Locations Unknown

Locations Unknown

Welcome to Locations Unknown, a podcast that dives into the mysteries of America's wilderness. Join hosts Mike & Joe as they explore the stories of those who have vanished without a trace in some of the country's most remote and treacherous landscapes. In each episode, we uncover the details of these disappearances, examine the investigations that followed, and discuss theories about what might have happened. From national parks to remote deserts, our journey takes you to the heart of the unknown, shedding light on the eerie and unexplainable. Tune in and discover that, sometimes, the wilderness holds more than just beauty—it has secrets. Presented by Unknown Media Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/locations-unknown--6183838/support.

Episodes

Melvin Nadel - Santa Fe National Forest - New Mexico

March 8, 2026 • 70 mins
September 6th, 2009: a 61-year-old fitness instructor, black belt, and seasoned bow hunter leaves his campsite near Elk Mountain in New Mexico's Santa Fe National Forest. He tells his two companions he won't go far and will return by nightfall. When he doesn't return the search begins. Helicopters, volunteers, and K-9 units scour the rugged terrain and find nothing. No body, no gear, no trace. Join us this week as we investigate th...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Ron Dailey - Sierra National Forest - California

February 22, 2026 • 58 mins
October 13th, 2025: a 65-year-old seasoned hunter leaves his Selma, California home for a routine day of deer hunting in the Sierra National Forest, a wilderness he's navigated for over fifty years. When he doesn't return that evening, his family sounds the alarm. A massive multi-county search unfolds across hundreds of square miles of rugged, snow-covered terrain, complicated by an early-season winter storm, freezing temperatures,...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Johnny Waterman - Denali National Park & Preserve - Alaska

February 8, 2026 • 55 mins
April 1st, 1981: a 28-year-old elite solo climber leaves a remote shelter deep in Alaska’s Ruth Glacier, pulling a sled and heading alone toward Denali’s imposing east side. Experienced, deliberate, and traveling light, he moved into heavily crevassed ice beneath one of the most unforgiving mountains on Earth. When his expected return window passes, concern begins to grow, and search efforts expand across glaciers, avalanche paths,...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Death Valley National Park Cold Cases

January 25, 2026 • 63 mins
May 2019 to May 2022: three men travel alone into the vast desert backcountry of Death Valley National Park; one to cache water in a remote canyon, another to check on a vehicle at an isolated hot spring, and a third who never returns from a campground on the park’s edge. Each disappearance triggers a search. None of them are found. What do these cases reveal about risk, scale, and survival in one of the most unforgiving landscapes...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Paul Victor Tomasso - Tonto National Forest - Arizona

January 9, 2026 • 45 mins
February 13th, 2014: a 56-year-old experienced outdoorsman drives deep into Arizona’s Tonto National Forest for a planned multi-day solo hike. After parking along a quiet highway near the community of Young, he leaves behind a note describing his route and steps into some of the most rugged backcountry in the state. Days later, concern begins to grow, triggering a large-scale search across remote canyons and forested ridgelines. Wh...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Life Beyond the Map: Interview w/ Modern Explorer, Tay Wanders

December 27, 2025 • 58 mins
Today we’re sitting down with Tay, a Southern girl turned road-warrior and modern explorer who approaches adventure with confidence, intention, and a grounded perspective.

A single mom and storyteller at heart, Tay creates outdoor and travel narratives designed to help women step into big, wild places feeling prepared and empowered. Through thoughtful destination inspiration, practical safety insight, and carefully built itineraries...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Laura Macke - Olympic National Park - Washington

December 12, 2025 • 62 mins
October 30th, 2022: a 35-year-old counselor sets out alone into the storm-soaked rainforests of Olympic National Park. As an experienced hiker with survival training, she planned a multi-day trek into the remote backcountry. But as a powerful Pacific storm hammered the valley with freezing rain and rising rivers, she never returned. Despite an intensive multi-agency search, no trace of her has ever been found. Join us this week as ...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Bryan Skilinski - Great Sand Dunes National Park - Colorado

November 28, 2025 • 52 mins
February 11th, 2017, a 40-year-old man from New York, deep in a mid-life crisis, vanishes into a brutal winter storm at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Miraculously he is rescued after five freezing nights, calling it his “mission to the stars.” Just three months later, he returns alone to the same vast Colorado wilderness—and disappears a second time with no trace. What drove him back to the dunes that nearly killed him the first ...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Robert Fitzgerald - George Washington National Forest - Virginia

November 14, 2025 • 53 mins
November 12th, 2012, a seasoned hiker and devoted runner fails to show up for work after a solo trip to Virginia’s Confederate Breastworks Trail. His car is discovered days later, packed with food and supplies, but no sign of him. Despite a massive five-day search across rugged, fog-shrouded ridges and icy hollows, not a single trace is found. What happened on that cold, windswept mountain? Join us this week as we investigate the m...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Lost in the Shadow of the Rockies – The 40-Year Mystery - Part 2

October 31, 2025 • 29 mins
Last week, we introduced you to Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer and Annette Schnee, two women who vanished the same night while hitchhiking from Breckenridge, Colorado. As a brutal winter storm swept across the Rockies, searchers braved sub-zero temperatures through Hoosier Pass and the surrounding wilderness. What they found were only scattered belongings, and haunting clues buried in the snow. Tonight, we return to that frozen mountainside...
Mark as Played
Transcript

From the Vault - Gwen Hasselquist - INTV w/ Gwen's stepsister, Dora - Part 4

October 27, 2025 • 121 mins
With all the buzz surrounding the Gwen Hasselquist case and the upcoming Crime Junkie episode (releasing October 27, 2025), we thought it was the perfect time to re-release our original four-part series on Gwen’s story, first published in 2021. For Gwen’s family, friends, and everyone who cared deeply for her, we’re truly grateful her case is finally receiving the attention it deserves.

That said, we need to get something off our ch...
Mark as Played
Transcript

From the Vault - Gwen Hasselquist - INTV w/ Dawn, Her Friend of 30 Years - Part 3

October 27, 2025 • 72 mins
With all the buzz surrounding the Gwen Hasselquist case and the upcoming Crime Junkie episode (releasing October 27, 2025), we thought it was the perfect time to re-release our original four-part series on Gwen’s story, first published in 2021. For Gwen’s family, friends, and everyone who cared deeply for her, we’re truly grateful her case is finally receiving the attention it deserves.

That said, we need to get something off our ch...
Mark as Played
Transcript

From the Vault - Gwen Hasselquist - The Police Report - Part 2

October 26, 2025 • 103 mins
With all the buzz surrounding the Gwen Hasselquist case and the upcoming Crime Junkie episode (releasing October 27, 2025), we thought it was the perfect time to re-release our original four-part series on Gwen’s story, first published in 2021. For Gwen’s family, friends, and everyone who cared deeply for her, we’re truly grateful her case is finally receiving the attention it deserves.

That said, we need to get something off our ch...
Mark as Played
Transcript

From the Vault - Gwen Hasselquist - The Original Investigation - Part 1

October 26, 2025 • 88 mins
With all the buzz surrounding the Gwen Hasselquist case and the upcoming Crime Junkie episode (releasing October 27, 2025), we thought it was the perfect time to re-release our original four-part series on Gwen’s story, first published in 2021. For Gwen’s family, friends, and everyone who cared deeply for her, we’re truly grateful her case is finally receiving the attention it deserves.

That said, we need to get something off our ch...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Lost in the Shadow of the Rockies – The 40-Year Mystery - Part 1

October 24, 2025 • 48 mins
In January 1982, two women vanished just hours apart while hitchhiking from Breckenridge, Colorado, during one of the worst winter storms the Rockies had seen in decades. As temperatures plunged below –20°F, friends and rescuers scoured the frozen corridors of Pike National Forest, finding only scattered clues and a deepening mystery. Join us this week for Part 1 of Lost in the Shadow of the Rockies: The Disappearances of Bobbie Jo...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Flight, Fury, and Feathers: Talking Raptors with Jenna Kopp

October 10, 2025 • 62 mins
This week we take flight into the world of raptors, nature’s most skilled aerial predators. From hawks and eagles to owls and falcons, these incredible birds shape ecosystems and inspire conservation efforts across the globe. We explore how education, rehabilitation, and hands-on experience help protect them for future generations, and uncover what it’s really like to work up close with these powerful creatures. Whether you’re a wi...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Charles McCullar - A Case Re-examined — Myths vs. Facts

September 26, 2025 • 63 mins
In 2019, Locations Unknown covered a young photographer bound for winter shots at Crater Lake National Park. The case spawned wild theories, unsubstantiated lore, and even an episode of The UnXplained with William Shatner. This week, we return with new FBI releases to separate myth from record. We revisit his route near Stump Lake, the Bybee Creek discovery, and the brutal winter terrain that shaped his fate.  Join us this week as ...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Angeles National Forest Cold Cases

September 13, 2025 • 51 mins
Nestled just beyond Los Angeles, Angeles National Forest sprawls over 700,000 acres of rugged wilderness, where jagged peaks, deep canyons, and twisting trails beckon hikers, climbers, and adventurers year-round. With stunning vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains and its close proximity to one of America’s largest cities, this forest is as captivating as it is untamed. Yet, while many leave with cherished memories and photos, some v...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Crime Off the Grid Meets Locations Unknown

September 5, 2025 • 82 mins
We’ve got a special episode for you this week! Joe and I recently joined the podcast Crime Off the Grid to dive into three fascinating cases alongside two former law enforcement park rangers. Since we’re out of the office, we’re excited to share their episode—ad free—right here on our feed in case you missed it. We hope you enjoy!

Episode summary from Crime off the Grid:

This week, we’re joined by the hosts of the Locations Unknown P...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Mount Washington Cold Cases

August 22, 2025 • 63 mins
Towering at 6,288 feet in the White Mountains, Mount Washington—home to world-record 231 mph winds and brutal weather—draws millions with its historic Auto Road, rare alpine plants, and extreme spring skiing. While most enjoy its trails and epic views, some vanish forever. Join us this week for another installment of “National Forest Cold Cases” as we explore Mount Washington in New Hampshire’s White Mountains National Forest.  Cas...
Mark as Played
Transcript

Popular Podcasts

    Stuff You Should Know

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Betrayal Season 5

    Betrayal Season 5

    Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Breakfast Club

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Crime Junkie

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Wearables

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.