Were You in Juneau May 23-24?

[tee_harbor]

I realize this isn't the usual post on Cruise Critic, but I'm hoping someone may have seen something that can help the community of Juneau. Many of you return to boards after your cruise is over, so perhaps I'll catch the attention of anyone who was in Juneau.

 

A local woman, Sharon Buis, has been missing since May 23rd. It's believed that she was hiking on the Mr. Roberts trail, and scent dogs have shown interest around the Tram that many of you go on. She was last seen the morning of Friday, May 23rd and didn't meet friends as arranged Saturday morning the 24th. It's likely she was hiking Friday afternoon/evening, but theoretically could have done an early Saturday morning hike before she didn't meet friends at 9am. If you were in Juneau on these days, and up on the Tram or the surrounding trails, please look at her photograph and see if you recognize her. She did not leave a hiking plan or have her phone on, so the search teams have had to scour the entire area. If anyone could give us a lead of where to look, it would be of great help. Although the official search has ended, locals continue to go out every day. Even if the outcome is to only give her family closure, it'll be something. The State Troopers phone number is: (907) 465-4000. Thank you.

Edited June 5, 2014 by tee_harbor

[mlkmnsgrl]

I kind of hate to reply because I don't know a thing...we haven't gone yet, but this also serves as a bump to the top.

 

Tee, have you found the old roll calls for the ships that were in port those days? I'm just guessing that might be where most post-trippers are likely to still be checking and if you post to the roll call threads then anyone who participated pre-cruise and hasn't unsubscribed to the thread should get an email update. You're a pro, so you've probably already done it, but thought I'd throw it out there.

 

I posted a quick note on the NCL Sun's roll call for that week, but don't know whether they were north or south bound. If south, then they wouldn't have been in Juneau that late in the week, but I think north bound would have been there around then. The police may have done it already, but all of the cruise lines that were in port should be contacted directly in case there's any chance she got on/was taken on a ship and was noticed at disembarking but unable to provide her origin or identity. Really long-shot that, though.

 

So sorry! I went through this years ago with a friend who disappeared in a National Park. They did eventually find his body and he had committed suicide without much warning. It was horrible for his family, but still better once they knew that he wasn't still out there somewhere. Thoughts and prayers for her family and your community. I hope you find out what happened, since a large part of these tragedies is the lack of closure. I'm glad for the technology and threads like these to get word out so much faster than ever before.

[tee_harbor]

Thank you for your help, mlkmnsgrl! It is such a long shot that anyone saw anything but I thought it would be worth a try. Only took a few minutes of my time.

 

We're pretty realistic here about outcomes in most these situations. Amazing things do happen, but even just body recovery can be very difficult here. The underbrush is so thick, you can literally be lying a foot off the trail and be unseen. In a forest fire they've been having up on the Kenai, the burn off revealed older human remains and that's about the only surefire way to find anything. :( And as you mentioned, 'walking into the woods' can be heartbreaking for the family and all too common in Alaska. At least that seems highly unlikely in this case.

 

Thanks again.

[Traveller20074]

We saw her photo on the tram and in the area the day we went up (May 27th) I hope she's found!

[donaldsc]

We saw her photo on the tram and in the area the day we went up (May 27th) I hope she's found!

 

The latest I have heard is that they called off the search so finding her is just a matter of luck.

 

DON

[tee_harbor]

The latest I have heard is that they called off the search so finding her is just a matter of luck.

 

DON

 

The official search by the State Troopers has ended. Every day, local volunteer search parties go out. Just today, Coastal Helicopters dropped a group off high on the ridge and the Tramway has been donating rides to the other searchers. Food and water have also been donated. I don't know how much longer they can continue, though.

 

As you come to Juneau this season and go up on the Tram, please do keep your eyes out. Scavenging animals could move around evidence, bringing something into view. Most of the battle is realizing what you're looking at if you do notice something.

[donaldsc]

As you come to Juneau this season and go up on the Tram, please do keep your eyes out. Scavenging animals could move around evidence, bringing something into view. Most of the battle is realizing what you're looking at if you do notice something.

 

You do not want to be the person who finds the body.

 

I did a ranger led Yosemite back country hike a number of years ago. A couple of weeks before our hike, an elderly woman had gone missing.

 

By the time we started the hike, the search had been called off as in this case.

 

I am a slow hiker and lagged behind the group and because it was ranger led, he stayed with me. During the hike, he thought that he saw something and went off trail to check. He came back with a very strange look on his face and promptly went into the bush and threw up several times. He had found what remained of the body. He told me to go ahead to the campsite and that he would get there once he arranged to pickup

 

For the rest of the multi day hike, he was very subdued and much less jovial and much more quiet than the days before he found the body. He never told anyone exactly what he saw but it definitely had a major effect on him.

 

Pray that you are not the person to find the body.

 

DON

[Northern Aurora]

Alaska News Nightly (broadcast on our Alaskan public radio stations) did a very nice story on the search efforts for this woman. While the Alaska State Trooper search lasted five days, the community is putting much effort in finding resolution for her family and friends.