Rory Shoemaker, 34 year old, Everett man left for camping trip at the Red Bridge campground east of Granite Falls and was never seen again. He never returned home, he didn’t show up for the Labor Day camping trip. Shoemaker disappeared in 1995, he left his Everett home to meet up with friends for camping trip and he didn’t return to their house.

Shoemaker is featured in the state’s first deck of cold case playing cards. The Snohomish sheriff’s detectives have provided the playing cards to jail in prison inmates in hopes of soliciting new tips about the missing persons and unsolved homicides cases. Shoemaker, is one of seven missing people included in the deck and he featured on the Nine Hearts.

Delores Campbell, his older sister said “He was a very kind, loving kid”.

Shoemaker had already packed up their belongings and had planned to move to Montana with his mother. He was going to spend with his friends at least one last night before the move. Campbell said “He never made it to the campground”. Years later, homicide detectives have received tips that Shoemaker was killed and buried in his car. 1979 Shoemaker’s white Datsun coupe has never been found.

There was no sign of Shomaker or the Datsun. Detectives are hoping if someone knows or have specific information about where the car was buried, Scharf said. He added “Because of the rumors we’ve heard, we think it’s still possible the car’s in a different location. We think people have talked about it and we’d like to have more information.”

The one reason or another that prefer a warm bed in a heated cabin and spend a winter night out in the woods. Experience on camping is the best ally for a winter camper. Lacking of experience or wanting to learn new skills, a good book on the subject can make as the whole event a positive one.

One book is “The Winter Camping Handbook” by Stephen Gorma. In the 224 page paperback, Gorman, a Vermonter, elaborates on winter trip planning, food, gear, travel methods, individual and group trips, usually you can find in a “how to” book. There are also lots of checklists such as meals, repair kits, gear to pack and fantastic like the aspect of the book.

You can also find on the how-to winter camping books by old time writer Col. Townsend Whelen, Bradford Angier and Calvin Rutstrum is the little hard getting used to titanium cookware, metal snowshoes and isobutene jet stoves - the wave of the future. “The Winter Camping handbook” does a good job explaining all high tech stuff.

The winter camping season of McHenry County Conservation District will starts on Dec. 1 at Marengo Ridge Conservation Area, 3100 N. Route 23 in Marengo. The campers will can enjoy exploring more than 5 miles of hiking and cross county skiing trails with winter tent that wind through the oak and evergreen woodlands at Marengo Ridge.

Open to all small to large groups. The campground can accommodate up to 160 people with parking for 20 vehicles. Call now for winter camping date, for reservations you can call the McHenry County Conservation District Administrative Office at 815-338-6223. Make sure at least 10 working days in advance of your desired date to obtain the required permit.

The reservations for 2009 campign season will be taken starting on Jan 5. The other campsites of district in the county are closed for the winter season and will reopen on April 1, 2009 with the exception of Thomas Woods. Thomas Woods will reopen May 1. Thomas Woods is the individual tent and RV campground at Marengo Ridge.