Jack Forest Thomas Missing on the Idaho Centennial Trail
Jack Forest Thomas, age 66, vanished around June 15th, 2016 while hiking in the Sawtooth backcountry. He was:
- 5'8", 170 lbs
- likely wearing a blue windbreaker, purple long‑sleeved shirt, high‑top hiking boots, and a San Francisco Giants cap
- known to always wear a silver chain necklace with a silver ring
Jack was last seen on the Idaho Centennial Trail (Trail 452), just past Fern Falls and Pitchforth Creek, before reaching Elk Lake. The time of the last confirmed sighting was 11:15 AM.
He was expected home on June 16th. He never returned.
The Search for Jack Thomas
When Jack failed to come home, his family reported him missing, and a two‑week search began. Local law enforcement, search and rescue teams, canine units, and a helicopter combed the area.
Nothing was found.
When the sheriff scaled back the official search, Jack’s family launched a fundraiser to bring in outside help. In July 2016, they contacted the nonprofit Jon Francis Foundation, which specializes in searches for people lost in the wilderness. A 14‑day search with multiple dogs and ground crews was planned.
No updates were ever released. Jack Forest Thomas remains missing.
Or does he?
Vanished.us Says
Jack’s case stands out for one reason:
He was carrying a SPOT Gen3 GPS beacon.
This is the first case in our database where the missing person had a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)—and it was never activated.
That tells us something important:
Whatever happened to Jack was instantaneous and completely unexpected.
He also carried:
- a grey CamelBak backpack
- an ice axe
- the orange‑and‑black SPOT Gen3
None of these items have ever been recovered.
The trail he was on is not considered difficult. The area where he was last seen does run alongside water, and yes—if he fell in, he could be swept downstream. But not far. The river is choked with old logs and debris that would snag a body quickly.
So why was nothing ever found?
No pack. No clothing. No beacon. No remains. Nothing.
A man with a PLB disappears on a moderate trail in broad daylight, in an area where water flow should trap rather than erase evidence.