing since 9th April 1995

Shi Shi Beach Rd, Clallam Bay, WA 98326, USA

Open case file →
John Blevins Cogdell - Unexplained Death In Yosemite

John Blevins Cogdell - Unexplained Death In Yosemite

Missing since 15th August 2018

Upper Pines Campground, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389, USA

Open case file →
Peter Jackson - Vanished From White Wolf Campground

Peter Jackson - Vanished From White Wolf Campground

Missing since 21st September 2016

White Wolf Campground, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389, USA

Open case file →
Kieran Burke Missing From Curry Village Yosemite National Park

Kieran Burke Missing From Curry Village Yosemite National Park

Missing since 5th April 2000

Curry Village, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389, USA

Open case file →
Incoming tray

Recently filed

The latest records added to the archive desk.

The Disappearance of Kenneth Eugene Miller Near Crater Lake

Missing since 1966

Last known: Crater Lake National Park area, Klamath County, Oregon, USA

The Disappearance of Joseph B. Labonte Jr. at Baxter State Park

Missing since 11/08/1938

Last known: South Branch Pond area, Baxter State Park, Piscataquis County, Maine, USA

The Disappearance of Paul “Buddy” Jepson Jr.

Missing since 12/10/1950

Last known: Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont, USA

The Disappearance and Death of Jacob Gray in Olympic National Park

Missing since 05/04/2017

Last known: Sol Duc Hot Springs Road

The Disappearance of Thomas Messick: Veteran Hunter Vanishes in New York's Adirondacks

Missing since 15/11/2015

Last known: Lily Pond area, Lake George Wild Forest, near Brant Lake, Horicon, Warren County, New York

The Disappearance of Gerry Largay: Lost on Maine’s Appalachian Trail

Missing since 22/07/2013

Last known: Appalachian Trail, Franklin County, Maine, USA

Charles Robert Rutherford Missing From Presque Isle

Missing since 12th August 2005

Last known: 1 Peter White Dr, Marquette, MI 49855, USA

Cian McLaughlin vanished whilst out on a hike near Delta Lake

Missing since 12th June 2021

Last known: Garnet Canyon Trail

Filing cabinet

Parks and regions

Open a drawer to browse recurring locations across the archive.

Last-known locations

The case map

Explore the places where each documented trail went quiet.

Every point represents a person who entered the wilderness and never came home.