Charles E. Golson, Jr., known as Charlie, Charly, or Chary, was 30 with brown hair and brown eyes when he was last seen on May 1, 1989, on a remote stretch of the 40-Mile River south of Eagle. He was in a boat about 15 miles downstream from O’Brien Creek with another person when the vessel encountered swift currents and capsized. The companion reached shore, but their last view of Charles was him being carried into the rapids about 30 feet from the riverbank. He was wearing a black waist-length jacket, blue jeans, and brown hiking boots at the time.

The Alaska State Troopers were notified two days later and a search followed, but the river produced no trace of him. The official account describes his disappearance as a boating accident in hazardous spring runoff conditions.

If anyone was on that section of the 40-Mile River that spring of 1989 or has information about Charles’ trip, please share what is known.