missing hunter spatsizi

[huntinnewbie]

Anyone know if there are any updates on Tom Leonard the hunter that went missing in 2005. He was hunting sheep in the Spatsizi. I don't think they ever found him but was wondering if there were any new updates on the story.

[lilhoss]

The family organizes a search for the last couple of springs.The road into the area was washed out for a season or two,but has now been repaired.This is the area where they found his truck at the trailhead,and it had the additonal food & supplies for the second half of his trip.Nobody has found anything.It is a vast area.Hopefully they can find him for some closure.

[Caribou_lou]

Have not heard of any findings. Most people that go in don't go far off the Eaglenest trail.

[Chuck]

I hate stories with no happy ending, or no ending. The family will continue to suffer and that's the worst part of it all.

[mntbowhunter]

A CO that I know was part of the search in 2007. He and seven more preople searched for three weeks with no results. Pretty sad story.

[digger dogger]

what a horrible feeling, not knowing.. i've been to the spatsizi a number of times since 05, i can't help glassing and thinking it would be beutiful, to find him and give the family closure..when i was there last aug with one of my son's i mentioned there was a missing hunter in the park somewhere, and is presumed dead, and the family has been looking for 4 yrs for him, he was a little emotional, and said a prayer for him and his family.. i pray for the family aswell.. it is a massive area. i hope he is found..

[sawmill]

To die in the bush beats the hell out of doing it in town,hooked up to machines.Seen that,hated it,made me cry.

I want to go his way.

[Caribou_lou]

To die in the bush beats the hell out of doing it in town,hooked up to machines.Seen that,hated it,made me cry.

I want to go his way.


At age 40? Wasn't his time to go. And theres always the chance it was a bear attack. I deffinatly don't want to go that way.

[BromBones]

Eaglenest is rugged country with no shortage of bears. Not a good place to slip-up.

It's going on 5 years, doubt anyone will ever find what's left of him.

[RustyRipper]

Well hopefully someone can find some closure to this and perhaps someone of the likes of jack boudreau will write a story about it.

[BlacktailStalker]

Nature is cruel and unforgiving.
A slip and fall or bear attack sounds most likely.
As said, hope there is closure for his family at some point.

Situations like this should serve as a reminder to others.
Satellite phones and those semi reliable Spots are important tools for people out alone.

[Fella]

Just a bump up for anyone going into the Spatsizi this year.

[40incher]

A few years ago I found a trail of very short red tape heading up off the trail. Later on I ran into a fire pit and some heavy-gauge black plastic in a very rugged section of the sub-alpine. Passed this info on to the family along with the location.

[Jagermeister]

IMO, Tom met with foul play. The only evidence of him was his pickup at the trail head. There was a granola bar wrapper found under a rock at one campsite and this may have been a sign that he planted.
Emergency locators were just coming into being and hence Tom did not have one.
The biggest problem was that he left for an extended period of time, 3 weeks. If he had an event in the first few days of his hunt, his trail would have gone cold by the time the alarm was raised. Don't know if that happened but his trail was cold by the time the search started and it started promptly. Of course by the first week of October, the weather was less than ideal.
This is the 10th year since his disappearance and not a single trace of any of his effects have surfaced. Makes you wonder?

[TARCHER]

IMO, Tom met with foul play. The only evidence of him was his pickup at the trail head. There was a granola bar wrapper found under a rock at one campsite and this may have been a sign that he planted.
Emergency locators were just coming into being and hence Tom did not have one.
The biggest problem was that he left for an extended period of time, 3 weeks. If he had an event in the first few days of his hunt, his trail would have gone cold by the time the alarm was raised. Don't know if that happened but his trail was cold by the time the search started and it started promptly. Of course by the first week of October, the weather was less than ideal.
This is the 10th year since his disappearance and not a single trace of any of his effects have surfaced. Makes you wonder? I agree on making you wonder? Items like a rifle, pack frame, camera and those sort of things don't just disappear. I say that the family will get some closure, being an optimist that I am.

[Fella]

I'm not at all familiar with the terrain of the area but I'm inclined to believe he slipped and fell, maybe down a draw or off a bluff somewhere. Hope the family gets some closure!

[srupp]

Hmmm years ago the mayor? Of Kelowna was making a short flight to Van and back..crashed his plane outside Abbotsford..survived..left a note that he could see the hwy and was wslking down..
Start location known...destination known took many years to find his body..over a cliff and ended in a wster falls catch basin..

Here is hoping this year.......
Steven

[SR80]

Another thing that could of happened is he could of been crossing a log jam or something and fell into the water and got stuck under. Which would explain why there was absolutely nothing of his found. Very sad though.

[Trigger Happy]

DONT hunt alone. PERIOD!

[Missing]

Just bumping this thread again. This fall is 10 years for me and my girls to have no answers. I thought for sure this was the year....please if anyone is in this area (Spatsizi) and notices any gear or a piece of clothing/material please report it to the Dease Lake RCMP. I am still very confident we will find him and finally receive answers of why he didn't come home.

[Bugle M In]

I'm not at all familiar with the terrain of the area but I'm inclined to believe he slipped and fell, maybe down a draw or off a bluff somewhere. Hope the family gets some closure!

This would explain why nothing has been found, he may be somewhere that is not capable of being traversed, and definitely not on a trail, that hunters/hikers
would be inclined to take.
For whatever reason, he may have needed to go to some extreme spot...?? who knows, but the length of time would suggest that his body is in a bad spot.
Again, regards to all the family members of this missing person.

[Glenny]

Sad story. I wonder if any of the search parties had dogs and if it would be of any help now after the years.

[BgBlkDg]

You never know, back in the early-mid '70s, IIRC, there was a young German immigrant, totally nuts about BC's mountains and he settled in the West Kootenays and hiked every chance he could. He really liked the Valhallas and went on a trip there and never returned with no sign of him.

At that time, I was doing a lot of weekend to weeklong solo winter camps and treks across Kokanee Park and the Valhallas and nobody could find a trace of him.

A few years ago, perhaps 30 years after he disappeared, a person was on Koch Creek and looked upstream to see a human skull grinning at him and then a few bones were found. It was the young chap, he seems to have fallen, perhaps injured, or killed outright or drowned and then animals scattered his bones...........just a total fluke that someone saw his skull.

No matter HOW "good in the bush" you are and there are some here whom I think fit that description well, it can happen in an eyeblink and several friends and colleagues of mine have gone this way. One can NEVER be TOO careful and I prefer to learn survival and first aid skills to depending on an electronic device.....but, am going to get a Delorme Inreach anyway.

Foul play,,,,,,who would kill someone for a rifle and optics, etc, in a place like that?

[Jagermeister]

This would explain why nothing has been found, he may be somewhere that is not capable of being traversed, and definitely not on a trail, that hunters/hikers
would be inclined to take.
For whatever reason, he may have needed to go to some extreme spot...?? who knows, but the length of time would suggest that his body is in a bad spot.
Again, regards to all the family members of this missing person.Those areas with scree slopes were checked. Icebox canyon trail had too much snow drifted in when the search commenced.
If my memory serves me right, Tom left home on the 10th of September. He was supposed to be back home on the 3rd of October. He had one contact with home one or two days after departure. That I believe was from Iskut.
His wife, (Missing), notified authorities pretty much immediately when he was a no show.
One of Tom's friends had given Tom a comprehensive hunt itinerary of the location and this person was sequestered into the original search. I believe this person was on the search in the following year.
The problem is by the time the alarm was raised, too much time elapsed. This was no fault of his family, how could they know any events from the last point of contact to the time of return.
Missing if I missed something or misstated, make the suitable corrections.
As I said before, SPOT was new technology and was not readily available. Two years later and SPOT was on everyone's list as essential gear.

[Missing]

Yes Big Glenny a Cadaver dog was used and Jagermeister you are correct on everything that you have said. I am okay on whatever talk is posted on here (I have made myself of steel). At least when people are talking about Tom it keeps our situation in the front of everyone's minds. So please do not stop talking about Tom and what might have happened, I am stronger than you think I am. And also do not hesitate to ask me any questions that you have, I will do my very best to answer them.

[BgBlkDg]

God Bless you, lady, I hope that this works out and you find closure and peace.

My wife worried when I would go to work alone in some of BC and ABs most remote country and also would backpack alone in such places. I always told her that if I did not return, I had gone ahead doing what I loved most, except her and our Rottweilers, and to be at peace as I would see her again, in Paradise.

[Bugle M In]

Yes Big Glenny a Cadaver dog was used and Jagermeister you are correct on everything that you have said. I am okay on whatever talk is posted on here (I have made myself of steel). At least when people are talking about Tom it keeps our situation in the front of everyone's minds. So please do not stop talking about Tom and what might have happened, I am stronger than you think I am. And also do not hesitate to ask me any questions that you have, I will do my very best to answer them.

Yes, keeping at it as an ongoing situation is a good thing, so that more people are aware of the situation, so that if anyone does travel into the Spatzisi
area, that they do keep their eyes open.
Just putting this out there...are there any "Hikers" forums (similar to BCHunting Forum), that this situation could be written in, to make any possible
Hikers aware of your situation?...maybe you have already done this.
I do hope someone can give you the answers you need to have "closure" on this entire event.
Not knowing what happened is just as difficult as accepting what is...
So sorry that you have to go thru this....but we will all keep hoping/praying for you and your family...
Best Wishes BMI

[Glenny]

You never know, back in the early-mid '70s, IIRC, there was a young German immigrant, totally nuts about BC's mountains and he settled in the West Kootenays and hiked every chance he could. He really liked the Valhallas and went on a trip there and never returned with no sign of him.

At that time, I was doing a lot of weekend to weeklong solo winter camps and treks across Kokanee Park and the Valhallas and nobody could find a trace of him.

A few years ago, perhaps 30 years after he disappeared, a person was on Koch Creek and looked upstream to see a human skull grinning at him and then a few bones were found. It was the young chap, he seems to have fallen, perhaps injured, or killed outright or drowned and then animals scattered his bones...........just a total fluke that someone saw his skull.

No matter HOW "good in the bush" you are and there are some here whom I think fit that description well, it can happen in an eyeblink and several friends and colleagues of mine have gone this way. One can NEVER be TOO careful and I prefer to learn survival and first aid skills to depending on an electronic device.....but, am going to get a Delorme Inreach anyway.

Foul play,,,,,,who would kill someone for a rifle and optics, etc, in a place like that?

"A blink of an eye" You got that right. Things can go very wrong in an instant. This thread is serving as a good reminder to be careful out there peepil.

[Riverbc]

as of 2010....hadn't been found. If he had of, I think they would have updated the web site.
http://www.missinginspatsizi.com/

[BromBones]

I've always thought that searching the Eaglenest creek bottom in low water would be a smart bet. If I had the time, I'd give it a try.

I think that since no camp setup was ever found & no belongings, he may have went down during a water crossing carrying a full pack with all his gear. I've done it and almost drowned, even with my waistbelt undone and chest strap unhooked. Many of us have. At 9 km on the trail, you cross an unnamed creek. It used to have two skinny logs for a bridge and after hard rains, the creek swells fast. Also is only a few yards from the main eaglenest creek. One slip there in high water with a full pack on and you're done. Macdonald creek can be a pain in flood water as well.

If he had setup a base/spike camp somewhere, I think camp remains would have been found. I also think that if he fell during a climb, it would have been with day gear only (meaning a camp would have been setup somewhere & possibly found) as in 90% of the eaglenest mtn's, you wouldn't be doing tricky climbs with a full pack - there is no reason to. The peaks are way too rugged to be looking for a place to camp that high. You spike camp at or above treeline at the base of the slopes and climb the gnarly stuff if you need to.

Also don't think it would have been a bear. His pack and all food contents would have been scattered over an acre, upping the odds of finding something.

Just my opinion, of course :) I've been up & down the eaglenest trail and through most of the passes around Cartmel, ram creek, macdonald, and icebox, and have never seen or found anything. Neither has anyone else in 10 years. Which is why I think water is the most likely place to find anything.

[Sofa King]

very good point, brom.
it does make sense and certainly could be a possibility.

[emerson]

Stories like this one focus the risks uncomfortably clearly. My brother and I have both separately been within a breath of of fatal falls while climbing rocky areas. Neither of us can tell why we made it those times. I hope closure comes for the family members of this gentleman.

[Mulehahn]

I have to agree with a water crossing being the most likely, and most likely early in his trip. As was mentioned early, Tom had planned a three week trip with all the accompanying gear. After reaching his destination he would of set up a base camp to hunt of to reduce the weight and then set up spike camps as needed. I cannot imagine he would hunt sheep with 3 weeks of supplies strapped to his back. The fact that no evidence of a spike or base camp has been discovered I believe he was still on route when tragedy struck. One unfortunate slip or rock that turns over and you are under water, with an 80lbs pack. With water that cold you only have seconds. I have only been to the Spatsizi once (2012), but am familiar with mountain waterways. Trickles in the fall are torrents in the freshet. If he fell crossing a proper river that late in the year the snows could of covered his trail and he was washed away in the melt.

Other scenarios such as animal attack don't make sense to me. A camp should of been found or if it happened while he was hiking he, or some gear, should of been found close to the trail where the attack happened. A climbing accident doesn't make sense to me either as I firmly believe that one of the many great people who have performed searches would of found him where he fell. He was a hunter, not a mountaineer. Foul play, while possible just doesn't make sense. To me a constantly changing river is the most likely scenario. But it also offers the greatest hope to me. One day, hopefully soon, the river will change course and uncover him. Then his family will find peace. My prayers are with them.

[BromBones]

I have to agree with a water crossing being the most likely, and most likely early in his trip.

I also think it would have happened early in the trip.

Wonder if any of the creeks were searched much? Understandable if they weren't. When a hiker goes missing, you search the forest. Only when a boater goes missing do you start your search in water. Tom was hiking, so they searched the timber.

[wildcatter]

Many years ago goat hunting in the Franklyn Arm of Chilco Lake with a friend we had to cross a river,
my friend slipped and almost went down and my thoughts were there was no way he could have got
up with the heavy pack and there was no way I could of helped.
So that is a very possible scenario regardless how experienced you are, all it takes is a second and you are gone.
Still would like to think someday will find the answer.

[Gateholio]

I've always thought that searching the Eaglenest creek bottom in low water would be a smart bet. If I had the time, I'd give it a try.

I think that since no camp setup was ever found & no belongings, he may have went down during a water crossing carrying a full pack with all his gear. I've done it and almost drowned, even with my waistbelt undone and chest strap unhooked. Many of us have. At 9 km on the trail, you cross an unnamed creek. It used to have two skinny logs for a bridge and after hard rains, the creek swells fast. Also is only a few yards from the main eaglenest creek. One slip there in high water with a full pack on and you're done. Macdonald creek can be a pain in flood water as well.

If he had setup a base/spike camp somewhere, I think camp remains would have been found. I also think that if he fell during a climb, it would have been with day gear only (meaning a camp would have been setup somewhere & possibly found) as in 90% of the eaglenest mtn's, you wouldn't be doing tricky climbs with a full pack - there is no reason to. The peaks are way too rugged to be looking for a place to camp that high. You spike camp at or above treeline at the base of the slopes and climb the gnarly stuff if you need to.

Also don't think it would have been a bear. His pack and all food contents would have been scattered over an acre, upping the odds of finding something.

Just my opinion, of course :) I've been up & down the eaglenest trail and through most of the passes around Cartmel, ram creek, macdonald, and icebox, and have never seen or found anything. Neither has anyone else in 10 years. Which is why I think water is the most likely place to find anything.

i tend to agree. The most dangerous thing is always crossing water. You can back out of most dangerous terrain, but water is not one of those.

[chukar bob]

When i was at Coldfish for 6 weeks a few years ago i found the remains of a red tent all deterioated but apparently he had a blue one.

[Wild_Dog]

When i was at Coldfish for 6 weeks a few years ago i found the remains of a red tent all deterioated but apparently he had a blue one.

Website says he had a brown tent. "Tom's clothing was all camouflaged, including his backpack. He was packing a brown tent and quite a bit of gear. If you go into the area, please report anything that is found, and the exact area it was found, to the RCMP immediately in Dease Lake at (250) 771-4111. "

[Husky7mm]

Hmmm? I think UV could make brown material look redish after many year?

[Jagermeister]

Tom's entire kit was camouflage. There could be a certain amount of color fade, but the parts not exposed would retain some of the original color and pattern.
Ten years ago. Unbelievable!

[Xenomorph]

Hmmm? I think UV could make brown material look redish after many year?

+1


Tom's entire kit was camouflage. There could be a certain amount of color fade, but the parts not exposed would retain some of the original color and pattern.
Ten years ago. Unbelievable!

I know, I cannot believe how nobody found a trace.

[Dog_River]

Has there been any of Tom's gear found to date ?

Dog_River

[Missing]

Has there been any of Tom's gear found to date ?

Dog_River

Not a trace of anything has been found.

[RyoTHC]

Not a trace of anything has been found.

Part of me feels like that is surreal, but on the flip side there are some insanely remote areas out there ! Some places may not then see a visitor on foot annually, and even then with plants and all you could walk ten feet by and probably never know.. it's a scary reality check!

[srupp]

Hmmm imo something just doesnt make sense..qualified air military spotter, search and rescue...its not surprising that human remains are not found..but gear is different..tents, packs..rifles. .as it degrades. .opens up..surfaces..food packs degrade open up..scents attract animals that dig rip tear..creating lots of parts, pieces, that should be detected..
It is a difficult remote area..however most use limited trails, most search for game is from known lookouts, vantage spots. .game hangs out in well known spots..
Sad for family..no closure.
Srr

[tigrr]

New info make this post mute.

[srupp]

Not even finding the truck leaves me with an idea he doesn't want to be found. Not the first.

Hmmm impressive thought process Tigrr...never ever ran that scenario..
My thought was he was intercepted..foul play..before he entered the actual area...for what he was? What he did? What he had ? What he said?
Hmm great thinking Tigrr..

Hmm I thought they did find his truck..? If no truck nearby..at the rail grade..why all the time, effort, when he could have gobe anywhere after leaving Quesnel..?
Steven

[Rayne]

Chukar bob mentioned finding a tent but thinking it was the wrong colour. Maybe he can add some information regarding where he seen it.

[twoSevenO]

Not even finding the truck leaves me with an idea he doesn't want to be found. Not the first.

His truck was found at the trailhead soon after the search began.

[mpotzold]

"Tom's clothing was all camouflaged, including his backpack. He was packing a brown tent and quite a bit of gear."

According to the following article he took enough provisions for 10 days only & if not successful would come back to his truck & reload & re-sign for another 10 days. He never did!
So looks like something serious happened in the first 10 days. 2 guesses from article-inclement weather or bear attack.

-citizen%2F20100910%2F282209417180530&usg=AOvVaw2Xt6-iKKGT3oWe_YQljZXf (https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj62bGK-9ncAhUzCDQIHTTQDZUQFjABegQIChAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressreader.com%2Fcanada%2Fth e-prince-george-citizen%2F20100910%2F282209417180530&usg=AOvVaw2Xt6-iKKGT3oWe_YQljZXf)

So if he connected there is a very good chance of a grizzly encounter as the following story indicates.


10 day + hunt in Spatsizi-what to expect! Good story.
https://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/hunting/2014/10/trouble-paradise-hunt-canadian-wilderness-takes-some-unexpected-turns#page-2

[Toadhunter]

As Missing has posted - hopefully this gets resolved why he did not return.

Good thing it is on top of most people's minds as they head to the hills.

[SaintSix]

I can comment on the torn up tent, i was in there last year and also saw remains of red tent material, definitly red not UV bleached. it was on top of the plateau by the water hole/drainage. also didnt look 10+ years old.