Overview

Last Seen: September 9, 2015, according to NamUs
Location: Hunting camp near Mile 9 of the Dalton Highway, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
Age: 23
Circumstances: Dalton reportedly walked away after an argument while traveling to a family hunting cabin, without a firearm or survival gear.
Search: Began September 10 and was suspended September 18, 2015, after extensive air and ground searches found no confirmed trace.
Current Status: Missing; whereabouts unknown.
NamUs: MP34148
Alaska State Troopers Case: AK15074196

Detailed Case Breakdown

Dalton J. Hanson Missing Since 2015: The Disappearance Along Alaska’s Dalton Highway

A Hunting Trip Ends in a Disappearance

Dalton J. Hanson was 23 years old when he disappeared during a September 2015 moose-hunting trip in Alaska’s rugged Interior. The Fairbanks man had traveled to a family hunting camp near Mile 9 of the Dalton Highway, north of Livengood. According to NamUs, Dalton’s date of last contact was September 9, 2015, and he has never been located. Contemporary news accounts state that he was reported missing the following day, September 10.

Dalton Walks Away From the Hunting Camp

Dalton was traveling toward a family hunting cabin with his stepfather when the two reportedly argued about operating their ATVs. Dalton’s mother, Randi Van Blarcom, later told Alaska Public Media that her son walked away to cool off after the disagreement. She said he did not have a firearm or survival equipment with him. He never returned to the camp.

He Was Not Equipped for the Alaska Wilderness

NamUs records indicate Dalton was not properly equipped for the conditions and had no survival gear. He was described as wearing a brown camouflage Carhartt winter jacket, black pants or jeans, a T-shirt, black hoodie and black cap. His footwear was described as XtraTuf boots or black work boots. He may also have carried a spring-loaded pocketknife and a Protec LED flashlight.

Search Teams Converge on the Dalton Highway

A major search began September 10, 2015. Alaska State Troopers and other responders searched the remote country surrounding the hunting camp using ground personnel, aircraft, helicopters and search-and-rescue dogs. Volunteers from Fairbanks and North Pole also participated. Despite the extensive effort, no confirmed trace of Dalton was found.

Difficult Terrain Complicated the Search

The area surrounding the camp contained difficult and potentially dangerous terrain. Dalton’s mother said searchers examined areas that included cliffs and locations where he could potentially have fallen. Search teams nevertheless failed to find clothing, equipment or another confirmed sign establishing where Dalton went after leaving camp.

The Official Search Is Suspended

The organized search was suspended on September 18, 2015, after more than a week of searching produced no sign of Dalton. Alaska State Troopers said further activity would depend on new leads or information. His disappearance remained unresolved.

Questions About Other People at the Hunting Area

In the weeks following Dalton’s disappearance, his mother publicly said her husband had been cleared of wrongdoing. She also said investigators had dispelled concerns regarding possible involvement by other hunters who had been in the area. Her statements were reported by Alaska Public Media on September 29, 2015.

Family and Friends Continued Searching

Although the official organized search had been suspended, Dalton’s family did not consider the search finished. His mother said relatives and friends intended to return to the area using snowmachines when conditions permitted. The family also appealed publicly for assistance and information that might explain what happened after Dalton left the hunting camp.

Dalton Hanson Remains Missing

More than a decade after the disappearance, Dalton remains listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. His NamUs entry identifies him as MP34148, and Alaska Department of Public Safety records continue to list the investigation under case AK15074196, assigned to Fairbanks Alaska State Troopers.

Latest Investigation Information

As of August 14, 2026, publicly available official records continue to identify Dalton as missing. The current Alaska Department of Public Safety missing-person dataset still includes his case, and NamUs continues to report that he was never located and that his whereabouts remain unknown. No newer official announcement identifying a suspect, confirmed sighting, recovered remains, arrest or resolution was located in the records reviewed for this article.

A Websleuths discussion dedicated to Dalton’s disappearance received additional activity on January 18, 2026, demonstrating continuing public interest in the case, but the material available there does not establish a new law-enforcement development. A third-party case database also refreshed its NamUs-derived record in July 2026; that update appears to reflect continued publication of the existing missing-person information rather than a newly announced investigative breakthrough.

What Happened to Dalton J. Hanson?

The central question remains what happened during the period immediately after Dalton walked away from the hunting camp. Investigators searched a large and hazardous wilderness area without finding him. With no publicly confirmed discovery establishing his route, destination or fate, Dalton J. Hanson’s disappearance remains an unresolved Alaska missing-person case.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last Seen: September 9, 2015, according to NamUs
Location: Hunting camp near Mile 9 of the Dalton Highway, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
Age: 23
Circumstances: Dalton reportedly walked away after an argument while traveling to a family hunting cabin, without a firearm or survival gear.
Search: Began September 10 and was suspended September 18, 2015, after extensive air and ground searches found no confirmed trace.
Current Status: Missing; whereabouts unknown.
NamUs: MP34148
Alaska State Troopers Case: AK15074196