When the dog was found sadly I thought that was a pretty ominous sign. Unless spooked off most dogs wouldn’t leave their owner. As far as the dog having her pack off, I didn’t read anything into that as I have a young female that would get her pack off within 20 minutes if I wasn’t watching her. Most any dog would have a pack off within a few days at the most.

"why were tax $ even CONSIDERED for spending to find a lost dog?"

I think they were only looking for the dog as a way to find the man.

Sue

Rumor Mill Needs Attention

Are there any relatives or other people close to the Todd Hofflander INVESTIGATION that can address the rumor mill?

Ponder: What is the latest news/rumors? A Google search for the last month did not turn up any new info.

I just went backpacking in this area for the first time this past weekend. Saw the signs in the area. Very sad. Wish there could be some resolution. we camped out in a burn area about 100ft below Dry Diggins LO with a view down to trail 58 that cuts to the river.

Impressive information in this thread esp. Ponder who lived at the Sheep Creek Cabin for 5 years.

That said I have seen throughout this, multiple and conflicting reports about what was the destination for the day. There is the Sheep Creek Cabin and there is the McGaffee Cabin down just a ways from McGaffee Cow Camp. McGaffee Cabin seems like a much, much more plausible route for the day, but, perhaps I am wrong and they planned to do the monster miles. Seeing such conflicting information about which cabin is highly disconcerting--would think that can be nailed down with accuracy.

The mention that Todd was possibly going to use a short cut is interesting-I don't immediately see a short cut by going off trail for either destination. The topography doesn't speak to it one bit. The only 'short cut' I could see going from McGaffee Cow Camp to Sheep Creek Cabin would possibly to go down to McGaffee Cabin and then high north along the river (though I do not personally know the quality of the along the river trail..maybe that is not a viable option) but it would seem more straight forward than the jaunt with elevation gain and loss and traversing that is the alternative of getting on trails to Sheep Creek Cabin.

Hope some information is found before another winter comes.

Has the remote possibility that this could have been a planned disappearance been ruled out?

Local law enforcement has ruled out nothing.
Investigators privately lean towards foul play.

Rumor mill questions -

1. Excellent condition of dog.
2. Contents of dog fecal matter.
3. Past history of two hunters.
4. Alias of people involved.
5. Relationships of people involved.
6. Activity involved besides hunting.

Ponder,

Interesting point. Still curious to nail down which cabin they were headed to. Sorry Ponder I see you passed on information from someone who lived in Sheep Ck Cabin. Would love to hear that persons experiences.

I was certainly surprised when I read the first description about the tattoo THUG LIFE across the abdomen. Anyone know any of the other affiliations or connotations of the last three tattoos? "THUG LIFE" is somewhat self-explanatory. But the KING and the circle between right thumb and index finger--is that a gang thing? I am just going to make a guess that at the least this individual has been in the penal system at one point, most likely for a drug charge. (total stab in the dark and rumor on my part, yes).

"Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Hofflander has a mustache, a goatee and four scars in his left ear from previous piercings. He has had back surgery and cranial surgery, with resulting scars on his groin, along his backbone and on his forehead at the hairline. Hofflander has the following tattoos: the head of Jesus and word "SAVES" on the right side of his chest, a buffalo skull on the left side of his chest, the cartoon character Wyle E Coyote on his right bicep, an eagle on his left bicep, the words "THUG LIFE" across his abdomen, the word "KING" across his shoulder blades, and a small circle between his right thumb and index finger."

1) lost little or no weight? that would be difficult to maintain unless solid collusion on item #5
2) normal stools? dog food as opposed to natural found stuff? (berries, animal hair, plant matter, etc?)
3) see above speculation, re: thug life
4) ...? people referred to but not interviewed by LEO?
5) Family or relational conflict? business dealings? sordid personal situation?
6) drinking? drug use?

all that said, from the surface these things don't pop up really. I would imagine the hardest thing would be to deal with involved parties maintaining their stories and keeping their mouths shut. you read about a cases a lot where, someone somewhere lets something slip or mentions to a friend, be in a week or 50 years after the fact, about something this did, and that tiny bit of information comes back to get'm.

this is a morbid thought but as an avid outdoors person and climber, I have been cognizant of the fact that a simple push in a lot of locations means an exceedingly high probability of death.