16 year long search for MISSING HUNTER!

[firebird]

Collingwood I believe

Missing,

Do you have a contact info for you or a family member directly?
I am talking to someone at SCI/Hunters for BC and he says he may know the GO in that area.
(I am trying to confirm that this GO actually holds the territory with Ram Cr in it)
He is trying to contact this GO to see if something on that end could happen.

If anyone knows the actual GO (if there is one there) that holds this actual territory with Ram Cr. please let us know.

It sounds to me that a lot of things up there around Spatzisi have changed.
Roads have washed out, gates have been put in place and i have heard that the FN in the area have made access a lot harder
(dont hold me to all of that if some is incorrect)
In other words, access today is way more limited then back in 2005.
And this means that there is probably way less folks, hikers for example accessing this already remote area.
So, other than for a few real hardcore hikes and die hard hunters, it sounds like there is very little traffic.

[hawk-i]

Is the trail head to this hunt on the same road that leads to the Tahltan Sacred Headwaters?

[Bugle M In]

I can always be reached at tleonard@goldcity.net

Missing, i cleared my Inbox, as i got an email that you have been trying to pm me but my box was full.
Go ahead and resend when you have time.

[Bugle M In]

Collingwood I believe

Yes, i think you are correct.
A friend from SCI/hunters for BC contacted the GO (think Collingwood), who in turn contacted "Missing".
So, they have talked and the pertinent information was passed along.
Was told they will be keeping an eye on the area where the tent might be.
So here's hoping for the family!
But still, let's keep it and get it to as many ears and eyes as possible.

[Moonlight TrHntr]

The only way to get there is flying into cold fish lake and hiking. If his camp is located north of ram creek junction he likely was headed for higher ground as he may have stayed at lower elevation and waited out the bad weather he encountered early during his hunt. I ruled out foul play considering they found a sign at the first camp. He probably injured himself and was doubling back to his truck. Recently I read a story about some kids that ran away from a residential school to go home for Christmas, they were found frozen in the snow a few kilometers from home. I would focus my search within a few kilometers from his truck. The will to survive is strong, he probably almost made it out. Unfortunately getting to that part of the trail is almost impossible with that bridge knocked out. The grizzly bear attack is a possibility, in this case he could have survived the initial mauling but was badly injured and couldn’t outrun the bear that he knows will be back to finish him. If this happened he would have tried to cross a waterway, same idea as putting a tree between you and the bear but using water. I know a hunter from Prince George that evaded a grizzly that was stalking him by crossing a river. As the story goes he was working in a guide camp and it was near end of day he was sent to grab the last quarter of moose, he became disoriented and lost daylight and realized he was being stalked by a grizzly. Covered in blood he tied his clothes to a rock and sank them before crossing the river. He crossed back over the next morning and walked out in his underwear. You may need a professional drone pilot to check the creeks and streams and also rocky areas higher up. Slips and trips when you are in the wilderness by yourself could be fatal.

[Jrax]

Missing,
I also think about your husband every year and i hope for closure for you and family. When i am back sheep hunting in spatsizi i will have a look around some areas that are close to where your husbands tent was found.

I hiked in on the eaglenest trail and past ram creek in 2000 and we hit mostly bad weather through the 12 days. I believe it was right at beginning of august as everything was very green. When we did the hike i was inexperienced and it was in rainy, wet weather and we had a very hard time to find firewood get the fire going and hard to maintain. Buckbrush was thick and willows were high and there were places where game trails were mixed with the true trail and we would get sidetracked and frustrated. A few other things that stuck out for me in that ram creek/eaglenest creek junction area was that if i was looking for sheep i would be looking in the mountains to the northwest and northeast. They are closer with sheep and goats and much easier access. The Ram Creek camp is on the east side of Ram creek and on the north side of Eaglenest creek. Eaglenest is a big creek so difficult cross and the bushwack to the south mountains looks harder. It was easier to glass on those mountains to the north. In addition there is the trail heading north up Ram creek and it sounds like thats where his tent was found.

It has crossed my mind quite a few times of walking some of the side game trails up the ram creek area and/or hiking up the drainages there. I hope i get a chance one day.

[Bugle M In]

I think the hunter that found the tent back in 2013 makes for some complelling evidence.
Look:
The truck/quad and extra 10 day food were found at the head of Eaglenest Cr Trailhead.
It appears this trail only runs eastward along the eaglenest cr.
He said he was going to "do a Loop".
So, there really only are 2 possible routes (main routes anyways), one being the junction at Eaglenest and RamCr, and the other
further eastward, and i think it is called Icebox.
Both Ram and Icebox run into another trail to the north (they might be 2 separate named trails up there but they link together?).
I dont think his route was east up Eaglenest, north up Ram and then west on Cullivan/Mcewan and then back along Klappan River.
Does not look like a good sheep route.

I think east on Eaglenest, north on Ram, then east on Cullivan, and then South on Icebox and back west on Eaglenest.
And the truth is, that is possible where his tent is anyways AND WHY the family and Missing has posted this thread.
TO HAVE someone go in and look if they can, because the RCMP failed last year to go in.
The RCMP handed it over to the PARKS, and they have now failed to go in.
And, the RCMP is not going to "pick up the ball" it appears before bad weather and access is impossible.
THAT IS THE ISSUE!, and why the asking for help.

We can all speculate on "what happened", be it foul play which is extremely unlikely!!
A bear incident is possible always.
But i and many others have had "accidental incidents" from bad foot placement or bad stuff like bad weather lead to a bad and
near fatal incident.
And inclement weather is another big one, and being solo just ups the ante.

Honestly, it does not matter for the family at this point right now what happened.
They are still just trying to find out "where it happened" and if he can be found.
There should be a tent, a backpack, a rifle at the very least to be discovered.
Hopefully this is his tent.
Then we go from there to see if there is a backpack nearby, and if not, we have to look upwards to the mountains close by.

They just need someone to check this lead and to get the word out to anyone and everyone.
This thread has been running since 2010.
The hunter that found this tent in 2013, "did not know" about Tom.
So obviously, the story has not made it out to everyone.
So, if we cant "go in to look", we sure as heck can "pass it on" to make others aware.

[Moonlight TrHntr]

I would be interested in leading a coordinated search next year but I wouldn’t be able to do this myself.

I need a team of 4 that will volunteer their time, flight in and out will be paid for

1. A guide who knows the area
2. Someone trained in first aid, preferably a rock climber
3. Drone pilot

Pm if interested

[twoSevenO]

heartbreaking. See this post always at the top of the main page and wonder about him often as i head out into the woods on my own.

[Bugle M In]

Missing,

I did speak to someone i have gotten to know who works in Search and Rescue out of the Fraser Valley for the Aerial aspects etc.
Told him about the situation and the tent that might be a new lead etc.
I assumed that since it has been so long since Tom went missing that S & R would no longer assist.
He told me not necessarily.
He said sometimes a situation like this "might be" used for a Training Exercise that they have to do every so often.
That some Ground Managers like having something like this for training rather than just a complete "mock exercise".
I asked if he knew anyone up that way but he didn't.
He said you would have to look up Emergency Response BC and see where the nearest HQ would be for that area and get in
touch with that ground manager.

BUT, there sometimes is a "limiting factor" about Training Exercises.
They tend to do training exercises within 1 to 1 1/2 hours from their HQ, usually.

I don't know if you or any family member still talks with S&R, or if they were ever used? (only recall RCMP and family)
My friend said it "never hurts to ask".
So, just another option possibly.
Sorry, i would not know who to contact.