The strange disappearance and death of James Griffin in Olympic National Park
James Thomas Griffin, disappeared December 22, 2014. Remains found January 25, 2015, Boulder Creek hiking trail, Olympic National Park, Washington.
Revised July 2024
James Thomas Griffin, 60, of Port Angeles, went hiking in Olympic National Park in Washington State just before Christmas 2014. Other hikers last saw him at Olympic Hot Springs at around 4 p.m. on December 22. He was reported missing on December 24 when he failed to show up for a Christmas Eve dinner with friends as planned.
His daypack turned up on Christmas Day, but no sign of James. On Sunday, January 25th, 2015, a month later, James' body was finally recovered nearly 1,000 vertical feet above the trail. What happened to him?
The search for James Griffin?
James was retired, single, and lived alone. Family members said he was an avid hiker but often made slow progress because of an old leg injury. However, as a frequent visitor, he knew the park trails very well.
The weather was rainy and in the mid-30s on December 22 and 23, 2014.
Ten rescuers from the park and Olympic Mountain Rescue were aided by the state Department of Emergency Management search dogs and their handlers. Joining the hunt for James was his dog, Bud.
The daypack found
James’ daypack was found on Christmas Day about a half-mile from the trailhead of the Boulder Creek hiking trail in the Olympic peninsula’s Elwha Valley and 50 feet off the trail itself. The pack leaned against a log, looking like items had been removed and contained his camera, stove, food, water, snacks, and fire-starters. A towel was lying on the pack, and a nearby log sat a Coke can and a plastic coffee mug, as well as an unfinished bag of prepared freeze-dried food that had been resealed.
There were no signs of a struggle in the area, and the camera captured an image of a nearby waterfall.
Remains recovered
Despite a week-long search, no other clues were found until Sunday, January 25, 2015, when James' body was finally recovered about a third of a mile and nearly 1,000 vertical feet above the trail.
According to park officials, it appeared Griffin had stepped off the trail to prepare a snack but, at some point, became disoriented and could not find the trail again. Spokesperson Barb Maynes said, “There is nothing to suggest anything other than someone who lost his location and couldn’t find his backpack again, where he stepped off the trail and became lost and disoriented,”
As to why he climbed the steep hill where his body was found, Maynes said: “If it’s dark and you can’t see anything, it’s easier to walk uphill. You’re more in control.”
Autopsy results
The Clallam County forensic pathologist, Dr. Eric Kiesel, issued an autopsy report that indicated that James had died from hypothermia. His brother Robert said in an interview that the result was "really odd,”. “It's just one of those things that happened, and nobody will ever know why he went up the hill.”
What happened to James Griffin?
The case of James Griffin is strange. Why did he leave his pack and food off the trail and climb 1000 feet up a steep hillside? Did something or someone scare James so much that he dropped his daypack and food and hurried away as fast as he could?
If he had an old leg injury, climbing the steep slope, which was 1,000 feet high in pitch black, would have been difficult, and why would he, if he knew the area quite well and walked away from his car? What spooked James in the Olympic National Park?
Investigators say he got disorientated on his way back to the car and got lost in the dark. Yet the trail is well marked. The autopsy confirmed there were no drugs or alcohol involved. Another mysterious death in the Olympic National Park.
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Sources
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/2nd-update-search-to-resume-saturday-for-port-angeles-man-missing-in-national-park/
https://issuu.com/peninsuladailynews/docs/uarhan_20150127j
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/missing-hiker-james-griffin-found-dead_n_6550116.html
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/search-for-missing-port-angeles-hiker-sees-high-volunteer-turnout/
