When you think of North America’s vast, untamed landscapes, you picture towering peaks, endless forests, and remote valleys. Yet, hidden among those pristine lands are stories that refuse to fade. Below are the 10 mysterious disappearances that continue to puzzle families, search teams, and true‑crime enthusiasts alike.
10 Aaron Hedges
The Crazy Mountains of Montana have long been regarded as a rugged, unforgiving wilderness. Aaron Joseph Hodges, 38, set out on an elk hunt in September 2014. After separating from his party, he told his friends he would head north toward a camp they’d established the previous year. Radio silence followed, and three days later his wife reported him missing to Sweet Grass County authorities.
Snowfall of about 0.6 meters (2 ft) fell during the search, making conditions treacherous. Despite 59 volunteers, 20 dog teams, and several helicopters combing the area, only his boots, water bladder, and two failed fire‑starting attempts were recovered. In June 2015, a Wyoming butcher discovered Hedges’s bow, hunting license, clothing, and a weather‑worn backpack near his daughter’s ranch. The following summer his remains were identified 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from that cache, roughly 24 km (15 mi) away from the original camp.
Even after the case was closed, questions linger. Hedges’s gear was found on a mountainside opposite the initial search zone, suggesting he may have been much closer to safety than first believed. Disorientation and hypothermia likely contributed to his tragic end, yet aspects of his final hours remain puzzling.
9 Bart Schleyer
Bart Schleyer, a 49‑year‑old wildlife researcher, taxidermist, photographer, writer, and avid hunter, spent weeks in remote wildernesses worldwide. In September 2004, a charter plane dropped him off for a two‑week moose hunt in Canada’s Yukon backcountry. When he failed to return for his scheduled departure, friends joined the RCMP in a frantic search.
Investigators pieced together his final hours: he set up camp, ate, and paddled roughly 0.8 km (0.5 mi) downstream to a spot where he intended to call in a moose. A makeshift seat sat atop his gear, and a blood‑stained face mask lay nearby, with his bow propped against a tree. Bone fragments were later recovered, confirming his death.
While a bear attack is a prevailing theory—given scat evidence and the remote setting—officials could not conclusively prove predation. No clear signs of a struggle were found; moss remained undisturbed, and clothing lacked typical mauling stains. Schleyer’s family finds solace in knowing his final days were spent doing what he loved most.
8 David Blake
David Blake vanished on March 7 2018 while hiking Georgia’s Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, a 3,000‑acre site steeped in Native American and Civil War history. He left a simple farewell, “I love ya, Mom. See ya later,” before heading out as he had many times before.
His Nissan Sentra was later found in an overflow lot near the mountain, keys and some gear still inside. Search dogs traced a scent along roads rather than trails, suggesting Blake may not have taken the usual paths. Despite a week‑long official search and aerial sweeps, no trace of him emerged.
Blake’s family hired a private investigator, noting his backpack was still missing—raising the possibility it remained with him. A GoFundMe campaign raised over $17,000 for continued efforts. No criminal activity has been linked to his disappearance, and his low‑risk background fuels hope that he may still be alive.
7 Drake Kramer
In February 2015, 21‑year‑old Drake Kramer, a hardware store employee and geology student at the University of Texas, drove to the Grand Canyon National Park. He checked into Bright Angel Lodge on the South Rim for a single night. The next morning, cryptic texts to his family hinted at a desire to “be back with Mother Earth and set his soul free.”
Concerned that he might be suicidal, his parents reported him missing. Friends recalled he had been staying with a coworker and had driven over 1,600 km (1,000 mi) from California to the canyon in just a weekend. His car was later found parked at Bright Angel Lodge, untouched.
Authorities combed the surrounding terrain for weeks, but only his vehicle was recovered. The lack of concrete evidence left questions about whether he succumbed to the elements, took his own life, or met another fate. Kramer’s heartfelt farewell letter remains a haunting reminder of his disappearance.
6 Victor Dwight ‘J.R.’ Shoemaker
In May 1994, five‑year‑old Victor Dwight Shoemaker, known as “J.R.,” visited his grandfather’s trailer in West Virginia with his two older cousins (ages 8 and 9). While playing, Victor announced he was hungry and headed back toward the mobile home. His cousins returned without him, prompting an immediate search.
The West Virginia State Police, aided by over 340 volunteers, launched a five‑day operation hampered by cold, rainy weather. National Guard and Army Reserve units continued weekend searches for five more months, focusing on a 10‑square‑kilometer (4 mi²) area thought to be his maximum range.
Despite exhaustive efforts—including scent‑tracking dogs and reports of a suspicious dark truck—no definitive clues emerged. No suspects have ever been identified, and Victor’s whereabouts remain unknown, leaving his family to cling to hope that he may still be alive.
5 Randy Morgenson
Randy Morgenson grew up assisting famed photographer Ansel Adams in Yosemite and later served as a seasonal ranger in the Sierra Nevada. After a stint with the Peace Corps in India, he returned to the backcountry, where he worked for nearly three decades.
In July 1996, radio silence from Randy sparked a week‑long search. A handwritten note at his remote station indicated a patrol, while divorce papers lay unsigned on his desk. His revolver remained untouched, and his car was parked where he’d left it months earlier. A postmarked letter arrived two days after his disappearance, puzzling investigators given the remoteness of his location.
Five years later, in 2001, his remains were discovered in a gorge beneath a waterfall, alongside his turned‑on radio. Some speculate he may have staged his death to secure a $100,000 benefit for his wife, while others believe he fell and was concealed by the terrain. The mystery endures, as the condition of his remains offers few definitive answers.
4 DeOrr Kunz
On July 10 2015, a 911 call erupted from Timber Creek Campground in Idaho’s Salmon National Forest: a two‑year‑old boy, DeOrr Kunz Jr., was missing. His parents, Vernal and Jessica, had left him in the care of Jessica’s grandfather, Bob Walton, while they went fishing.
When they returned, the toddler was gone. Searches of the campsite and nearby creek turned up no trace. Authorities quickly ruled out animal attack—no shredded clothing was found. The only people present were the family and Walton, leading investigators to focus on the parents. Both failed multiple polygraph tests, and inconsistencies in their statements grew.
In 2016, a private investigator claimed Jessica knew where DeOrr’s body lay. Cadaver dogs indicated five possible locations near the camp, and the boy’s jacket resurfaced in the family’s former apartment. The case remains unresolved, with the community still seeking answers.
3 Laura Bradbury
In October 1984, the Bradbury family set up camp at Joshua Tree National Park. While the three children—Travis, Laura (3), and Emily—played nearby, Laura vanished within minutes. Rangers, sheriffs, and volunteers launched a three‑day search, eventually classifying the case as a kidnapping.
Dog teams traced her scent to a nearby road, and witnesses reported a suspicious man in a blue van. In 1986, skull fragments found 1.6 km (1 mi) from the campsite were identified as Laura’s through DNA testing, though the coroner never issued a death certificate. Her father, Mike, suspects the bones were moved back to the area after being initially missed.
The family’s grief endured. Two of the three alleged abductors later disappeared, their bodies found with clothing similar to Laura’s. Despite these leads, authorities dismissed the connections, and the case remains unsolved. Mike later authored a book chronicling his relentless quest for answers.
2 Matthew Greene
Matthew Greene, a 39‑year‑old teacher, disappeared in July 2013 while staying near Mammoth Lakes, California. He had been planning a summer of camping and climbing with friends John and Jill Greco, but car trouble delayed his departure.
On July 16, after running errands, Greene contacted his family for the last time. Police inspected his campsite and found it orderly, yet his vehicle remained unclaimed. With his phone dead and no car, he may have walked, hitchhiked, or taken a shuttle to an unknown trail.
Greene habitually added torn guide‑book pages to his notes; missing pages hinted at Mount Ritter in the Minarets range. Despite extensive searches across the 231,533‑acre wilderness, no remains surfaced. The lack of evidence points away from suicide, foul play, or animal attack, leaving the case open.
1 The Mathias Group
On February 24 1978, five men from UC Davis—Bill Sterling (24), Jack Madruga (28), Ted Weiher (30), Jack Huett (24), and Gary Mathias (32)—embarked on a 80‑km (50‑mi) drive home to Yuba City, California. Their route veered onto a remote mountain road in Plumas National Forest, far from any familiar path.
The car was discovered four days later, still functional and fuel‑filled, yet untouched. Snowfall hampered the search, and the men’s bodies were not located until June 1978. Weiher was found in an abandoned trailer 31 km (19 mi) away, emaciated and shoeless. Sterling, Madruga, and Huett were later recovered near the same trailer. Gary Mathias remains missing; only his shoes were left behind.
Strange anomalies surrounded the case: the vehicle showed no mud, dents, or damage; the men carried matches, books, and furniture but never built a fire. Items such as a gold watch and lighter found at the site did not belong to any of them. Authorities could not determine why they abandoned a running car in harsh winter conditions, leaving the mystery unsolved.
These ten baffling episodes remind us that even the most seasoned adventurers can vanish without a trace. Whether due to missteps, nature’s fury, or something more sinister, each story continues to haunt the wilds of North America.