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Mom pleads for help finding missing son
The family of 21-year-old Jakhobi Hale, who vanished during a hike near Darrington on May 16, is pleading for volunteers to join a community search effort on July 11.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. - A Darrington-area family is renewing its plea for help in the search for a 21-year-old man who vanished while hiking in the wilderness of eastern Snohomish County nearly seven weeks ago.
Jakhobi Hale was last seen around 10 a.m. on May 16 at his grandparents’ property on Gold Hill near Darrington. According to family members, Hale told relatives he planned to hike north from the property and return before dark. He left without his cellphone and has not been seen or heard from since.
Despite an extensive search by Snohomish County Search and Rescue, no trace of Hale has been found beyond a possible machete cut discovered on vegetation in the search area.
Now, as official search efforts have scaled back, Hale’s family is organizing a volunteer search on July 11 and asking experienced outdoorsmen and women to help comb the rugged terrain.
What they're saying:
"We know he’s still out there somewhere, so we need to get people to help search, whether it’s hunters, mushroom gatherers, anybody that knows the forest, mountaineers and people skilled in tough terrain," said Hale’s mother, Autumn Hale. "We need the public’s help to determine whether he’s out there somewhere."
Hale grew up visiting the Gold Hill property and was familiar with the surrounding wilderness, including nearby trails, cabins and a beaver pond. His family said he often explored the area but was not equipped for an overnight stay or extended backcountry trip.
His grandmother, Karen Miller, said Hale had planned a simple day hike before returning home.
"He was intending on coming back and watching a movie with us and having popcorn at dark," Miller said.
What we know:
Search and rescue teams spent seven days searching the area after Hale was reported missing. Family members said search dogs detected a scent along the old Mountain Loop Highway north of the property and later near a nearby cell tower, but investigators were unable to determine what happened in the hours after Hale left.
The family believes several areas still need to be searched, including steep ravines, remote ridgelines, portions of the Sauk River and seven abandoned mines in the area.
"There are a lot of really sketchy ravines on the ridgeline," Autumn Hale said. "If he made it to the ridgeline, he may be further into the mountains than we have been able to search."
Miller said the family is hoping drones or other specialized equipment can be used to inspect the old mines.
2 people seen hours before disappearance
The only other potential lead is a grainy trail-camera image captured at approximately 1:50 p.m. on May 16 showing two unidentified people in the area. The family hopes the individuals will come forward and say whether they encountered Hale.
A still image of two people spotted on a trail cam hours before Jakhobi Hale's disappearance
"If those people could come forward and just tell us who they are," Miller said. "We just need to know what happened that day."
Dig deeper:
The emotional toll of the search has grown as the weeks pass without answers.
"It’s hard because it’s been 47 days," Miller said. "We want him out any way we can get him out, alive or not. I need him to come home, and we need to know what took place and what happened."
Autumn Hale said the uncertainty has been devastating.
"I believe there’s a possible chance that he got injured and was unable to come out of the mountain," she said. "However, we just don’t have any answers."
What's next:
The family is organizing a volunteer search effort from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 11. Participants will meet at Darrington Town Hall and Library before being assigned search areas.
Volunteers are encouraged to wear appropriate outdoor clothing and sturdy footwear and bring water, a fully charged cellphone and any navigation or hiking equipment.
Hale was last seen wearing an olive-green Helly Hansen rain jacket, a two-toned blue-gray and purple zip-up sweater with spiritual symbols on the sleeve, gray pants and black Harley-Davidson riding boots. He was carrying a machete and reportedly had only a granola bar and two mandarin oranges with him.
The family is also seeking donations to help fund private investigators, search-related expenses and reimburse volunteers who have spent weeks searching the remote wilderness. Hale’s mother said two former Army Rangers have dedicated significant time and resources to the effort.
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What you can do:
Anyone with information about Hale’s whereabouts or who may have seen him on May 16 is asked to contact the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office at 425-388-3393. Family members are also encouraging residents to distribute flyers throughout Darrington and surrounding communities in hopes of generating new leads.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, GoFundMe, and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.