Hiker Finds Remains of Hiker that was Missing 4 Years in 3 Sisters Wilderness, Oregon
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 25. 08. 2024
- #missinghiker
#threesisterswilderness
#jakedutton
Hello everyone, today's video we will be going to the three sisters wilderness in Oregon. It's a beautiful area that attracts thousands of people every year. in 2016 Solo Hiker was out hiking the French Pete Trail, just south of Cougar Lake.. when he found the remains of Jake Dutton, a hiker that had been missing since June of 2012. This case is so sad, and could have been avoided. I wanted to share his story, not only to honor him, but to hopefully prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. Jake was only 32 years old, and living in Eugene, Oregon when he went missing. He was a Veteran of the US Coast Guard, did special pain management physical therapy, and was a highly experienced hiker and camper. He was also know to be somewhat secretive, and unfortunately this was one of the building blocks to this tragedy. Sadly, he was last seen on June 3, 2012, and wasn't reported missing until July 9, 2012. The first SAR attempt wasn't until July 30, 2012, followed by another attempt on August 5, 2012. By this time, however, almost 2 months had passed since he entered the Three Sisters Wilderness.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Jake's family and friends, and I thank him for his service in the US Coast Guard đđ I pray you are resting in everlasting peaceđ
Thank you for watching and please be respectful in the comments if you choose to leave them đ
Special Thank You to CO.AG for the Background Music đ¶"
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After listening to a lot of these missing hiker stories, Iâm convinced that a hiker needs to be very conscious of the â100 feet off the trailâ situation. Take a ball of red yarn with you, tie it to a tree, then youâll have a way to find the way back on to the trail in case you get disoriented and canât find your way out. My .02 cents.
Agreed. Any type of trailmarking will do. If by chance you really do get lost atleast it will alert the SAR's teams to your general location making it easier to find you. This is not opinion but sound advice.
Will blue yarn work?
@@MGreen-vz6yb Nope, blue actually blends in.
@@MGreen-vz6yb Nope, not really. Blue tends to blend in with the greenery. However, during the fall and winter months blue will stand out.
Great idea!!!!!
I hiked the Three Sisters loop early Sept 2010 during a nursing school break.
The first days were a wonderful 68 degrees. When I awoke at the foot of the middle sister to continue south along the PCT it started raining, then snowing out of the blue. Nothing like this was in the forecast but bright, warm days.
I kept going for a bit but eventually found myself in a full blown blizzard with no way to retreat back the way I had come.
I checked my map and spent all day struggling through deepening snow following , losing and reacquiring a trail down from the central sister to the McKenzie highway campground where I camped for the night.
Just as I dried out around midnight, completely exhausted, my open floor tent collapsed from the never ceasing snow.
Luckily for me a crew came through the next morning took me along, saving me a 15 mile hike along the snowed in highway and even managed to pull my car out from the parking lot.
Turns out a cold front from Canada had made a sudden, sharp turn and came straight south just as I left my house.
I was still moderately experienced back then and if I hadnât had all my navigation essentials I wouldâve be in deeper trouble than I already was.
Blame it on Canada!
I recall that bit where you ran into the blizzard being extremely exposed. I also have done the Around the 3 Sisters backpack. It would not be unusual at all to get a blizzard there in September. Great that you had navigation essentials. The piece across the lava...the trail must have been buried; same with the west flank. Glad you made it out safely; but, boy, I can imagine it must have been scary and miserable. #sleuththewild
@@sleuththewild yes exactly. The PCT section on the west side of the middle sister was especially hard to follow as everything is so flat there. The trail completely disappeared under the snow and visibility was down to maybe 50 feet or less. Sometimes in desperation I would go by compass because at least the pct there is aligned straight N/S.
@@teutonalex The 3 Sisters loop is a fantastic beginner's backpack.... And, yep, be prepared for weather, no matter the month. So glad you were!
Man you were very lucky!Thank God your alive today! I would probably never go camping again if that happened to me.so glad you made it
Just a thought that might help...
Perhaps hikers can leave a note on their dashboard showing date they started out PLUS the date they intend to return. đ€·ââïž
It's often better to leave a note with phone number for a friend/relative (who knows your trip plan) in the window. Leaving date of return lets vandals know how long they have to strip your car.
@@Robnord1 good point. I have hiked for years & never had that happen but these days...good idea.
Apprarently in this case he didn't for some reason want anyone to know exactly when and where he was going.
Unfortunately, such information can be useful to those looking to break into a vehicle.
A year ago, at 59 (female),I was out walking late at night during winter. Slipped on ice, broke my leg including ankle, 3 broken fingers (tried to brace my fall). It took 3 tries to finally get back up on my feet using both hands - one with broken fingers.I was able to walk/hobble back to home (adrenaline I suspect) before getting medical help. Had no phone with me and so late so neighbors asleep. I went several hundred feet. 100 ft is not that far even to drag yourself to main trail.
My mother disappeared during the L.A. Riots and I never found out what happened to her. God bless Jake's family and I'm glad that he was found.
That is extremely heavy. My deepest sympathy.
Oh how awful!! I lived in Hollywood during the riots. I never heard about anyone disappearing. I hope one day soon you find closure!!
I lived in Temple City.
Very chaotic time.
I am sorry . đ„
Iâm sorryđ
It was a very scary time. I lived close by. Never heard about anything other than the stuff the media put out. I am so very sorry and hurt to here this. Bless you.
Iâm 74 years old. When I go hiking or kayaking I tell a family member where Iâm going and when Iâll be home. When Iâm home I send a text.
Me too I do the same
I don't care how experienced you are accidents happen. Carry locator devices and extra survival gear.
Well done, Bryan. Feeling a lot of things. I am solitary and I am on road trips and camp 6 months/year. Time to get an InReach, I know. You have really brought that home to me. The majority of time nobody would ever know I was missing until 6 or so weeks later. I get a lot of, âWhere are you now?â I only do day hikes in areas that are not risky. I have had National Forest look for me and a friend that had a medical event when we were an hour overdue. But then they get rotten tomatoes for not searching for me when a friend on the opposite coast wanted a search done when I got pulmonary edema from elevation sickness and could not get myself to lower elevation for a week. Many may disagree with the following. As a nurse, all in all, I rather perish in nature surrounded by beauty and sustaining the wild animals that I love so then in a fetal position bed-bound being fed purĂ©ed food and not able to use the toilet. There are many kinds of long-term suffering besides this extreme example. Even lingering injured for a week in the woods may be easier than the fates of most in civilization. I am very sorry for his family. I, too, think a fall or arrhythmia. A lot of lessons here.
I've gone off alone hiking, boating, on road trips, without telling anyone many a time. I'd never heard of an "in reach" before, but I'm older now and disabled so my worries have changed. I agree with rather being in nature. Hospital is no fun; experienced recovering for 2 years in nursing home, unable to walk! I was so happy I'd hiked Yosemite Falls, Grand Canyon, and the Alps earlier in my days!
Bob Thank you! Yes, I have done a little research since and believe I will buy the InReach in a few months on an unlimited annual plan.
Are you a traveling nurse? Do you contract part of the year and take the rest off? Or camp while you work? Sorry for so many questions I just always wonder about the jobs people find to support a mobile lifestyle. I just left a job i hated
no peace Yes, I am a travel nurse. I work for 13 weeks and take the agency housing. Then I take 2-3 months off and camp.
Just because he was young doesn't mean that he didn't have a cardiovascular event. RIP Jake.
Very true! When I was in collage an acquaintance of mine, I don't want to say friend even though we were familiar with each from talking in class and just from seeing each around campus. Anyway, he jogged every day and one day while jogging he had a heart attack...it was shocking and he was so young. I'm 60 now, and I still remember it because of the shock value!
@@LifesPeachy321 Yes,my girlfriend's husband was sitting on the side of their bed one morning drinking juice when an an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm ruptured. He died instantly. He was in his late 30s and had a healthy lifesyle.
So true!! Kids have heart attacks all the time. And strokes! I saw it on a bus ad. Very normal!
I think we wouldâve been told in the story if heart disease ran in his family? Because there was no mention of this, iam assuming it wasnât a consideration? You are right though, cardiovascular disease can kill seemingly healthy young people.
@@DovieRuthAuthor Aortic aneurysms are very hard to treat. 30 is so young. My sympathies.
I'm in Sisters relatively a few miles from there. It's beautiful with mountains all around. It is a destination area for hikers and so the number of people injured or missing might reflect that. We really can't put too much expectation on the NF Rangers especially now because the National Forests were defunded in 2018 by basically half then the Great Outdoors Act 2020 put a bandaid on it so there is a deficit for NF budgeting ....we have millions of acres being monitored by a relative handful of officials. This change of funds is even more reason to be pro-active about safety. That said, this area is near the Obsidian Trail that is protected. It was the only place on the PCT where I was asked for my permit by a ranger.
Yes, funding for NF Rangers and for National Park Rangers and for the necessary maintenance is constantly being cut. I live on The Blue Ridge Parkway in Western NC and talk with the rangers. It breaks my heart that our gov't doesn't value our incredibly beautiful natural areas. I and folks in our little resort town routinely pick up trash along the 4 miles of the BRP going thru our town. I also often will throw tree debris off the shoulders and grassy areas as others do too before the few times the grass is cut every season.
lmagine needing a permit to walk on earth. The U.S is feeling more and more like Russia each day..
Thanks for your service Jake, you are not forgotten! Jakey !Forever in our hearts and memories.
Hi Bryan. Not sure if you heard, but they finally located the remains of Bill Ewasco, lost in Joshua Tree California in 2010.
The location where he was found, was 38 +/- miles away from his car parked at Juniper Flats. Very strange. I'm sure you have heard this update already, but....Want to pass the info on.
You are an amazing man, and do such wonderful work. xo
The location of the find was described as odd, with Tom Mahood, who had previously searched for Bill without success saying, "it's a really odd area for him to have been in, and I can't fathom what he was thinking."
*StrangeOutdoors*
@@RaoulThomas007 He was found on the Panorama Loop Trail, starting at Black Rock campground.Not Quail Mtn where the search was concentrated.
Black Rock has a different entrance into the park than Juniper Flats and the Quail Mtn... 29 Palms entrance vs the West Entrance (I think)
@@adambartlett114 Very good advice. Yes! The moment you think you are lost STOP. and STAY. And da*m well have your 10 essentials and more with you.
Bill Ewasco was experienced, and had been to Joshua Tree before. ...
But SAR (Search and Rescue) is compiling a list of how lost people behave, and they have found,(No surprise) it's often the experienced hikers who get lost. They are sure they can make it out.. Because they are experienced.
Bryan did an extremely well research video on Ewasko. Extremely well done. Look it up if you haven't seen it.
BTW Bryan, I didn't mean to hijack this video about the lost hiker in Oregon, family and friends....
Thanks for that update, I hadn't heard that, 38 miles away from his car. Wow...
They found his campimg gear in his appartement, so he was on a daytrip. Maybe he was looking for a campsite to go with his nephew and was not prepared at all.
This sounds just like my brother he is always going hiking and never tells anyone. Well how he used to be before he started getting ill. Bless Jake's soul and may he rest in peace.
I find it odd that his remains were found so intact after 4 years in the wilderness. I would think his remains would be scattered by wildlife.
God bless him and peace to his loved ones.
Heâs body was dumped at the location where he was found.
@@Paiute023 Factz Bryan thinks he died of a broken ankle đ
That wilderness is void of wildlife. But in that time period you would think a bear would have found him.
Snow can wills comes at anytime,July's 4 ths !! No surprise 4 natives there s !! But out Towner's look out s !! Okays !! Stay safe out there's!! Watch out altitudes sickness's thank you
I would think skeletal injury would have been visible but soft tissue injury like a bad laceration that would cause someone to bleed, a sever bruising that could have caused a clot that resulted in heart attack or stroke, or snake bite but I would think whatever happened would have been quick considering his supply's and things were near him.
Mice and other rodents eat the bones quickly . I have kept box's for decomposing of animals to recover the bones to assemble the skeleton in a jr. High class room .
I agree.
I live (and camp in Central Oregon) and donât live too far from this area. Weather in June can be volatile here in the mountains. I typically schedule these types of trips in July through August. It is not uncommon to get snow on the Fourth of July. Interesting story and always sad when people lose their lives in this beautiful part of the world.
The things i thought of when i saw this story are 1) certainly someone checked to see if he was allergic to bees i hope and 2) what about a great basin or northern pacific rattler? Its almost like he went off trail to dig/use a cat-hole and surprised a rattlesnake or something. Granted, rarely death from rattlesnake, but the great basin rattler also has a neurotoxin which after only a few minutes could disorient a hiker. Thank you for doing what you do ..i think when people see your vids they are less likely to make disastrous mistakes on trail
There are no poisonous snakes in this area. Lots of cougar, bear, and sasquatch.
It's to bad he hadn't informed others of his plans therefore the search for him not taking place for weeks after his last being seen. My heart goes out to his family and friends. Also. Bryan, great find. I follow on as many missing people cases as I can and have not heard of this one. Keep up the great job and hard work. Hope you're feeling better. God bless â€
Listening to this..a thought occurred to me...that anaphylaxis has never been mentioned as a possible cause of distress. Bees/Hornets...plants such as Devils Club, even Cedar, snack foods containing allergins and such, even lack of beer.......all can trigger reactions . Many questions, perhaps this is worth consideration also.
So very true and a good possibility
Lack of beer???đș
@@alienslovebeef2540 I get grouchy and snappy.....and a Bad Attitude when lacking Barley Pop.....And my Wife of 50 Years?.....don't even think of it !! LMAO !! And yes, I am Sane (KInda), but my give a damn button seems to be stuck about half the time. LOL !! Actually is quite beneficial use judiciously, and you do not have to look for papers or a lighter, and make a good book quite enjoyable. I might be fat, but they are ugly....and I can diet. LOL !
I think this definitely accounts for a reasonable percentage of cases
@@alienslovebeef2540i. lack of beer. aka alcohol dependent to some degreeâŠ.not necessicarily what happened to Jake, however, as a Nurse, i witnessed several patients who did fine after surgery for a day or two before alcohol withrdrawal symptoms set in. i was a new grad in the mid 1960âs, when they kept patients in the hospital longer after major surgery. There was one surgeon who would order 10% alcohol IVâs post op. and his patients never developed full blown DTâs. Unfortunately other patients did. and no amount of traditional sedative medicatiions helped much. I learned by asking discreet questions, of older Nurses, that these patients had not told their surgeons that they were regular drinkers. aka âdiscreet alcoholics.â Of course, that was all long ago . Today there are treatment programs for alcohol de-tox. Sudden , or âcold turkeyâ withdrawal is dangerous and can be fatal without medical supervision.
Daming Yu disappeared on the same trail a few years earlier. There's lots of places off of Forest Rd 19 you could park and be hidden, short spur roads that are rarely traveled.
Agreed, he could have parked in an area that could have been obscured from the main road. The side roads are all over the place
Youâre right. Do you think thereâs a serial in the area?
@@memomorph5375Just my opinion, but I have heard so much about serial predators in National Parks. esp Appalalachian Trail, it is reasonable to expect that there are 2 legged âFeralâ predators, drop -outs from society, hiding from the Law, in the desert too.
Thank you so much for covering Jake's case in such a compassionate, caring manner. It is a heartbreaking story and my condolences go out to his loved ones.
Oh, gosh, Bryan, what a sad story in so many ways. Thank you for your respect for the people in your stories. And thank you for all the great advice on how to prevent these tragedies.
His poor family! I can't help but feel their frustration & desperate pleadings to help find their boy! But you're so right: it is a situation that, with a little more foresight & cooperation from BOTH sides, the outcome might have been very different. Also, I know how very grateful his family must have been to be able to finally bring their son home. A truly sad ending to a preventable tale.
As always, I enjoy listening to your narrations so much - it's almost as if sitting down to have a conversation with a friend! I hope you never change!! âșïž
Bryan, Insomnia is so hard but these stories would work on a sensitive soul like you. I know if I know of a worrisome crime or sad one my mind will not give up on it, it just keeps thinking about it and trying to figure it out. Much as I enjoy your stories and look forward to them I hope you can have a change of scene and refresh your mind.
On a different note after watching several of these of people hiking alone I found that a dear friend, a young girl, would periodically hike with her little dog alone in the Bighorn mountains near here. I begged her to not go alone, at least get one of the tracking devices. I asked her why she went alone and she said it's too hard to arrange other people to go with you and she does enjoy the solitude. I get that but she 's taking a chance.
Yes, Byran. This is truly a sad story. I am glad that the hiker at least found him, so that the family can rest easier. Thank you again.
I really appreciate you and your channel. It's so nice to hear someone that is sympathetic and caring discussing these cases.
Thank you!
If he had broken an ankle or another bone, the ME wouldâve seen this. According to your report, no injuries like this were present. Sad story. RIP
Thank you Bryan for sharing this story with us. I'm sorry for his family and friends but, I thank God that his family now has closure.
Rest in Peace "Jake".
weird how they can say what happened to ppl thousands of years ago..but not 4 yrs ago...sad prayers for the family
I love the way you narrate these stories. The way you speak has this lovely, authentic, quality.
Thank you for making these videos and taking the time to share these stories with us. It is important and I really appreciate it and you. I try to keep these folks in my prayers. I live here in Oregon and I have been to the Sisters wilderness area and I agree that it is very rugged and even treacherous to try to survive without provisions/shelter etc. đđ
Even tho he was young, is there a chance he could have had a heart attack, a stroke, an aneurism? That was really inept that after all those weeks his car sat there and forest Rangers never reported it. Ty for another heartfelt video. Ur so kind to bring this to light.
He was too Arrogantly proud (aka too stupid) to tell anyone what he was up to.
You all ain't invincible. Shit happens. Swallow your pride, use common sense and be prepared for the worst scenarios.
my reading said he was 100 yards off trail- maybe running from a 'threat'?
â@@j.khuster2024or maybe he didn't care if they knew, or thought they wouldn't care. From the information provided it doesn't seem as if he kept in close or regular contact with his family. He was gone a long time before they went looking for him.
â@@jockkinne2768 mountaineer edict states use the restroom 100ft off trail, if going#2 dig a cat hole 6 to 8 inches deep, #1 urinate on rocks to prevent disruption of plants due to animals uprooting them for the salt. But why he had a shirt off is weird.
I think even experienced hikers can get blinded by what pilots call get-there-itis, mountaineers can get summit fever, and so on. But either way, 100 feet. The converter I used said that's only a bit over 30 metres. On some trails, that's barely to have gone off the trail!
Poor man, and his poor family, so close, yet, the nature around him concealed him for 4 years. Whatever it was that happened to him, I hope it happened fast.
Very sad for Jake and his family. Thank you âš
As a physical therapist he would have gotten himself to the trail if he were at all able. But we will never know.
People should always inform someone of their plans.
Just in case. We don't think something will happen to us.
But even a short trip to the grocery store could be our last.
Leave a note on the table for those searching.
Poor guy.
I know this area and its very dense. Ferns 7 feet tall. Dense forrest. This is very sad. This wilderness has squatters and mountain men. Etc. Hopefully he didnt eat a poisonous mushroom. Lots of those, also I wouldnt rule out fool play.
Very sad story. Good they found his remains.
could have been a 'skookum': a mountain devil...there's alot of activity along this corridor on the East side of the Cascades,
especially going North toward the Jefferson Wilderness
What an interesting and unique fellow, how sad this is.
He could have had a Heart attack, aneurysm, or stroke.
Yeah but nobody could've ever known because he wanted to be all alone.
He should've been more humble...
@@j.khuster2024 maybe u should be more humble
God rest his soul, whatever happened, I hope it was quick & he didn't suffer. On an aside, you sound so much clearer! Hopefully, the insomnia has lessened & you're getting better rest! I battle w/it too & always keep Aspirin PM or something w/an antihistamine in it nearby which helps when/if it gets bad (per my Dr. recommendation & in lieu of something like Ambien).
Yeah i use melatonin. Insomnia is awful.
A human cadaver 100 feet from trail? The smell of the decomposing body had to be very obvious to hikers passing by that trail.
I was wondering about what the smell mustâve been like myself and itâs a very very powerful smell that carries a good distance, how does the smell not lead to more findings, that was a great thought thank you
A 100ft is pretty far away and this isn't a super popular area. The trail could be upwind and no one would notice.. or even if they did, most people wouldn't investigate a nasty smell in the woods, they would just keep moving.
You have great attention to detail. If I ever were to get lost in the wilderness I would hope someone like you would be in charge of the search for me.
Yes, it's sad. It's painful to think that someone can perish with no clue what may have happened.
God bless him and his family.
This is an odd one! Because of his secretive nature, we don't know exactly when he started on the trail. It might have been June 15, or earlier, or later. We don't know what he was carrying. 4 miles from the trailhead and 100 yards off the trail--he could have gotten there in the first day. Maybe he got turned around and couldn't find the way back to the trail. This happens even to experienced hikers.
I think hypothermia is likely because 40 degrees is plenty cold enough. And he took off his shirt at some point, which sometimes people suffering from hypothermia do--they feel as though they are hot. I think if he had been attacked by a bear, there would have been evidence.
I don't blame the Forest Service officials because they have no idea when someone is missing until they are told. They can't monitor everyone who comes through, and a lot of people don't bother to check in when they return.
He had a permit and his car was left at the trailhead literally to monitor the trail.
@@dustinrogers5384 I know he had a permit. But there is nothing to indicate he actually entered the trail June 15--no communication with others about his plans or activities.
drug deal gone bad
@@bradleysmall2230 Could be, but no evidence.
@@jodylarson4697 mexico does not send there best some are good, some are murderrs ropists and fentannel activistes- trump 2024
I could listen /watch a video of yours every day! â€ïž this channel. Keep up the great work on these ppl's stories. âïžâ€ïž
Love, love love this channel, I am binging on your videos. Thank you Bryan... I am watching this on CZcams from Scotland UK. I lived in the USA for 20yrs and I miss being there, but watching your channel brings some comfort. I wish I had spent more time visiting some of those National Parks. Your commitment to sharing all these videos is gratefully appreciated. I hope and pray that many of these cases are solved in the future because I am sure that they left loved ones who need closure. Thank you again, I am looking forward to future videos. Take care and be safe in this uncertain world â€
I am from Southern California and my brother is backpacking Scotland right now!
@@calij586 Weather is unpredictable as always, 16C three days ago, 5C yesterday.... I hope be has packed his warm clothes. Scotland is amazing if you can forgive the climate and there is plenty to see and lots to do. I hope your brother enjoys his trip here
Hi Bryan! I listened to this video with interest. I am thinking that nobody is responsible for Jake's death. As there was no evidence of trauma and he was so close to both the track itself and the trailhead, I am wondering if he had a medical crisis. He could have had a heart attack. He was young but even fit young blokes have undiagnosed heart disease that kills them suddenly and without warning. Admittedly, there are a lot of "if onlies." Jake's death is a terrible loss for his family and friends. Perhaps because there were so many things that might have been done that could possibly have prevented his death or resulted in his body being found much earlier, other adventurous souls will take heed and excercise extra caution in both the planning and actual carrying out of this type of excursion. Additionally, rangers and other personnel working in wild country might be a little more aware of vehicles that either overstay or are tucked away in unusual or lonely places. The only good thing out of this is that Jake's family did receive his remains and were able to farewell him with a proper funeral and internment. They were at least able to have that modicum of resolution. It is unlikely that they will have "closure." That is a word I dislike, especially when applied to sudden, unexplained, unexpected or violent deaths or similar disappearances. All who knew him, will carry Jake's memory in their hearts all of their days. As long as someone remembers him, Jake's life will remain open. And that is, to my thinking, as it should be. Rest in Peace mate.
There are hundreds of missing persons in the US. Sometimes, it's not animals, or not getting lost - - - it's something else. There are strange things happening in this world, and lots we know nothing about.
Young folks suffer surprise heart attacks and such. Love your channel.
Being that close to trail, on a hillside, gives me the impression he was suddenly disoriented, either through darkeness, inclement weather, or both. It is as if he sat on the hillside to wait until he could see better and it got so cold that he dozed off/succumbed to hypothermia. This is the most likely explanation, I feel, given his age and background and assumed health.
That or a heart attack. Even young and completely healthy and fit people can get a heart attack withoutvanybwarning symptoms.
Just want to say love your videos! You do a great job.
It's possible he sat down for a snack and choked. That after 4 years would have left no trace.
I think many of these cases are probably something mundane like choking, bee sting, etc. Not as mysterious as they seem
So true that Dave Paulides make it seem like every little thing is some odd mystery- 'OH he is by water, oh he is by rocks, oh he is smart-very strange he disappeared....' well I mean water and rocks are all over everywhere! Many people are smart, that doesn't mean some emergency outdoors won't kill a person- or a bear or wild animals like a mountain lion!@@kissedbysun2517
As an Oregonian there's a lot of abandoned/homeless/stolen vehicles that sit in places a long time so it's not surprising the truck didnt tip anybody off
Very respectful and caring in the way you told this story! God bless you!â€RIP Jake
Sorrow for this young man, and his loved ones. Truly.
It sounds as though thereâs an expectation that rangers would be keeping track of permit holders and visitors to the trailhead. 1. They cover hundreds of square miles; 2. Itâs very likely there was snow on the ground in June, and not popular, so it would be a low priority; it used to be youâd fill out the permit at the iron ranger at the trailhead, put a copy in the slot, and the tag on your backpack-itâs not like hikers are kept track of at a ranger stayion.
Greetings.... from the Western North Carolina Mountains...! You have a wonderful voice....full of compassion, expressive tone, and clearly understandable. So many stories....and so many people....I'm not sure how you do such great investigative research...!
Have enjoyed listening since discovering your podcast a few months ago.....and feel fortunate for having done so. Keep up the great story telling....and know that your work is appreciated by many, many people...!
Thank you Bryan. This is a very sad story! Never hike alone always go with a buddy. If you cant find one join a hiking club! Prevent the possible grief for yourself and your love ones.
Bryan and friends this story is sooo tragic. It's so hard to believe that his truck sat there so long without being tagged. What happened to cars passing and not reporting this truck sitting in the same spot so long. My condolences goes out to the family but they too took so long to report him missing. This is a case to learn from. If you can't get the person on the phone, that's the time to start looking. He could just have been hurt and needing to be rescued. So many things went wrong in this case. I'm glad you are always saying that people should always tell someone where they are going. So many things went wrong and unnoticed. Thank God, the family can have closure in spite of the end results. đ
Love your stories and facts and pictures. Thank you.
Imagine how stressful it was for his family to not know where he was
The timeline is certainly unusual; last seen June 3 the date he picked up his French Peteâs hiking permit for June 16-18 (I assume last seen by the USFS employee) then no one spoke with him or saw him after? No one where he lives, worked, no family, no ATM use, credit card use, etcâŠ? And when he didnât show up to pick up his nephew on June 28, his brother didnât report him missing until July 9? Who was he reported missing to? I would assume Eugene Police since that was where he lived and there would be no reason at that point to think he disappeared in Three Sisters as the fact he got that backcountry permit wouldnât be known at that point and likely wasnât known until his vehicle was found at a trailhead in the DNF on July 30.
People not from Oregon (and even some Oregonians) donât understand the number of BLM and USFS roads and the desolation. The National Forests frequently have only a few âpatrolâ type rangers, BLM even less, and unlike National Parks, most National Forests and BLM land is not exclusive federal jurisdiction but rather covered by the county for primary law enforcement. We are talking millions of acres with hundreds of roads. Willamette National Forest, where the trailhead is located, is 1.6 million acres and Deschuttes National Forest which houses most of the Three Sisters Wilderness, is almost 2 million. I know both have only a few tiny ranger stations. So the idea a bunch of Forest Rangers were driving by his truck is highly unlikely, there just arenât a âbunch of Rangersâ. The point you show on the map is where Aufderheide Dr starts; the articles Iâve read says his truck was parked at the trailhead which is way, way south of there. Way back in there.
If anyone from the USFS would have seen his truck at the trailhead it would more likely have been a random maintance worker, and thatâs only if they happened to have work to do at or past the trailhead during that timeframe⊠and its unlikely they would have found the truck suspicious unless they came back to that area over the course of a few weeks and they happened to remember it was there before. Unless there was something unique about it, doubtful. Its unlikely many visitors drove down that road and the few who did likely drove there the one time during their visit to the trailhead so they wouldnât recognize it as having been there for six weeks. People donât live anywhere near there and that road isnât a route people take everyday. Second, the USFS isnât calling people when their permit expires to ask them if they left. Its not a hotel.
Last, regarding cause of death, it could be a lot of things and weâll never know. Could be a medical emergency, could be a fall, could be a tree or limb fall, could be homicide, could be an animal attack, could be some other accidental cause, could be suicide. I have seen many suicides and you canât often predict them. Some cases have clues, others donât. Iâve seen a few where what most of us would consider a minor issue (argument, bf/gf breaking up with them, professional failure, etcâŠ) has led to it, others where there was no sign other than the person occaisonally seemed morose. Regardless, I highly doubt any authorities told the family he âprobably went out there and took his lifeâ. More likely they were asking questions in that line and the family took offense. Which is understandable, but its also authorities job to pursue all lines of possibility even something as uncomfortable as that. If they found clothes in a long line like he was shedding them over distance and if there was a significant storm during that time and he had no shelter, then I can see why they went with hypothermia, but those details are not said so it seems strange. 100ft off the trail isnât far, its a distance one might go to go to the bathroom or camp. Its pure luck his body was found, many who go missing in the backcountry are never found.
As sad as it is, your safety is your personal responsibilty. Your advice at the end is the most important message and one I share any chance I can for those who may only day hike and not respect the backcountry enough: Telling someone when you are leaving, where you plan to be, and when you expect to come out is common sense. However, if that isnât how one lives their life, then carrying a PLB or satelite comminication device is a good idea. In the past, and when this incident occured, there were less options and they were a little more cost prohibative, so really only hard core backcountry climbers and hikers, or hunters used them. Now days there are more options and great plans that I think if more people knew about them, even those who are only occaisional backcountry recreationist, they would get one. A personal locator beacon (or PLB) is good for emergencies; it sends your coords via a multitude of satelite networks to a USGOV coordination center while also pulsing out a homing beacon that SAR helicopters and ships can track, while also strobing IR for helicopter crews to see. The comminication devices (exp Garmin Inreaches, or Spot X) allow you to text anyone on the device or via your phone connected to the device via bluetooth as the device connects to the iridium satelite network. In addition to being able to text family and freinds from pretty much anywhere on earth, they can also track you as the device pings your location at intervals you set to a map they can log onto. Finally, there is an SOS feature which you can press in an emergency that sends a message with your coordinates to a private company in TX that coordinates with the local SAR entities per your coordinates. Both the PLBs and Garmins have been responsible for tens of thousands of rescues.
Both the PLB and communication devices require the ability to connect to a satelite, so they wonât work in a cave, underwater, and a deep slot canyon or super dense tree cover might delay connection.
If you are someone who doesnt like the idea of the Garmin âtrackingâ you, the PLB is basically a brick until you activate it in an emergency. As a benefit, the battery lasts five years then you have to get a new one, it doesnât need charging since its doing nothing. I have both and always carry my Garmin Inreach Mini, even on short day hikes. The PLB generally only goes on deeper longer excursions but I still take the Garmin with a battery bank so I can text to let them know Iâm safe and so they can see where I am.
Lastly, understand even with the PLB and SOS feature on the mini, just because you press that does not mean hundreds of rescuers are dispatched in minutes via parachute, fastroping from helicopters, and galloping in on horseback⊠it can take several hours to confirm your location, recall SAR personnel, and dispatch them. In some cases it can take several hours for them to reach you, in cases of bad whether it might be the next day. A SAR specific helicopter is often not used in the interior of the US except in places where SAR is more common (exp Colorado) so a lot of the time a helicopter is not used at all. Point being, measure your expectations.
I am familiar with this area. This area has very thick ground cover and thickly forested. If someone was off trail, it would be extremely difficult to find someone or a body, even if you knew where the general location of the person/body is. I would not put any blame on any forest ranger. This is a national forest/BLM land, not a park of any type. It is wilderness. Forest service rangers or staff do not "patrol" the area and have other duties. If a patrol is conducted, it would be along roads or established trails. It would not be reasonable to go off trail as part of a routine patrol. Vehicles can and do park anywhere they want/can, so his vehicle may not have been in a parking lot for authorities to find, but on one of many logging roads. Until authorities are notified of a missing person, it would not be normal to launch a search & rescue operation simply for an abandoned vehicle. There are not enough resources to investigate every suspicious vehicle parked in the wilderness. There can be numerous vehicles found in various places from people off on some adventure, who have not registered with the ranger station.
As for the "permit" allowing authorities to be notified of him being missing, these permits are self-registered permits that are not actual permits but are registrations. There is no permit needed to hike in the national forest or BLM land. If he had given a copy of the permit to the rangers, they would not be checking on his status because hikers/campers do not need to "check out" from their stay in the forest and most people do not stop by the ranger station to close out the permit. Being found off trail is odd. There is quite a bit of recreational drug usage in western Oregon, and he may have overdosed or become disoriented and injured under the influence. I know, the family will say that he doesn't use drugs, but the family is often the last to know. Fentanyl was and still is very popular in that area and it is a killer. Fentanyl is often used as a cheap supplement in other drugs, such as with methamphetamine, and the user never knows what or how much they are getting. An autopsy would not catch it after years of decomposition. However, being shirtless is a clue because meth users and other drugs often make the person overheat. That is why you see people who are featured on shows like Cops who are on drugs are often shirtless, because they are literally burning up.
A lot of good points. Weird that he was shirtless. Weird that he was so secretive. There is more to the story for sure.
Agreed, lots of folks go off into the forest to use alone. It's not always about being a wholesome rugged outdoorsman.
I'm 68 and hike solo, so I carry an InReach for safety and to let my wife know I'm ok. Also, just a little PSA. Please don't believe the Apple Watch ads that suggest you can use it to get help.
I live in the Mckenzie river valley. It's very beautiful, very remote, help/ems/sherriffs are hours away depending. Out this far you learn that small mistakes can be fatal. It happens so quick and there is no coming back from it. Great channel. Thank you for sharing.
It wasn't the authorities' fault. You can't expect someone to see your truck and know that you are lost in the woods. It was the hiker's responsibility to let someone know where he was going, and when, and when he expected to return. By the time he was reported missing, it's safe to say he had already passed. I feel bad for the family, but that doesn't make it the rangers' fault.
Not their fault but they certainly didnât help. They are usually always aware of permit dates and parked vehicles.
Yes it rains here frequently sometimes constantly with few breaks in Portland area from October/November to May/June depending on the year. It's just like Seattle.
I hadn't heard of this one! Thank you for your coverage!
From what you shared it sounds as if this search was preformed very poorly. I am saying this with 30 years as a Paramedic/FF/CSAR, not just anyone. They should have searched the main trails with several people on each side of the trail. With Jake he would have known basic live saving and survival even being with the coast guard. Which makes it hard to believe someone like Jake would have not made it the 4 miles unless there was severe head trauma, heart failure, or significant blood loss. Here in Pennsylvania we do everything we can to give closure to the families. But I also go on other search activities, like the one at the end of May 2022. I will be traveling to OR to search for Jeromy Ivan Childress's remains in hope to give his family closure. Both Jake and Jeromy sound like they had horribly inexperienced Search Commanders. When we feel someone has died we do what is called a advanced grid search until we find them. The person is there until they are proven not to be there. I hope everyone gets them selves a Personal Location Beacon with SOS. This is an item that can almost guaranty your survival.
Me and my cousin nearly got lost on an overgrown trail once and i fully understand how easy it is to get lost.
Whenever I go hiking I always make sure to tell someone my plan and my where abouts just In case I don't return
How sad. Feels like the park rangers didnât do their job or theyâd have noticed the truck.
I think he was hurt. Terrible he was so close amd no one found him
By the time that authorities were notified of his disappearance by his family (3 & 1/2 weeks later), he was already dead. Sad but true. BTW, itâs not a park, itâs a wilderness, and Oregon has many thousands of square miles of wilderness areas with only a few hundred rangers tasked to patrol all of them
so many it could of been in this case no one will ever know the circumstances that led to his death.Jake was a private person going off to hike as he did many times before I don't think he would of thought the 3 sisters hike would be any different just doing what he loved to do and unfortunately something went very wrong for him i'm sure during his last moments he would of regretted not letting anyone know his plans.Very sad for family&friends i'm sure it was a great relieve to them Jake's remains being found so they could give him a proper burial.
The Rangers may have been on rotating schedules. I remember several years ago hearing a story about a Walmart employee finding a man dead in his car in the parking lot. On his day to collect the carts from the lot, he saw a man sleeping in a car. Because they were on a rotating schedule to collect the carts, his turn came again 7 or 8 days later and that's when he saw the same man in the same car still asleep and realized the man was dead. The others in rotation had seen the man only one time because their next time hadn't come yet. So maybe the Rangers were on a rotating schedule and no Ranger had gone through there twice yet and didn't realize how long the car had been sitting there.
Dude, I'm with you. The compassion you employ is exemplary. We all feel you.
Thank you.
Prayers for the family.!
Born and raised in Oregon. Don't mess around in our forests. Any of them.
I wouldn't mess in ANY of them. All are wicked and it's all connected. Nobody has a more scary forest/woods. All are one in the same.
Oregon is weird anyways....and I was born here and I swear it's a vortex of ......lol...Hell.I always offend people when I say that...but it is a vortex.When you try to move away.....even across country...I swear it somehow sucks you back against your will! I appreciate the beauty...but the hills have eyes,and shit just ain't right in some underground,old spirit,no matter where u are kinda way.
Wow you guysâŠand i include khuster and sashan morris code comments- so there is something of a âhigh strangenessâ there.? i agree, I have lived in WA for most of my 80 years, and i did not visit oregon until I was 16. iMy family campoed at Cape Lookout State park near Tillamook, and i fell in love with the ocean beaches and at night I listened to the foghorns one deep and one shrieking. like a lost soul. There was a. mystical, magical and frightening quality to the whole aatmosphere, it is one of my most cherished memories of when our family was all togehter there. But when my husband and I drove or tried to drive past Roseburg in later years, we always had a serious breakdown with our car.s and ended up sranded in Roseburg.There is something sinister about that stretch of I-5 After 3 disasters, we never attempted to pass by Roseburg again. IDK, Oregon was the focus of so many dreams..all the wagon trains going to Oregon, all the disaters and tragedies along the way. Then there is the Oregon coast and lighthouses and countless shipwrecks, stories about haunted lighthouses. so many dreams shattered on the rocks. Then the interior, so many ghost towns and abandoned homesteads and cemetaries..Disasters always happening, railroad disasters. the collapse of so many enterprises and local economies the cycles of boom and bust. but mostly Bust. i read /listened to a documantaary about a haunted highway where women have disappeared and keep disappearing.. i believe you about a âvortexâ, a vortex of dark energy. And in Eastern Oregon there is a movement to secede from the state. IDK why thinngs are like that in Ore. But whenever i have left WA and driven into oregon, i have felt the change in energy. it was like something iwas Missing. The great Vortex over Seattle is is like a Meccaâ of high spiritual vibrations, light and love and music.. in contrast to the dark vortex over Portland. and further south is the high clear spiritual and cultural vortex around San Francisco. Oregon isnât all dark, the light is mingled with the darkness. years ago my husbandâs family had a reunion in the high desert at East lake near LaPine. it is a land locked lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. famous for the giant trout that survive the winters deep under the ice in the warm spring from the volcano. There is an old resort with cabins and campground. it was so remote and beautiful, it felt kind of âalienâ and wild.. There is forest around it, it felt sinister. needless to say, we avoided the woods. and last a tragedy that struck close to me. just a few years ago, a very dear friend who lived in Oregon and did a lot of traveling, was missed by his family and friends, nobody had heard from him. i had had an email a couple of weeks before and he had asked me to pray for him & and a family member. I wrote back, but received no rep;y. After an investgation and search, he was found in the woods. he had taken his own life. He had left clues, he had sent gifts to many of his friends. and had asked us for prayers, but that was not unusual for him. He was a very generous man and loved by so many. For all of the Missing and Departed on Bryanâs channel:I leave a prayer. âEternal Rest grant unto them O Lord, and fill their souls with splendor. Amenâ
Very good, what I mean is the story was very murch in depth. I hope that all the people in the story are found..
Such a tragedy, and yes, perhaps it would have been avoidable. First, with permits, sometimes there is a "sign in/sign out" form either at the trail head, or at the Ranger's Station. Anyone with a permit should be required to sign in at the start of their trip, and sign out at the end. Permits should be checked against signatures for beginning and end of hike. If anyone fails to sign out, search should be done more than once or twice. Rangers or volunteers should call permit holders at trip end date to ensure they've safely completed the hike, if they've not signed out. This poor guy was 100' off trail. It sounds like he may have fallen. The ME or Forensic Anthropologist could have seen any break in a bone , while a bad sprain would be invisible. Maybe he had a stroke or heart attack, also soft tissue and non-diagnostic skelatally. Foul play is also possible. He could have picked up a hitch-hiker or run into someone on the trail. Any soft tissue attack would again be invisible. Was his hyoid bone intact? I also am surprised the family waited a month to report him missing. I don't know what the dynamics are but I would have been trying to locate him within 12-24 hours after he didn't respond to a message. So very sad. Your programs are excellent. Thank you.
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I've worked in a park. The rangers have a lot on their shoulders. Many people don't bother checking back in at the end of a hike. They're tired, maybe the office is closed or they don't give a crap. It would take a lot of man hours for them to follow up and track down all these people, so if they don't have any reason to believe there's a problem they don't always follow up. Also some people get their permit and decide to go a different route or stay out longer. Imagine the cost and effort it would take to track down all those people. We're talking thousands of hikers. It's important to inform friends and family so if something goes amiss the rangers will put their efforts towards a legitimate search, which would be impossible if they were tracking down every hiker who had a brain fart.
As a person who likes to do their own thing and by a lot of standards takes risks . THAT is my choice and I accept the consequences
More power to ya
How do you believe you can accept the consequences to those you leave behind? Itâs not do or not do; itâs inform or not inform
You should be considerate enough to leave a message telling where you're going so if something happens they can find your body.
i mostly agreed with you; i am the same way. however, leaving some info would be helpful to the searchers.
Itâs hard to say what happened to him? He was young, healthy and experienced. With no trauma to his bones, it makes it almost impossible to figure out? The human body is capable of doing more then you think, even when itâs been injured. So this is a real mystery?
So sad. Maybe hearing this story will save someone else. RIP Jake.
Only recently have I crossed paths with your channel, and very glad that I have. So my theory is late on this one as I've been binge watching your content for a week đ. I can't help but wonder if the bear sprays, even after 4 years had passed, were tested to see if any spray was left in either or both cans. I keep picturing that Jake may have encountered either a bear OR cougar and had used the spray effectively as he had no injuries to his bones to suggest animal attacks. But possibly startled in the commotion and while running away or rushing backwards hit his head hard enough to lapse into a coma and essentially passed away from malnourishment while out of it? I would think if Jake sustained a broken ankle or leg that at least would've shown in the autopsy. Or as healthy as he was he could've had, even unknown to himself an underlying heart condition and had a heart attack while hiking. And lastly it's possible he ate something bad and was accidentally poisoned. I've hiked various spots in Oregon but never this area. I'm sure he was educated enough not to but possibly have eaten something poisonous that he thought was safe. Just glad the hiker found him đ§Ą
P.S. Hope you're doing well Bryan from your unfortunate lyme disease. It must be difficult going through the rollercoaster of physical and emotional pains and struggles. Wishing you as full a recovery as possible âđ
Always let someone know where you are going, and your return. Even a single day hike or run. Biggest clue in bush exploring is to know where you are.Maps,GPS, etc. Mountains, N,S,E,W. I learned before Gps etc. in Daniel Boone days. Where the Sun rises in the morning, and sets in the evening.
Thank you for your respect to the Coast Guard. I am sorry for the loss of this Coastie.
As an Expert in the Field, everytime I go to my 2nd Home, I inform the Ranger Station of where I am going and when I will return. I bring all necessary survival gear with me!
In the Sisters, the longest I can last through that region of the land is approximately a Month. I have had 4 types of Training so I am more than qualified. However do I not consider it not Dangerous, it is and a person must never forget that fact! There are a lot of factors to consider, first and foremost is the Weather. You must be clear headed at all times, therefore do not attempt the Ancient Natives practices of eating anything you cannot 100% identify, that especially applies to those individuals who are vague novice mushrooms collectors.
Philosophy #1.
You must learn to become at one with the Environment.
#2. Never Panic, No Fear!
Before going anywhere you don't know about, Research and Maps to start with.
Always check what you have with you.
Possibly a bite of some kind. It's so sad. My prayers are with his family. đ
Such a tragic story. God bless himđ
Always good to carry the sos satellite unit. It saves so many. If you're solo, get one! Solo, broken leg, no one around, no cell.....dead
Most common injury nobody never mentions is a Snake Bite. This is a snake bike scenario. This is why you should 100% wear snake guard gators. Even for a short hike always wear snake guards when hiking in any terrain 100%. I fully believe that this case is a snake bite injury. I myself and my kids wear snake guards every time we go hiking. There has been incidents if I was not wearing snake guards I would be one of these cases.
I grew up hiking this area and the lower cascade range. It's beautiful out there, but you can get snow up until mid July sometimes. It's so pretty out there, and that is a pretty hike đ
RIP Jake
I agree the truck not being noticed was strange. Very sad đ.
Prayers for the family for answers and justice
I think with his background.. meaning he knew how to survive not to mention determination he seem to be very experienced...even if injured he would have pulled and crawled to where someone could see him..so my point is this was something quick like heart attack something that he could not control....that's what I think just my opinion.anywau thanks so much and as always great work..thanks for all you do ..my sincere condolences to his family and friends.....
I live in Eugene and YES... it's super easy to get lost in the forest if there is no clear trail. I went up camping near Three Sisters/ Bend area A LOT and it can get pretty dense pretty quickly. And you are CORRECT with the odd weather we have here in Oregon. It is sorta sunny but also REALLY cold at night still, not to mention the fact that it changes on a dime the higher you go up (obviously). I've been camping and it has went from sunny 70 degrees, to rain then hail all within 10 minutes to an inch of hail stuck to the ground the net morning right back to sunny that melted the hail
Makes going out in the forest by yourself seem creepy.
It is bewildering to think when you know folks go totally unprepared into the wilderness... from an aerial view you cant be seen ....you have the technology....don't go alone.....whistles, air horns, flares whatever....be prepared for every scenario.