Donald Buchanan Missing From Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
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Who Was Donald Buchanan?
Donald Buchanan was 88 years old when he vanished from his camp near Half Dome in Yosemite National Park on August 11th, 1988. He was in poor health and reportedly dying from cancer, but he still loved the outdoors and continued to visit the wilderness whenever he could.
When he was reported missing, search and rescue teams located what they believed to be his campsite. At the site, they found:
- his wallet
- his false teeth
These items strongly suggest he intended to stay in the area and did not plan to travel far.
Despite an extensive search involving:
- 100 personnel
- 3 helicopters
- 5 dog teams
No trace of Donald was ever found.
Vanished.us Says
Cases like this appear from time to time, especially involving older hikers with terminal illnesses. Some people choose to spend their final days in a place they love — a quiet, remote corner of the wilderness where they feel at peace.
The fact that Donald left his wallet behind may have been intentional, a way of marking his last known location so searchers would understand where he had been. It’s possible he walked to a secluded spot, somewhere off‑trail, where he could be alone and undisturbed.
If that was his intention, he may have chosen a place where he knew he would not be found.
There is nothing in the known facts that suggests foul play. There is no indication of an accident. There is only a man, nearing the end of his life, who loved the outdoors enough to spend his final moments in it.
Is the case suspicious? Not based on what we know.
But it is undeniably sad — and haunting in its simplicity.
A campsite. A wallet. A pair of false teeth. And a man who walked into the wilderness and never returned.
Update – 02/02/2026
I revisited this article today and realised something that stopped me in my tracks: If Donald Buchanan were alive now, he would be 125 years old.
It has been 37 years since he walked away from his campsite near Half Dome on August 11th, 1988. I was two years old when he vanished. A lifetime has passed, and he has never been found.
At this point, he won’t be. But what a way—and what a place—to go.
For someone who loved the outdoors as deeply as Donald did, choosing to spend his final moments in Yosemite feels strangely fitting. Quiet. Intentional. Almost poetic.
Some disappearances are mysteries. Some are tragedies. And some are simply a person returning to the place that meant the most to them.
Donald’s case feels like the last one.