On Oct. 2, 1999, 3-year old Jaryd Atadero and his 6-year-old sister joined 11 members of a Christian group to hike the Big South Trail (originating in the Poudre Canyon northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado). The group was staying at a nearby cabin resort run by Jaryd's father, Allyn. Allyn decided not to join the group for that day's hike.Investigators said the group split into two parties, and Jaryd was running back and forth between the two parties, and would hide behind boulders and trees and jump out to say "Boo" as the latter group passed. The boy disappeared, and was apparently missing for 15 to 25 minutes before a woman in the group who had been asked to watch him realized he wasn't with either party. Despite a massive search effort by a team of more than 60 people and search dogs, he was not found. The only sign of the missing boy were possible tracks about a mile up the trail from Colorado Highway 14 (the Poudre Canyon Highway).
Fast-forward 3 1/2 years to June of 2003. Two Fort Collins hikers found a jacket, a shoe and pants about 550 feet from the Big South Trail -- an area that had been searched numerous times after Jaryd was reported missing. The clothes were positively identified as the ones that Jaryd was wearing on the day he disappeared. Days later, searchers found the top of a small skull and a tooth believed to be Jaryd's. DNA testing proved the remains were Jaryd's, putting an end to the mystery. Authorities are now confident that he was attacked and dragged off the trail by a mountain lion.
Our recent family hike up the Big South Trail, detailed at www.coloradohikingtrails.net/wiki/Big_South_Trail_944, brought back memories of Jaryd's tragic disappearance. Despite its popularity among hikers in the area, I had never hiked the Big South Trail. My son (now 11) was two years old when Jaryd disappeared. As the father of a young son near Jaryd's age, I couldn't imagine the pain the Allyn Atadero, Jaryd's father, must have gone through not knowing what happened to his son: Had he been kidnapped? Drowned in the river? Attacked by a wild animal? I believe that at some level (although I never consciously processed it), I hadn't wanted to hike the Big South because of it's association in my mind with Jaryd.
But a beautiful fall day and a wonderful family outing helped to put that behind me. The Big South is one of the most enjoyable hikes we've done as a family in recent memory. Yes, I was overbearing that day in enforcing our family rule that my son must hike between two adults, or directly in front of me if he wants to take the lead. And this day I found myself regularly glancing around to make sure he was nearby. But by the time we started our return trip to the car, I had relaxed a bit and was no longer obsessing about mountain lions at every bend in the trail.
I look forward to hiking the Big South Trail again soon. My son is getting old enough, and responsible enough, that I'll let him take the lead, if he wishes. But I doubt I'll ever be able to hike the trail without remembering Jaryd Atadero, and making sure I keep my son just a little closer to me than I otherwise would.
For more details on Jaryd Atadero's story:
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