The Boulder County Coroner’s Office confirmed Sunday 4th July 2021, that the remains found by a professional volunteer with Front Range Rescue Dogs on Thursday, 4.3 miles west of Hessie Trailhead, were those of Josh Hall, 27.
“We are heartbroken for his friends and family. We want to thank the professional volunteers and numerous organizations who spent more than 700 hours searching for Josh. Thank you, as well, to the community members who helped the Hall family in many ways.”
– Boulder County Coroner’s Office
Hall disappeared on February 3, 2021, while hiking from the Hessie Trailhead with his dog, Happy. His car was found at the trailhead and the last data from his cell phone put Hall near the Devil’s Thumb Trail/Diamond Lake cut-off.
Happy turned up alive nine days later on the Peak to Peak Highway between mile markers 40 and 41, just south of Ward.
The Hall family released the following statement:
“Today we received confirmation that the human remains discovered within Indian Peaks Wilderness on July 1 belong to our beloved son, Josh Hall. Josh was found by a search volunteer and her dog, with Front Range Rescue Dogs approximately 4.3 miles from the Hessie Trailhead, south of Jasper Lake. While we are devastated and forever heartbroken, we are grateful and relieved that Josh has been found.
We want to express our deepest appreciation to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, the numerous search and rescue teams, and the angel hikers that never stopped looking for our son. These men and women spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours searching for our son and never once gave up. There was never a point in this search when we felt that Josh was forgotten. We would also like to thank the Boulder, Nederland, and surrounding communities for their prayers, love, and support through this very difficult time.
In our darkest hour, we have been reminded that there is so much light in this world. The efforts, determination, and sacrifices made by so many in our community (most of whom had never even met Josh) to find our son and bring us peace have made a lasting impression and will forever change the way we see humanity.
Josh lived life to the fullest, always striving to learn, making others laugh, and taking in the beauty of his surroundings. His adventurous spirit inspired all of us to try new things, meet new people, and explore new trails. While we grieve the loss of our son, we will strive to find comfort in the fact Josh died doing what he loved, and that he is and will always be part of Indian Peaks Wilderness.”
