John Wipert Missing Person Case

Oct 15, 2014

Mar 13, 2024

John

Wipert

77

60

68 inches

170 lbs

190 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and remote landscape of Alaska, a 60-year-old man named John Melvin Wipert vanished in mid-June of 2009. He had been working as a caretaker at the Ptarmigan Lake Lodge, a remote outpost situated near Northway, Alaska, in the expansive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. His responsibilities at the lodge included safeguarding the property from bears. The lodge's owner had hired Wipert in May and had made arrangements to purchase a plane ticket for him to travel to the lower 48 states in August. Wipert, a white male with graying hair and blue eyes, was described as being 5'8" and weighing between 170 and 190 pounds. He also had a full beard and mustache. The last known contact with Wipert was on June 15, 2009, and he has not been seen or heard from since. The circumstances surrounding John Wipert's disappearance are unsettling. The owner of the lodge discovered he was missing in the first week of July when he arrived with groceries to find the property deserted. The scene at the lodge was troubling; a door had been removed from its hinges, and another had its hinges partially cut. Inside, the freezer was defrosted, with bacon left in the sink and food rotting on a counter. A note left behind by Wipert stated, "Gone to check out the cabin. Back tomorrow night," but there were no cabins within a day's ride of the lodge. Two horses, a bay gelding and a black gelding, were also missing from the stables. It is believed that Wipert, who was unfamiliar with the rugged Alaskan terrain, may have attempted to ride the horses to Beaver Creek, located 35 miles north of the lodge. This theory is supported by the discovery of maps of the United States and Canada spread out in the lodge with the route to Beaver Creek marked. An extensive search was launched for John Wipert, involving both aerial and ground efforts on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. However, the dense foliage and boggy terrain made the search incredibly challenging. Despite their efforts, searchers found no trace of Wipert or the two missing horses. After two weeks, the large-scale aerial search was scaled back, with plans to resume once the leaves had fallen from the trees, offering better visibility. Ground searches closer to the lodge continued in the hope of finding any clue as to the direction Wipert may have traveled. Foul play is not suspected in his disappearance, but the case remains unsolved. The disappearance of John Wipert is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound mystery that can enshroud a person's last known moments. The vague note, the oddly disturbed state of the lodge, and the missing horses all contribute to a perplexing narrative that has left family and investigators without answers for years.

Jun 15, 2009

Northway

Alaska

Fairbanks North Star Borough

No

23585

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

090056452

2009-07-01

Alaska State Troopers

Gray or Partially Gray

Blue

Blue

07/16/2026