What happened to Charles M. Hosch? . . . it’s been nearly 50 days since the Texas attorney disappeared into the Blood Mountain wilderness and still that urgent question remains.
Understandably, his daughter Julia Hosch won’t rest until she finds answers. And over the past few weeks she’s been joined by hundreds who have scoured the woods with the same question on their minds.
“The search continues with professional teams and committed volunteers pressing on,” states the main page at bringcharleshome.com, a website that has been established to relay information about the ongoing effort.
It was on November 11 that Charles Hosch, 67, set out on a hike on the popular stretch of Appalachian Trail that criss-crosses the Lumpkin and Union county line.
He was carrying a shovel and a jar with the apparent intention of transferring some dirt from one of his favorite places in Georgia to his home in Texas.
Hosch is a seventh generation native of Gainesville who grew up exploring the North Georgia woods.
“He was on a nostalgic, remembrance kind of walk,” said Julia when talking to The Nugget last month. “… That’s how important this place was to him.”
On the day of his disappearance, it’s believed Charles talked to a passing hiker as he was about to head down from the top of the mountain toward the intersection of the Byron Herbert Reece Trail.
“We had credible information that dad was at the top from somebody who had a conversation with him and could really give accurate details of dad that were not provided from the media,” said Julia while talking with The Nugget last month. “That last credible conversation was at the top of the mountain on Tuesday [November 11].”
Now the smiling face of the missing family man can be found on laminated flyers posted by friends, family and volunteers throughout the mountainous stretch of woods.
“MISSING. Charles M. Hosch,” reads the flyer. “Lawyer, professor, Sunday school teacher, father, grandfather.”
MISSION ON THE MOUNTAIN
On Christmas Day, traffic was light near the top of Blood Mountain. The often bustling Mountain Crossings store at the Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center was closed, but some passersby still gathered outside the old stone building and studied the flyer posted next to an outdoor hiking trail map.
The search for Charles was paused for the day with the promise that things would pick back up on December 26.
“This Christmas season brings profound sadness as we celebrate without Charles,” stated an online holiday message from the Hosch family. “Yet we are reminded of the values he embodied and taught—faith, hope, kindness, and the enduring bonds of family and community. To everyone who has searched, prayed, and stood with us through this journey: you have been a light in our darkest days.”
Most might be unaware of the near constant search that has been transpiring on the outskirts of Lumpkin County over the past several weeks.
In the immediate aftermath of the disappearance, choppers patrolled from the air and search teams spread out on foot. On November 17, it was reported that a rescue dog had a positive hit on a scent that helped focus the search area. However, nothing definitive was found. And after 13 straight days of searching, Union County authorities announced that they were pausing their efforts.
“The majority of the search areas have been searched with resources including aircraft, drones, dogs and ground searches,” stated a release. “We have paused operations as of November 25th and there will be no major operations until we have more definitive information or indications that point us into a difference direction or area to search.”
Still the search continued with family members coordinating volunteer forces that relied heavily on organizations like Georgia K-9 Search and Recovery and Backcountry Unit Search and Rescue.
On December 3, family members met with Union County officials and reported that they were encouraged by the response they received.
“Despite the pause of intensive operations, Union County has pledged to continue discrete search efforts in defined areas, working in close coordination with our volunteer teams,” they reported.
This all led to one of the biggest coordinated efforts of all on December 13 and 14.
It was a frigid weekend that saw temperatures plummet into the 20s. But still teams of volunteers and professionals showed up to a search that included, among many organizations, members of the Civil Air Patrol, U.S Forest Service, RATSAR K-9 and the participation of 12 law enforcement agencies, including the Lumpkin County Search and Rescue Team.
It was an effort that thoroughly combed 2.8 miles of the Blood Mountain wilderness, according to reports. Yet the sweeping search turned up nothing. Afterwards, Julia still struck a hopeful tone.
“While the outcome of the weekend's search was not what we'd hoped for, this does not detract from its success,” she said in an email to The Nugget. “We still covered so much ground.”
And the search goes on.
When talking to The Nugget, Julia stressed that any information that locals can provide could be crucial. This includes photos of the area on November 11, even if Hosch isn’t in them.
“People in Dahlonega might have had a cousin who has a cousin who went on the trail on Veterans Day,” she said. “And that’s the people I need to reach.”
In the meantime, Julia had a special message for those who have been stepping up during this trying time.
“We are so very grateful to and for all of you, and your care for our family,” she said. “As Dad would say, ‘We press on!’ Wishing you and your family peace this holiday season. Thank you for everything.”
Anyone with any information that could assist in the search is encouraged to call Union County Emergency Operations Center at 706-439-6091 or email Julia Hosch at julia@bringcharleshome.com.
For a full message from Julia, see this week’s Letters to the Editor section.