John Melvin Wipert, 60, disappeared from Ptarmigan Lake Lodge near Northway, Alaska. He was last contacted on June 15, 2009, after being hired in May to work as the lodge caretaker; his duties included protecting the property from bears. The lodge owner returned in the first week of July to find the place deserted and several odd signs of departure: a door removed from its hinges, another with partially cut hinges, a defrosted freezer with bacon in the sink and rotting food on a counter, and a handwritten note reading Gone to check out the cabin. Back tomorrow night — though no cabins are within a day’s ride of the lodge.

Two horses, a bay gelding and a black gelding, were also missing. Maps of the United States and Canada were spread out with a route to Beaver Creek, about 35 miles north, marked; it is believed Wipert, unfamiliar with the rugged terrain, may have tried to ride the horses toward Beaver Creek. Extensive aerial and ground searches on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border found no trace, and large-scale aerial efforts were scaled back after two weeks because foliage and boggy ground hampered visibility. Foul play was not suspected but the disappearance remains unsolved.

If anyone was in the Northway or Beaver Creek area in mid-June 2009 or has information about the missing horses, can you share what you know?