Part 1 of 2 - David Sneddon, a 24-year-old Brigham Young University student from Logan, Utah, disappeared on August 14, 2004, while hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, China, after completing Mandarin language classes in Beijing. A devout Mormon, Eagle Scout, and experienced hiker fluent in Korean and Mandarin, David was described as smart, outgoing, and adventurous, with plans to attend law school. He had spent two years in South Korea on a Mormon mission and was studying in Beijing with friend George Bailey during the summer of 2004.
After classes, David and George traveled to southern China. On August 9, they parted ways, with David heading to hike the 16-mile High Trail of Tiger Leaping Gorge, a scenic but well-maintained trail. His last communication was an email to his parents on August 11 from Lijiang, expressing excitement about the hike and returning home. He planned to stay at Tina’s Guesthouse, visit Shangri-La, and fly to Seoul to meet his brother Michael on August 15. When David missed the flight, his family reported him missing.
Chinese authorities conducted a brief investigation, finding no trace of David in hostels, hospitals, or jails. His passport and $700 in his bank account remained untouched, and his backpack, left at Jane’s Guesthouse in Lijiang, contained undeveloped film showing his travels. Despite no evidence of foul play and a heavily trafficked trail, officials concluded David fell into the Jinsha River and drowned, a theory his parents, Roy and Kathleen, rejected due to his hiking experience and the trail’s safety.
On September 9, 2004, Roy and sons Michael and James traveled to Yunnan to retrace David’s steps, hiring a translator and guide. They found the trail safe, wide, and busy, with no perilous drops, contradicting the official narrative. The family’s methodical search—using non-leading questions and photos—yielded a confirmed sighting: a guide, Keith Chu Chung, recalled David hiking with a Hong Kong couple on August 11, reaching Tina’s Guesthouse by 7 p.m., proving he exited the gorge safely.
The Sneddons grew suspicious of the Chinese authorities’ efforts, noting performative searches with bloodhounds and missing person posters that seemed staged. Seven years later, a phone call (details undisclosed) reignited hope that David might be alive. Part 2 will cover the family’s continued search, official reactions, and theories, including a controversial claim of North Korean abduction.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak
03:30 100th Episode Celebration and Giveaway
05:30 David Sneddon
39:00 The Branch of Hope
Sources:
Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/family-us-student-who-disappeared-china-looks-north-korea-summit-answers-967469
Vogel, C., & Vogel, C. (2022, May 12). Did North Korea kidnap an American hiker? Outside Online. https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/did-north-korea-kidnap-american-hiker/
“Thinking Sideways Podcast” David Sneddon (Podcast episode 2015) - Plot - IMDB. (n.d.). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14457712/plotsummary/
13: David Sneddon: Tiger Leaping Gorge, China - The Last Trip | iHeart. (n.d.). iHeart. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/270-the-last-trip-127775104/episode/13-david-sneddon-tiger-leaping-gorge-148633018/
China Discovery. (n.d.). China Discovery - Leading China Travel Agency with Reviews. https://www.chinadiscovery.com/
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep
