James Youngblom Found Dead in Yosemite
James Youngblom, age 64, was a well‑respected and widely loved professor at Stanislaus State. He was married to Janey Youngblom, a retired genetics professor. Colleagues described him as kind, dedicated, and deeply committed to his students.
College of Science Dean David Evans said:
“Jim was a great department chair in the Department of Biological Sciences and one of the kindest people I’ve known. He loved his job and worked incredibly hard. His focus was always on students.”
On June 25th, 2021, James Youngblom was found dead in Yosemite National Park.
The Hike
Youngblom had been hiking solo from White Wolf, following the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River toward the Glen Aulin trailhead. His trip took place between June 22nd and June 25th.
His body was discovered at the bottom of LeConte Falls.
At first glance, a slip‑and‑fall seems like the obvious explanation. But investigators stated they did not know how he died, as no autopsy had been completed at the time.
And here’s the strange part:
If he had fallen from a height, the trauma would have been immediately obvious.
Yet months later—by September 17th, 2021—no cause of death had been released, despite the autopsy having been completed long before.
Another unexplained death in a region already known for its cluster of strange disappearances and fatalities.
Vanished.us Says
After documenting this case, something jumped out immediately:
James Youngblom and missing hiker Joel Thomazin share a connection. Both attended Stanislaus State.
Two men are linked to the same university. Both are in the same remote corridor of Yosemite. One dead. One missing. Just three months apart.
Coincidence? Maybe. But it’s enough to raise eyebrows.
Another case. Another unexplained death. Another data point in Yosemite’s growing cluster of strange vanishings and fatalities.