Missing Japanese hiker found, had suspended Alaska trek
Originally published Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 2:17 p.m.
Updated Monday, January 5, 2009 at 12:00 a.m.
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Public safety officials have located a Japanese hiker who they say had suspended his attempt to walk from Canada to Prudhoe Bay.
The state on Saturday identified the hiker, 37-year-old Toru Yamaguchi, as possibly missing after state road workers reported finding an abandoned campsite near the Dalton Highway, 73 miles north of Fairbanks.
Trooper Sgt. Brian Wassmann said his department asked for help finding Yamaguchi and wound up receiving multiple phone calls, including one from a man who said he’d given Yamaguchi a ride south of the campsite to the town of Fox. The state eventually tracked Yamaguchi to the Canadian town of Whitehorse on Sunday afternoon.
Yamaguchi had drawn attention in late December after Fairbanks-area residents saw him trudging north along the side of the Steese Expressway, drawing behind him a wooden cart and telling people he was bound for the state’s northern coast.
Wassmann said Yamaguchi was returning to Fairbanks on Sunday night, apparently to pick up his trip from where he left off a few days before Christmas — near the junction of the Elliott and Dalton highways, 73 miles north of town.
People interviewed Sunday said Yamaguchi had hitchhiked back to Fairbanks, then caught a bus to Whitehorse, where his trek originated, arriving Christmas Eve. One said he was under the impression Yamaguchi had to leave the state temporarily to satisfy rules attached to his passport.
Yamaguchi failed to leave travel plans with public authorities last month, leading state troopers to search for him through the weekend. He wound up attempting his road hike during one of the coldest streaks seen in Interior Alaska in years — temperatures stayed at or near 50 degrees below zero Sunday.
State law gives public safety officials the power to detain people who appear to jeopardize the safety of themselves or others, a power occasionally used when, for example, someone has obviously had too much to drink. Wassmann indicated the rule might not apply to a hiker who chooses to — and properly prepares for — a months-long hike through jaw-dropping low temperatures.
“If he’s prepared and willing to go — and he looks like he’s prepared — we’re not going to stop him,” Wassmann said Sunday, adding that troopers have phone numbers for Yamaguchi’s family and can monitor his progress through conversations with road crews or the company that manages the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. “We’ll continue to keep an eye on him.”
Pat Lundy, a 71-year-old traveler from Saratoga, Wyo., told a reporter by phone Sunday that Yamaguchi spent Christmas Eve at the same Whitehorse hostel as him, the Beez Kneez. Hostel manager Nancy Tanner confirmed Lundy’s story, saying Yamaguchi was a great guest, entertaining others with conversation.
Angel Sunderman, a bar manager at the 98 Hotel in Whitehorse, said Yamaguchi checked out Sunday morning after staying for a few nights.
Contact staff writer Christopher Eshleman at 459-7582.
Community Discussion
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Good News.
hmmmmm...... yeah good news. But, we will remain a destination for a lot of "adventure minded" folks whose preparation and experience may not match their enthusiasm for their "Alaskan Experience".
I'm glad you had the good sense to stop, Toru! Life saved!!
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We just updated this story. He had only suspended his trek and plans to return tonight to pick up where he left off, according to troopers. I originally wrote that he had "abandoned" the hike but it sounds like that was inaccurate.
Chris
What is the "big adventure" of walking up the haul road in the winter, other than the hundreds of trucks that will pass you thinking yer some kind of idiot??? Do a "walk about" from say, Wiseman to Kobuk, if ya want test yer manliness.
Chris,
Perhaps you can find out why he went all the way to Whitehorse?
3 cheers Toru is safe! 3 cheers for those who assisted him!
Now it is time to wait for Dermot Cole's interview with Toru to take place & get his story written with all the details. I hope Dermot is still offered the interview & can get the story & get it written. Sounds like Toru has experienced the extended helping hands of Alaskans. I hope Dermot can get interviews with some of those who helped Toru. Looks to have all the elements for an excellent story.
I wonder how many of us Alaskans have been assisted or saved from a tragedy in weather, in the desert, or in the heat or sun, while hiking or climbing, doing lake/river sports or ocean sports, during snow sports, or when fishing or hunting, or dog sledding while out of state or even in state.
For all involved thank you for your effort & time of caring, giving & to your families.
Peace & blessings to you & yours.
Good call. Hardest thing in any trip is knowing when to turn around, especially when you are by yourself. There is no glory in hurting yourself or others as they try to rescue you. I'm glad this story had a happy ending.
Yeah - i can't figure out why he didn't think Fairbanks would be inviting after reading the posts here or on the other article.
As for the adventure in hiking unassisted up the haul road in the winter...I'm not sure anyone has done it. It actually would be a pretty hard endeavor even with resupply in coldfoot to haul enough fuel and calories to do it. Assuming you could make 20 miles a day, that's still 24 days of winter hiking. A winter camp and that much food and fuel to melt enough water you're talking about 250-300 pounds for each half of the trip. That's a heavy sled or cart to lug.
Each man decides his own challange. Who are we to judge someone else's endeavor and find it doesn't meet our personal definition of hardcore. This sounds plenty hard enough, hard enough to easily kill someone.
Go for it Toru-san!!!
i guess he didn't have any visa, so he can stay in the U.S. only 3 months.
if he goes Canada and then enter the U.S. again, he can stay alaska for another 3 months.
maybe tha's why he went all the way to whitehorse
And he is going back to start again tonight?? I am happy to hear he is still living, but wonder how long he will live for? Wishing him luck, but doubt his intelligence.
I think its pretty interesting that members of the Fairbanks police dept seem to have time to take pictures while on duty in an area that falls under the troopers juristiction. I also find it odd that the fdnm instead of asking hard questions and reporting this would rather sell reprints, I wonder how long these officers were not doing thier jobs while dnm set this up?
To all the useless people who have bashed this Japanese adventurist,I have lived most of my life here in fbks and not once have any of my friends have given me crap about my dreams ,not like most of the post’s on this page , I have spent 7 years in the Bering sea crab fishing , climbed Denali 2 times and not once has my family or friends have told me to not follow my dream , what most of you said is upsetting . most of you will bash me for my option. so what difference is my dream ? I spend most of my time alone in the outdoors; I have learned that this way you don’t have to depend on people who are under qualified like most of you
Alaskaman sez: Each man decides his own challenge. Who are we to judge someone else's endeavor... & I couldn't agree more. Also it seems this guy had no interest in public notoriety or in having authorities provide a safety net, and to that I also agree. Not one bit of state resources should be expended on trying to save these end-of-the-roaders. We just need to get these types to sign a liability release soon as they enter the state, or charge them for the safety net.
He may have dreams a little different than the rest of ours, but he's obviously got a head on his shoulders and knows how to fend for himself well enough, and turn back when he needs to. A lot of truckers probably won't admit it, but they'll probably keep an eye out for him on his journey north.
Way to go Yamaguchi. I'm glad you're doing ok.
p_davenport,
To answer your question about how many of us have been assisted by the helping hand of generous Fairbanksans, I know I have been able to use the telephone at a local business when my vehicle blew its power steering, and I always stop to help those on the side of the road. Half the time they're waiting for someone to come get them, and I always offer them a warm car to sit in until someone arrives. Ten minutes at -50F can be dangerous. (To all those I've stopped to help, please buy some road flares, I've run out by giving them away, and they may literally save your life!).
Even if the person on the side of the road is just talking on a cell phone, it's worth stopping to make sure they're ok.
And I agree that this guy is exhibiting the spirit of individual adventure that used to define Alaska. I'm sorry he didn't file a trek plan with the state, and I'm equally glad he's okay.
HA HA HA - roofman
My sentiments exactly .... I noticed that too and thought , hmmmm-
Posing for a picture looking cute out of their jurisdiction in COLLEGE, Alaska...thats just another prime set example why the city wants two thirds of the borough population that dont live in Fairbanks having to pay for another proposed 3 percent sales tax....
It is possible that the Troopers couldn't respond to a call and maybe, just maybe FPD responded for an agency assist...but still- as you just pointed it out !
Although maybe the annex zoning is already a done deal and is part of city limits now, who knows.
I am astonished to hear Toru safe and sound....
Personally I been rooting for him to actually make that grueling journey no matter what time of the year it was -
A lot of admiration, guts, and perhaps stupidity as others commented on however that is his choice to do so - he feels the need to endure on what his mission and goals are, by attempting the nearly impossible winter journey that awaited him...lots of spirit I would say.
Someone correct me on this if my memory serves wrong, but wasn't the only successful journey ever recorded in history upon walking by foot to the North Pole Polar Cap accomplished by two Japanese men ?
Glad he's okay. I will wait to hear the whole story, but suspect the visa issue might be the reason for the quick trip to Canada.
Toru, hope your dressed warm and your hut is warm.
More Public safety folks looking for a nut job!!
Glad he had enough sense to suspend his trek for now.
Freezing to death would be a tough way to go.
Good Grief....who cares that police were taking a photo in front of an inaccurate temp. How do you know they were even on duty. And even if they were..again...who cares. Even police need a moment or two of levity. They could have been taking a photo for any number of reasons...lighten up.
ALRIGHT Toru!
This is great news.
Regardless of someones journey its never good to ~think~ ill fate may have bought it to an end.
I don't think he had Visa issues. The nearest consulate is in Vancouver, BC.
mamabear you are a wonderful Alaskan. Great advice to all to carry extra flares for safety. Thank you.
soupkeller your comment has good logic for an return trip to Canada to get 3 more months in Alaska. Maybe it was preplanned by so many days or by miles it took him to walk.
AKsilvereagle the North Pole Polar Cap story is closely paralleled by
Toru's successful journey from the tip of South America to here. There is a good chance those 2 are his heros.
I wish Toru a safe & successful completion of his walking journey to reach his goal of Prudhoe Bay.
Ah to learn one's strengths & weaknesses & endurance & one's time for self-retrospection & self-introspection & self-direction.
If cops taking a picture outside their jurisdiction is what passes for police corruption in this town, count your blessings.
On our way home Dec 23rd, we stopped at Mr. Yamaguchi's cart at the gravel pit around 3:30 PM to offer cake & see if he needed anything as any good human might do.
He had left a note on his cart STATING he'd gone to town, and would return in January. I even took a picture of the cart & note, (two Alaskans sharing Italian Christmas cake with a man from Japan in a gravel pit off the Haul road seemed a Kodak moment).
He DID the responsible thing and somehow mention of the note didn't make it to the News Miner......sells more papers that way maybe?! Maybe not, its certainly not the 1st time news has been wrong, no one is perfect.
Have fun, Toru Yamaguchi, and welcome to Alaska!
You know as an Alaskan, I can recall never worrying about the cold. We were prepared and didn't freak out about it. School shouldn't close because of weather. It will pass and warm someday:)
AKsilvereagle.... those of us in the city are tired of paying higher property taxes for "2/3 of the borough" a 3% sales tax will even things out.
Oh, and you are welcome for the paved & plowed streets to & from your trips to Fred's & all over town. Soon, you'll feel all warm & fuzzy knowing you're paying for them also.
PS, watch your speed limit! Cops don't spend their entire 10 hr shifts taking pictures... they are allowed breaks you DORK.
Have you ever made a personal phone call on company time? Ever stood around at the water cooler shooting the bull and you were clocked in and it wasn't a scheduled break or lunch time?
Everyone of you have. So what, a few police take their picture.
The one's complaining about some cops having fun are the people who rip off their employeer's by being lazy and don't get their work done or depends someone else to do it for them. They also take 20 cigarette breaks a day. Practice what you preach.
What a looser.
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fred got it right. No criticism here for a spirit of adventure. Just sign the waiver releasing us from the expense of a rescue, or put up a bond. Then I wish you good luck.
Does anybody know how much the state of Alaska spends each year on rescues, particularly on Denali? I assume that we, as a state, are obligated to attempt rescues. Or am I wrong about that?
Still, I'm glad that this story has a happy ending, for now.
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I am glad that he is okay. He should have let someone know because he certainly knew that he was being watched.
But his adventurist spirt is wonderful. As I stated the other day, I wish I had his spirit. I just wish him luck and that he use caution.
Hey Hairbrain.Sounds like you need to share you're adventures with the rest of us and the world if you have done things way ballsyer that this guy is an ass!,
'1967' , you can renew your visas just by going to Canada for the day. We used to have a couple of Swedish handlers and they would have to do this every so often.
I suspect that if he had the sense to know he needed to turn around, then he probably has the sense to go all the way when conditions improve.
These sort of endeavors are far less likely to end in tragedy when the people pursuing them know when to say "when." Choosing to stay alive and make another run at it rather than push forward under these temperatures shows the man's brain is ahead of his drive. That's the proper combination for success.
Ignore the hair brains on this site, Toru, and come back and finish your dream. Plenty of us will be cheering you on.
And maybe bringing you cake!
GO MAN GO! I DON'T CARE WHAT ANY OF YOU SAY. sometimes we need to evaluate ourselves and our lives and we may take courses to others that seem CRAZY and far fetched.. what if this is his way? HOW MANY authors have you learned about, READ about, ADORED, DREAMED of walking in their shoes because of QUESTS or experiences they made in their lives and their dreams and experiences have changed YOUR lives thru the books or articles they have written? HE IS NO DIFFERENT.. Yet! Give him the chance to live his life no matter how INSANE it looks and seems to you and I.. He's on nothing more than a walk-a-bout. We just have more extremes here than else where.
Keep warm, safe, happy and have safe journey.
WHO ARE *WE* TO JUDGE?
~*Akela*~
I think the trooper picture is great! WTG Alska state troopers! Geesh, what's the big deal if they take a picture?
Don't forget our Alaska troops have to pass Arctic training. Years ago (1976) -98 at Ft Greely w/wind chill factor-110. They had to spend a week outside in -110,...brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Toru,...Good luck to ya. We'll see on the return trip I hope.
Mo, if there was a note, we weren't told about it. Good to know, though. Thanks.
I don't know how many of you saw him dragging his cart down the road but he normally does it in the dark and is very hard to see. He was a major traffic hazard on the Elliott highway and now he is going to head up the Dalton. The Dalton is not wide enough for two trucks and his 4' wide cart. I really question the intelligence of someone walking 500 miles in the dark, playing chicken with trucks is not my idea of a good time. I am sure he is prepared for the weather but in the event of a accident I doubt his cart is equipped with air bags.
Sorry to say once he gets to Prudhoe Bay He wont be able to go see the Ocean....
Little off the point here, but what bus runs from Fairbanks to Whitehorse?
If we were all as strong as this guy we would be pretty stoked. For those of you badmouthing him, you should go back to kindergarten and learn some things over. His cart is no more a hazard than a cow and calf moose or a few caribou in the road. Should the caribou and moose sign waivers or release forms to save them from all of the "Lower 48-type drivers" who live up here and drive like they are late to a fire?? Maybe each hunter or rafter should sign a release too !! Get a brain or stop posting. Although he is a small guy physically, I bet he has more brains and willpower than all of you negative nancies put together! By the way, before the rescue helicopter for Denali was stolen from Alaska to be used for our current oil war it was used as a training tool while rescuing those who are man or woman enough to climb the mountain. Climb and hike on Toru !! You have my respect !!
The "Northern Alaska Tours" does BenEFits :)
agibson, at the rate he is traveling it will be spring or summer when he arrives in Prudhoe and at that time the small tour buses will be running out to the ocean.
deltadoug, you are correct that his cart is no more of a hazard than a moose but have you seen the fate of many of those moose? I imagine that we can't even imagine the strength of this man as I have seen him pulling his cart up steep grades and I must say it is a sight to see. Willpower and strength he has but putting the motoring public in danger just to go for a walk? He should walk the pipeline or go climb a mountain where he is not a hazard to others.
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