Riding missing in Yellowstone area

[Robb]

Search for Donald Masters

Donald Masters left Orofino, ID, Monday, August 31, headed for West Yellowstone and then on to Denver. He has not been seen or heard from since. We have reason to believe he may have gone missing Monday (he was due into Denver Wednesday). He was riding a black 2008 Goldwing, Colorado Plate #327-UTH."

[david13]

1. Quote from Pashnit site:

It is with a heavy heart that I bring you the news.

Donald Masters has been found at a crash site on Rt 93 around mile marker 322.1 between North Fork, ID and Salmon, ID

Donald and his bike were spotted by Elk hunters that were out tracking a buck. There was about 150' of shoulder and then a steep drop off into a drainage irrigation ditch. The area was covered in thick brush. He was wearing his helmet.

Out of respect to the family and loved ones I ask for this thread to be closed and we create a Memorial Page to Donald where you can share some kinds words with everyone.

My thoughts and Prayers are with the family.

Rest in Peace Donald Masters.
Larry Jensen
on behalf of the Motorcycle Community

dc

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. I keep trying to ignore this

But once in a while the thoughts of this story return.

I just hope the unfortunate soul died quickly.

And what dumb luck that a meandering elk led to the discovery and maybe a little closure.

RIP, indeed.

[david13]

3. I know what you mean. But,

it was quite a story. Dozens of bikers got involved, maybe hundreds, it was posted on at least 5 or 10 forums, the main forum had close to 50 pages of posts, much about who was searching.
But then, like you say, the elk did it. (Found him).
In the process I learned of another such story, where they knew where the lady had gone off the road, they went to the spot, and still could see nothing. They had to climb 800 feet down to the beach, then look up 400 feet, to where she was. That after about 5 days of searching.
But it was truly amazing to see the motorcycle community get involved. From all brands and types of bikes and forums.
There was another post, which described the scene. To act as a lesson to us all, don't ride alone, don't over ride an unknown road, use a spot tracker, etc., but mostly, look out and help one and another.
dc

[david13]

4. We all go at some time. And a lot of people say what better than

while doing what you love the most.
This was from Raven, or Ravenranger.

Re: Rider Missing - Lolo Pass to W. Yellowstone

*****************
Donald's step-son, Justin, and I were searching together these past two day and have become great friends. I am so honored to have met such a wonderful person along with Donald's son, Noah.
We'd been searching some very back road areas due to some information we'd gotten on Saturday and when we finished that we went up to Darby with plans to run down 93 at the same time of day to see if we noticed anything due to the time of day. Since we'd come across 43 to get to Darby, we'd decided we'd try the 93 route to Salmon.

Coming into Darby was the first time all day that we'd had cell service and we checked in, around 5pm, to let Larry (search coordinator) know what we were doing. That's when we got the news.
It was an extremely tough decision between heading straight back to Dillon or going down to mm322.1. We went down 93 and it was the right thing to do. The road down across the border is absolutely gorgeous with some tricky corners but they're well marked with warning signage and guard rails.
Just above North Fork, the road straightens out a bit and the corners switch from technical twisties to nice sweepers which continue coming out of North Fork. About four miles south of North Fork, there's a nice straight away coming into a left hand turn. It doesn't look too bad on satellite view but it's actually a deceptively tricky, decreasing radius, double apex turn that's much too easy to take much too much speed into (even at the speed limit) because it looks like an easy sweeper on the approach. About 2/3rd's the way through there's about 3 feet where it opens up and then shuts down so there's not much reaction time to adjust either one's line or speed mid-corner. It's no wonder he missed it. Anyone could have and, I've no doubt, many have in the past.

It's also no wonder that searchers missed seeing anything as they searched the road because there's a well-used gravel pull-out with lots of tire tracks and a double embankment - an immediate ditch and then a rise with tons of over-growth and reeds hiding a second ditch with another rise with tons of over-growth and reeds before the river. Even knowing where to look, the vegetation looked undisturbed.

While I am very dis-heartened that this story has ended in this way, I can report that it is a truly beautiful place on a truly beautiful road and I know that Donald will ride with all of the folks on all of the forums that have been involved in this amazing effort.
It is very peaceful there.....

Raven