ID ID - Zachary DeMoss, 24, last seen riding w/ group of bikers on Rt 12 near Eagle Mtn Trailhead, Kooskia, 11 Aug 2024

[citizen_sleuth]

Idaho Co. Sheriff's Office searches for missing Montana man

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office and Missoula County Sheriff's Office are searching for a missing Montana man over in Kooskia, Idaho.Zachary DeMoss, 24, went m

www.nbcmontana.com

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office and Missoula County Sheriff's Office are searching for a missing Montana man over in Kooskia, Idaho.

Zachary DeMoss, 24, went missing Sunday while riding with a group of bikers on Route 12.

His bike was last seen pulled off the road at Eagle Mountain Trailhead around 4:30 p.m.

Group members say they waited down the road for DeMoss after he gave them a head start. Upon returning to check on him, the group saw he had left the area.

DeMoss is 6-foot-4 and weighs 300 pounds and was last seen wearing a bluish grey long-sleeved undershirt with a leather vest.

He rides a black Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 with ape hanger handlebars, with a large spike on each handlebar end.

The motorcycle has black Harley saddle bags and camping gear, with the Montana license plate HOGG.

DeMoss has a bright white helmet with black designs.

If you have any information about DeMoss, contact the Missoula County Sheriff's Office or Idaho County Sheriff's Office.

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office released the following statement in a post: "Please be aware there will be searchers in the area on Highway 12 so drive carefully when passing through. Thank you."

 

[tlcya]

DeMoss was riding a black Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 with Montana license plate HOGG, featuring ape hanger handlebars, spiked handlegrips, black Harley saddlebags and camping gear strapped to the back. The rear turn signal was slightly loose but still working.
Missoula County Sheriff looking for missing man last contacted in Kooskia, Idaho on Sunday

Zachary's FB page

very concerned for Mr. DeMoss. It is odd to me that he separated from the pack he was riding with. As a biker, it is our practice not to leave others behind. One guy gets engine trouble, at least one other bike hangs back with him/her until or unless a repair is made or arrangements to get the bike towed safely elsewhere. As a result, I am confused by the - he gave his friends a head start and they then waited down the road apiece?

the area appears to be heavily forested and is probably a BEAR to search.
Eagle Mountain Trailhead

 

[OldCop]

As a result, I am confused by the - he gave his friends a head start and they then waited down the road apiece?

I agree.
The wording on the Missoula County Sheriff’s page is even more strange:
“The last contact with him was in Kooskia, Idaho, where he had given the group a head start. His bike was last seen pulled off the road at Eagle Mountain Trailhead on Route 12 at approximately 4:30 p.m. After passing him, the group stopped down the road for 5 minutes. When they returned to check on him, he was gone.”
So, he basically gave them a head start, then they saw him pulled off at the trailhead, and passed him and then went back to find him and he was gone? How did he piggy back them. Unless, maybe they went ahead and then turned back and passed him so they waited down the road. When he didn’t catch up after about 5 minutes, they turned around again and he was gone? Did he leave in the opposite direction from where the group went. Was he avoiding/arguing/acting strangely?
It is a winding and scenic beautiful byway.
“At mile marker 135.3 on US Hwy 12, Idaho’s Northwest Passage Scenic Byway, along the Wild and Scenic Lochsa River, a majestic wooden trail bridge forms part of the Eagle Mountain Trailhead, offering hikers, backpackers and those on horseback an opportunity to experience the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.”

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nezperceclearwater/recarea/?recid=80327

 

[tlcya]

yes, it looks like a beautiful area where one can really appreciate what nature has to offer. But yeah, with the wording and the limited info it is not terribly clear yet how he stopped (was he ahead or behind)? did they know he stopped or did they only turn back when they realized he was no longer with them? Did he jump ahead, stop, wait for them then they passed him, turned back as soon as they could only to find him gone?

It has been several days now, you would think there would be more (less confusing) info by now

 

[GraceG]

I agree.
The wording on the Missoula County Sheriff’s page is even more strange:
“The last contact with him was in Kooskia, Idaho, where he had given the group a head start. His bike was last seen pulled off the road at Eagle Mountain Trailhead on Route 12 at approximately 4:30 p.m. After passing him, the group stopped down the road for 5 minutes. When they returned to check on him, he was gone.”
So, he basically gave them a head start, then they saw him pulled off at the trailhead, and passed him and then went back to find him and he was gone? How did he piggy back them. Unless, maybe they went ahead and then turned back and passed him so they waited down the road. When he didn’t catch up after about 5 minutes, they turned around again and he was gone? Did he leave in the opposite direction from where the group went. Was he avoiding/arguing/acting strangely?
It is a winding and scenic beautiful byway.
“At mile marker 135.3 on US Hwy 12, Idaho’s Northwest Passage Scenic Byway, along the Wild and Scenic Lochsa River, a majestic wooden trail bridge forms part of the Eagle Mountain Trailhead, offering hikers, backpackers and those on horseback an opportunity to experience the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.”

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nezperceclearwater/recarea/?recid=80327

There are a number of posts from motorcycle groups in MT as well as some of the group he was in that day on Facebook. They have a lot more detail as to the sequence of events (timeline) in and around when he was last seen.

 

[mlhenn]

Montana Motorcyclist Vanishes On Road Trip With Buddies In Idaho

Idaho authorities are treating the disappearance of a motorcyclist from Montana as a missing persons case after he disappeared on Sunday. His friends did…

cowboystatedaily.com

A Montana man who was riding his motorcycle through Idaho with friends has been missing since Sunday, and authorities had reported no new leads on the man’s whereabouts Tuesday afternoon.

His friends did spot his bike but when they went back to that location after he didn't show up, it was gone.

Phan and others had last had contact with DeMoss in Kooskia, Idaho. That was also the last place he used his debit or credit card, the post says.

 

[mlhenn]

Montana Motorcyclist Vanishes On Road Trip With Buddies In Idaho

Idaho authorities are treating the disappearance of a motorcyclist from Montana as a missing persons case after he disappeared on Sunday. His friends did…

cowboystatedaily.com

Pretty detailed article

 

[tealrose]

If you search Facebook for posts, there is a currently-easy-to-find post that is being regularly updated by one of the people searching for him that he was on the ride with. It does a little bit better job explaining exactly what happened.

Given the very short time frame that he disappeared in, and what the location looks like on Google maps - I suspect we'll eventually learn he and his bike went into the river.

I would love to be wrong.

(My daughter is a childhood friend of a friend of his - no current connection, no more info than the Facebook post I refer to.)

 

[georgiajean]

Official FB page Finding Zachary Demoss Log into Facebook
Family and the friends who were with him when he disappeared are running it. The search they have done so far is so dedicated and thorough.

Is it okay to post the timeline of events as posted on the FB page by the friends who were riding with him?

 

[citizen_sleuth]

Search continues for Missoula area motorcyclist reported missing in Idaho

A search is continuing along U.S. Highway 12 in Idaho for a Missoula-area motorcyclist who was reported missing on Monday.

www.kpax.com

<snipped & BBM>
Several other agencies were brought in to help search for Demoss on air and by foot on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14. along U.S. Highway 12 between mile marker 75 and Lolo Pass.

The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office further reports that an attempt to ping Demoss’s cell phone was unsuccessful as was a check of traffic cameras near the Montana border. Additionally, no evidence that a crash had happened was not found.

The search is continuing for Demoss but is being scaled back. The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office also notes that although no debris has been seen on the Lochsa or Clearwater rivers, divers will be checking some of the deeper holes along the rivers.

 

[georgiajean]

Search continues for Missoula area motorcyclist reported missing in Idaho

A search is continuing along U.S. Highway 12 in Idaho for a Missoula-area motorcyclist who was reported missing on Monday.

www.kpax.com

<snipped & BBM>
Several other agencies were brought in to help search for Demoss on air and by foot on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14. along U.S. Highway 12 between mile marker 75 and Lolo Pass.

The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office further reports that an attempt to ping Demoss’s cell phone was unsuccessful as was a check of traffic cameras near the Montana border. Additionally, no evidence that a crash had happened was not found.

The search is continuing for Demoss but is being scaled back. The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office also notes that although no debris has been seen on the Lochsa or Clearwater rivers, divers will be checking some of the deeper holes along the rivers.

Watching on the Find Zachary Demoss FB page, the search has not scaled back on the non-LE side. They have been searching non-stop, walking both sides of the road, searching in the underbrush all daylight hours. Hoping he is found.

 

[mike2013]

Watching on the Find Zachary Demoss FB page, the search has not scaled back on the non-LE side. They have been searching non-stop, walking both sides of the road, searching in the underbrush all daylight hours. Hoping he is found.

He was found alive according to law enforcement! Wow.

 

[georgiajean]

FOUND ALIVE!!!!!
From Idaho County Sheriff:

Idaho County Sheriff's Office | Grangeville ID

Idaho County Sheriff's Office, Grangeville, Idaho. 19,723 likes · 5,354 talking about this · 218 were here. The mission of the Idaho County Sheriff's Office is to uphold the law fairly and firmly; to...

www.facebook.com

On August 16, 2024, at approximately 1:42 PM, Idaho County Dispatch received a call from the International Emergency Response Coordination Center. They had received an SOS call from a Garmin inReach device. The first message didn’t state if there was an emergency, and the second advised the missing biker had been found alive but was in bad shape. A later message from the Garmin confirmed it was missing person Zachary Demoss.
The coordinates given mapped to the Lost Creek Campground, near milepost 136 on Highway 12, and Idaho County Dispatch sent the Kooskia Ambulance, the Lowell QRU, Life Flight, an Idaho County Deputy, and the Idaho State Police to the scene.
Upon arrival, they found Zachary to be alert and conscious. He had been drinking water out of the creek. Mr. Demoss was transported by Life Flight to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.
Sheriff Ulmer wants to thank everyone who helped in the search for Zachary, and we wish him the best on his recovery."

 

[azure]

FOUND ALIVE!!!!!
From Idaho County Sheriff:

Idaho County Sheriff's Office | Grangeville ID

Idaho County Sheriff's Office, Grangeville, Idaho. 19,723 likes · 5,354 talking about this · 218 were here. The mission of the Idaho County Sheriff's Office is to uphold the law fairly and firmly; to...

www.facebook.com

On August 16, 2024, at approximately 1:42 PM, Idaho County Dispatch received a call from the International Emergency Response Coordination Center. They had received an SOS call from a Garmin inReach device. The first message didn’t state if there was an emergency, and the second advised the missing biker had been found alive but was in bad shape. A later message from the Garmin confirmed it was missing person Zachary Demoss.
The coordinates given mapped to the Lost Creek Campground, near milepost 136 on Highway 12, and Idaho County Dispatch sent the Kooskia Ambulance, the Lowell QRU, Life Flight, an Idaho County Deputy, and the Idaho State Police to the scene.
Upon arrival, they found Zachary to be alert and conscious. He had been drinking water out of the creek. Mr. Demoss was transported by Life Flight to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.
Sheriff Ulmer wants to thank everyone who helped in the search for Zachary, and we wish him the best on his recovery."

Amazing!! Was it Zachary's own Garmin InReach device, or did it come from the person who found him? I'm thinking the latter.

 

[Sylwia11]

According to official fb page he has been found

 

[ohemgee.kay925]

So happy for Zachary and his loved ones!!

 

[georgiajean]

Took a while to find where Lost Creek is. So close to where his bike was last seen by his friends, just 9/10s of a mile further east.
It isn't a normal supported campground, it is a gravel road down to the river where the creek enters the Lochsa River.

Here is the distance from the Eagle Creek Trailhead where his bike was last seen, to the Lost Creek Campground gravel road.

 

[georgiajean]

Amazing!! Was it Zachary's own Garmin InReach device, or did it come from the person who found him? I'm thinking the latter.

My interpretation was that one of the searchers used their Garmin InReach. There is pretty much no cell service out there, so I wonder if they encouraged or even handed out the devices to searchers?

 

[georgiajean]

His mother posted a thank you on the FB page. She thanked everyone, and "especially the campers who found him."
So while all the search efforts helped alert everyone to his missing, it was campers who found him.
His friends who were on bikes with him also have posted their relief and gratitude. What a positive outcome, though it sounds like he has a long road of recovery ahead of him (as per a fundraising page for his medical expenses.).
Incredible.

 

[tealrose]

Wow. So glad for this happy outcome!