Once thought missing, hiker talks Kekekabic Trail conditions

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office was contacted just after 8 p.m. on March 16 to inform them of a possible missing person. John Oker-Blom, 45, of Minneapolis, had planned to snowshoe the Kekekabic Trail from the Gunflint Trail to Ely, a distance of approximately 40 miles. He set out on the hike at about 10 a.m. on March 15.

His partner, Daria Day, was following his journey with a SPOT GPS locator. After Oker-Blom had not moved for more than five hours, she contacted Cook County law enforcement dispatch to let them know assistance might be needed.

Oker-Blom had not activated the emergency response button on the SPOT locator, but from the discussion they had before he set out, Day said she felt he might need help. She said he was very experienced with this type of excursion and had appropriate clothing and supplies for staying on the trail several nights so she didn’t think there was a need for responders to set out in the dark.

A search operation that included a sheriff deputy, a US Forest Service officer and US Border Patrol unit met with members of the Gunflint Trail Search and Rescue at Gunflint Fire Hall 3 on March 17. Searchers asked for assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol with aircraft.

In the end, it was determined that Oker-Blom was not in danger or injured. He simply changed his course and certain readings on his SPOT locator did not relay properly.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Oker-Blom about the situation.