Overview

Date Last Seen: February 6, 1977

Last Seen Location: Remote horse camp near the upper Chitina River, near Glennallen, Alaska.

Main Circumstances

• Flew into a remote horse camp to care for horses.
• Arrived with food, supplies, and horse feed.
• Disappeared before the camp owner returned.
• Extensive ground and aerial searches found no trace.
• Case remains unsolved and active with the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Alvin Alfred Goodlataw (1977): The Unsolved Disappearance from Alaska’s Chitina River Horse Camp

Overview

Alvin Alfred Goodlataw disappeared on February 6, 1977, after being flown into a remote horse camp near the upper Chitina River outside Glennallen, Alaska. Despite air and ground searches, no trace of him was ever found. Nearly five decades later, his disappearance remains unsolved and continues to be listed by the Alaska Department of Public Safety as an active missing person investigation.

Goodlataw, an Alaska Native born on August 27, 1938, was 38 years old when he vanished. His case highlights the unique challenges investigators face when searching Alaska’s vast wilderness, where severe weather, rugged terrain, wildlife, and limited access can complicate search efforts and reduce the likelihood of recovering evidence.

What Happened?

According to available case information, Goodlataw was transported by aircraft to a remote cabin and horse camp near the upper Chitina River. His responsibility was to care for horses that were being kept at the camp. He arrived with horse feed, food supplies, and his personal belongings.

When the owner later returned by airplane to check on the camp, Goodlataw was gone. There were no confirmed signs indicating where he had traveled or what had happened after he was dropped off. Search crews conducted both aerial and ground searches of the surrounding wilderness, but they failed to locate him or recover any evidence explaining his disappearance.

Because no remains have ever been recovered, investigators have never been able to determine whether Goodlataw became lost, suffered a medical emergency, encountered wildlife, or experienced another unknown event in the isolated backcountry.

Background

Court records reveal that shortly before his disappearance, Goodlataw had been sentenced for unlawful entry. Rather than serving a lengthy jail sentence, most of the sentence was suspended on the condition that he undergo alcohol rehabilitation through the Copper River Native Association. Around this same period, he accepted work caring for horses at the remote camp where he ultimately disappeared. His disappearance later became the subject of civil litigation brought by his family against the State of Alaska, although the lawsuit did not establish what caused his disappearance.

Investigation

Authorities launched both air and ground search operations shortly after Goodlataw was reported missing. Despite those efforts, investigators found no confirmed trail, personal effects, or physical evidence explaining his disappearance.

Today, the Alaska Department of Public Safety continues to include Alvin Goodlataw on its active missing persons listings, indicating the case has not been closed. The department classifies the disappearance under an environmental circumstance, reflecting the possibility that Alaska’s remote wilderness may have played a role, although no definitive conclusion has ever been reached.

Latest Investigation Information

As of the latest Alaska Department of Public Safety missing persons reports, Alvin Goodlataw remains listed as an active missing person. No publicly announced breakthroughs, identified suspects, recovered remains, or new evidence have been released. The case remains open, and authorities continue to accept information that could help determine what happened in February 1977.

Very Brief Summary

Date Last Seen: February 6, 1977

Last Seen Location: Remote horse camp near the upper Chitina River, near Glennallen, Alaska.

Main Circumstances

• Flew into a remote horse camp to care for horses.
• Arrived with food, supplies, and horse feed.
• Disappeared before the camp owner returned.
• Extensive ground and aerial searches found no trace.
• Case remains unsolved and active with the Alaska Department of Public Safety.