While I haven't thought much in the past about "gravity traps", at least not enough to give it a cool name, I can certainly say I've experienced the effect. I love canyon hiking, and a couple of times have found myself at a very dangerous precipice after spending quite a bit of time bushwhacking down brush and boulder-filled canyons "for fun". It is a hypnotic phenomenon, fueled by your own ego and over-whelming sense that, most likely, nothing will go wrong, and you can deal with whatever obstacle you encounter, including deep, precipitous drop-offs. You feel this way right up until the moment that your a_s is in a sling cuz you've overestimated your abilities and have fallen, broken something, or whatever.

I have to say that, as I've gotten older (and slower), I at least am able to anticipate this predicament, and realize that even snail's-pace traveling will eventually get me back up to a safer spot, which is how I now tend to hike anyway. You miss a lot less that way.

Oh, and I rarely hike DOWN canyons anymore. It's a lot safer (IMHO) to hike UP them.

The last time he was seen he was at 5400' at Cow Camp. His GOOD choices are back up a very steep side hill and a long hike to 7600' and the trail start. Or, down to 1500' in less than 4 horizontal miles. There are a couple of other choices that are much worse. Heavy rain in the area is a bad for the cotton clothes. The rain may supply the water he needs to stay alive until found.

That's gorgeous but steep and tough terrain to be lost in. My late uncle had a ranch there and I went on a pack trip with him in the early 70's. Definitely not a place to be lost in.

UPDATE FROM VINTAGERED -
While my husband and I were hiking up there last weekend, we also ran into a guy who said he was a friend of Todd and his family. He said that Todd and the friend had separated because Todd's knee was hurting him and he felt like he was slowing his friend down. So, he headed out from their campsite and the friend was supposed to head out in the same direction an hour or so later - the plan was that he would catch up with Todd, eventually. But, he never came across him before getting to Sheep Creek. That was the story, anyway - and that's what was on the flyers tacked up all over the area.

GUESS BY PONDER -
These are the details that need to get out. If they were in McGaffee Cow camp and left going north in section 23, eventually the hiker needs to take a hard left fork over the edge in the top of section 24. If he misses this fork, it is a GRAVITY TRAP to Log Creek. You are at the bottom and confused with a bad leg. Evedrything is up and you have no idea which trail to take, Meanwhile your buddy takes the left down to Sheep Creek and you miss each other. The good news is you have water. Stay at the intersection of LOG CR & SHEEP CR (N45.40508 W116.52366).

Best of Luck Todd - you will be found.

Thanks for the updates Cliff; much appreciated. Please keep 'em coming.

INSIGHT FROM MUDLY -

Its tough country down there, I lived at the Sheep Creek Cabin for 5 years from '87-'92. I thought I could make the hike from that cabin to McGaffee Cow Camp on a side canyon divide flat, down to their Bernard Creek Creek cabin on the River as a "Day Hike". I knew the terrain somewhat and had white tailed dogs to find the trail when I was lost in the dark. It took 2-1/2 days to make that loop.

It looks really short on a map, and much of the trail is invisible when flying directly overhead. I was able to find shelter and build warming fires in rock-shelters / overhangs. It's not that hard to be comfortable there, but...

My fear is that Todd may have taken a spill. A spill would limit ability to travel. Shock is a valuable survival response, avoiding pain from traumatic injury so to have other survival instincts or help, until it kills you. I know of several places to "hole-up" in the terrain he might be waiting. I only hope he was able to crawl across them as I found them.

(Those old rock shelters were habitation sites 11,000 YO and well hidden today.)

http://thecurrentnews.wordpress.com

From the Idaho County Sheriff’s department:

October 7, 2010

The search for missing hiker Todd Hofflander continues. The Idaho County Sheriff’s Posse has continued the search by ground for the past 4 days. Canine teams from High Country Search Dogs will begin arriving today and multiple teams will be deployed to multiple locations throughout the next few days. High Country Search Dogs is a regional organization that is sending canine teams from Montana, Wyoming, Washington and Utah.

Hofflander was reported missing on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 after he and his black Labrador Ruby failed to rendezvous with his hiking partner on Monday. The pair were hiking in the Windy Saddle area of the Seven Devils southwest of Riggins, ID. The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of multiple agencies and community members, has been conducting the search by ground and air and have been unsuccessful in finding any sign of Hofflander or Ruby.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office at
208-983-1100

LETS SHARE WHAT WE KNOW!

MAP MASHUP - http://mapper.acme.com/ - Use Topo page to see USGS maps and trails. Switch to Terrain or Satellite for other more details

KNOWN: Weiber & Hofflander left McGaffey Cow Camp (Waypoint A) at first light on their way to Sheep Creek Cabin. They expected to meet at noon!? (Something is wrong with this plan if you look at the map – maybe noon the second day)

ASSUMPTIONS: The normal trail would be TRAIL #58 heading N-NE along the ridge.

TRAIL: At Waypoint B, Trail 58 heads N-NE from McGaffey Cow Camp. At one mile it dives east and down a steep grade heading to the West Fork of Sheep Creek. At Waypoint C the hiker must take a sharp left and dive straight down hill to go down stream on TRL 53. If you do not take this hard left at Waypoint C, you are heading down hill to West Fork of Sheep Creek, but you are heading south and up stream! In a half of a mile, you are at Waypoint D. You have come to the West Fork of Sheep Creek but both trails head up! Neither choice allows you to go down stream to the Cabin. You are lost. This is the best place to hole up for a month. You have water. You are starting with some food and can get more. The meat of the dog will get you thru a month.

WAYPOINTS: Input these points into http://mapper.acme.com/

A. McGaffey Cow Camp - N45.40571 W116.55649
B. Intersection of TRL 58 & TRL 140 - N45.40398 W116.55151
C. Intersection of TRL 58 & TRL 53 - N45.41177 W116.52357
D. Intersection of TRL 53 and Sheep Creek - N45.40508 W116.52366
E. GOAL – Sheep Creek Cabin - N45.46877 W116.55383

It was also established that Todd had a large pistol, unknown caliber, with 5 bullets in, one out and an additional handful. He also had a Bic lighter, 2 packs Lipton red beans and rice, three jugs of water, 2 cans of chicken, chewy bars and pots, a 15 degree bright red sleeping bag. It is estimated that his pack weighed 50 pounds. The two had no communication; they had no radios. They hadn’t planned to split up. They left the radios in the vehicle. Todd is with his dog Ruby, who also has a red/orange dog pack carrying her own food.

SEARCH CALLED OFF - LOST 14 DAYS!

IDAHO COUNTY -- The search for a hiker missing for the past two weeks in the Idaho wilderness has been suspended.

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office has been searching for 39-year-old Todd Hofflander since he was reported missing by his hiking partner on Sept. 28. Hofflander was last seen in the rugged Seven Devils area southwest of Riggins.

Authorities conducted a massive search on the ground and in the air, that included thermal imaging, but failed to turn up any signs of the experienced hiker.

Hofflander was on a four-day hike with friends but the group split up on Sept. 27, and Hofflander hasn't been seen since.

The family's dog, Ruby was with Hofflander. The three-year-old black lab was wearing a red doggie backpack.

Hofflander was last seen wearing jeans, a green T-shirt, blue baseball hat and a camouflage backpack.

Numerous state and federal agencies assisted in the search effort.

In a statement, the sheriff thanked all the personnel and agencies involved in the search.