Jesse Albertine Hoover, 54, was last seen at Baxter State Park Headquarters in Millinocket, Maine on May 20, 1983. She had traveled from Texas intending to hike the entire Appalachian Trail after the recent death of her husband, but was an inexperienced hiker with minimal gear and only a small blue knapsack. Park rangers refused her request to climb Mount Katahdin that day, judging her unprepared, and she was last observed at the trailhead for the 100-Mile Wilderness.

Hoover had very little money, reportedly no more than $15 or $20, and planned to wire home for more funds while stopping in towns along the way. She was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt, a blue windbreaker and heavy shoes, and carried only a small amount of beef jerky for the 100-Mile Wilderness, a stretch where hikers are advised to carry eight to ten days of food. Daytime temperatures reached about 72 degrees on May 20, but fell to around 30 degrees with rain that night, creating a high risk of hypothermia for someone without proper equipment.

Her sister did not report her missing until July 11, 1983, nearly two months after she disappeared, which greatly hampered search efforts. An extensive search of the wilderness found no trace and no other hikers recalled seeing her. Does anyone who traveled the 100-Mile Wilderness in late May 1983 remember encountering a lone hiker matching Hoover’s description?