240 people haven't returned from the Oregon woods since 1997

[K.Wagner]

A little late on this thread, but very interesting considering how many solo off trail miles I log. But, in reading the article, sounds like statistics are on my side, because I never travel solo in Lane County!

A related side note, about 20 years ago, friend Jon Wilson (of the famed Snohomish County Mountain Rescue)and I had done a semi-technical ascent of Cougar Rock. Decided to descend straight down the fall line to the old Hwy. About 1/2 down, we happened on to some human remains. 10 feet either way and we never would have seen him. A very odd situation...... a man of color. Had to have died in Jan / Feb. (this was June) Poorly dressed for winter in the gorge. Why was he up there? As far as I know, he was never identified.

[Koda]

K.Wagner, that's a sobering story.

Last weekend I was deer hunting off trail with a friend and we happened upon some deer or elk remains. My friend inquired why we dont see this more often since there are so many deer/elk remains should be everywhere.... nature takes its course so efficiently it seems, and 240 people are a minute fraction of the wild game population.

Ironically this area we've been hunting for 4 years now is home to a lost hunter who never returned. His family posts fresh signs at the road entrances every year for hunting season.

[Lurch]

There's actually quite a lot of animal bones out there.. Find them in training all the time, and have quite the collection that we use for further training.

As for why you don't see them more often... Usually they're off trail and away from high traffic areas, they're spread out, and as the bone ages it tends to take on the colorings of it's surroundings. Bones are not usually the "white skeleton" look that you see in movies/cartoons. They tend to look a lot like sticks, and can be anywhere from white to yellow to green as they age out.

[K.Wagner]

Koda,

I had to take the Sheriff & about 10 Explorer Scouts back up to the site. It took us several hours to find all the remains. They were scattered about in about a 75 yard circle, by some bigger critters, and then significantly gnawed on by little critters.

The other quirk to the story was that he had no ID in his wallet. BUT, there was an unsigned check for $10,000 in it. However, the mealy bugs had eaten the account numbers away!

[Koda]

They were scattered about in about a 75 yard circle, by some bigger critters, and then significantly gnawed on by little critters.

this is consistent with all the deer and elk remains I have come upon. What I am curious though is how did the deceased clothing, gear etc. fair over all that time? Obviously, at least in my impression, the clothing etc. would be the giveaway if the bones were scattered enough to not identify as human.

morbid but interesting topic... and no, I don't dwell on it but since were discussing it I'm curious. Lurch is correct about the condition of skeletal remains....

[K.Wagner]

Koda,

What I am curious though is how did the deceased clothing, gear etc. fair over all that time? Obviously, at least in my impression, the clothing etc. would be the giveaway if the bones were scattered enough to not identify as human.

As I vaguely recall, he had on jeans, light work boots (with the tan soles), a jacket that was sort of like a letterman's jacket, baseball cap. They were in pretty fair condition. I think that the jeans were beginning to rot in a few spots where the fabric was partially covered by a fallen branch.

My foggy memory recalls that we ended up finding all of him, down to fingernails & hair (that's how we knew he was a negro man).

[BaseCampBronco]

A little late on this thread, but very interesting considering how many solo off trail miles I log. But, in reading the article, sounds like statistics are on my side, because I never travel solo in Lane County!

A related side note, about 20 years ago, friend Jon Wilson (of the famed Snohomish County Mountain Rescue)and I had done a semi-technical ascent of Cougar Rock. Decided to descend straight down the fall line to the old Hwy. About 1/2 down, we happened on to some human remains. 10 feet either way and we never would have seen him. A very odd situation...... a man of color. Had to have died in Jan / Feb. (this was June) Poorly dressed for winter in the gorge. Why was he up there? As far as I know, he was never identified.

I stumbled across this post researching a different missing hiker case (Bissell), and I just...thought you might like to know that the man you found was recently identified in 2021. His name was Freeman Asher Jr., and his identity found through genetic genealogy.

[retired jerry]

genetic genealogy is amazing. Solving many cold cases like the golden state killer.

and, I can see how some people have privacy concerns. People put their genetic profile up to find lost relatives, not identify known relatives as criminals.

[K.Wagner]

BaseCampBronco,
Thanks for the up date. I will let friend Jon know.

[squidvicious]

BaseCampBronco,
Thanks for the up date. I will let friend Jon know.

I remember reading about that when he was identified. Here is an Oregonian article on it if you'd like more info
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/02 ... alogy.html