Missing man found in woods near Upson

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

UPSON, Wis. — A man clad only in his boxer shorts was hospitalized Sunday after he was found by a volunteer trail worker near Upson.

Joe Kravetz, of Ironwood, a North Country Trail Heritage Chapter volunteer, was returning to his home from a trail work outing when he found the pantsless, confused man around 2 p.m.

“I talked with the man briefly as they stopped to let the man use my cell phone. Evidently, what happened was the man lost his backpack and pants while trying to cross a river. The keys to the man’s car were in the backpack,” said Todd McMahon, who notified the Daily Globe of the incident.

Kravetz said he wasn’t sure about the river crossing story, but the man who was missing from the Eau Claire area was definitely “beat up” from his stay in the woods, along Jack Road.

“I don’t know how long he was in the woods, but he was shivering,” said Kravetz, who said although the man was confused, he was grateful to be rescued.

The work crew had quit for the day off Stricker Road, near the Tyler Forks River, when lightning approached.

Kravetz brought the man to the Iron County Sheriff’s Department in Hurley and Beacon Ambulance was dispatched. The man was then transported to Aspirus Ironwood hospital.

The sheriff’s department had no report of the incident for the media on Monday morning.