Time Line


Google Map of Hogsback campsite

From oldest to newest (updated May 31 2023)

Friday May 27th 2011

Madison and a female friend went out to Hogsback lake for a party with the intention of camping overnight. It appears there were around 46 people at the party Friday night, mostly 18 to 25 years old, and a few older partiers up to 40 years old. Almost all are from the Vanderhoof area. Madison’s friend who was going to stay with her left the party after midnight (2:30?) with a young man who lives close by in the Hogsback lake area.  Either Madison was left to camp by herself or left with someone else, though information to date says she was left there by herself. The time Madison was last seen has been reported as 2:45 to 3am.

Hogsback lake is located about 24.5 kms South East from Vanderhoof down the Blackwater road. See Google Map. It is a forestry campsite with 3 camping areas, a swiming area and dock. The lake is around 1 km long, and is surrounded by forest, with several trails leaving the campsite including a portion of the telegraph trail.

Saturday May 28th 2011

A couple of the partiers were back at Hogsback campsite the next day cleaning up (10am?) and saw her tent still standing and her truck  but they did not check if she was in the tent. There was no other tents or campers there.

There was a large party of around 150 people at the Hogsback campsite on Saturday night, and no one reports seeing Madison.

Madison’s parents were concerned as they had not heard from their daughter, but she is a responsible 20 year old so they did not report her missing.

Sunday May 29th 2011

With no word from Madison and her not answering her cell phone Madison’s parents went to the Hogsback lake campsite to look for her. They found her truck and her now flattened tent. Her purse was in the truck, but no sign of her and her cell phone. The police were called and the official search and rescue effort began. The RCMP and search and rescue teams from Vanderhoof, Prince George, Burns Lake and Fort St. James directed additional volunteer searchers. Grid searches of the area starting from the campsite began, with helicopter searches, and the lake was searched by boat and side searching sonar.

Monday May 3oth 2011

The official search and rescue team with additional volunteers continued  grid searching the area around Hogsback lake. More helicopter searching was done.  They thoroughly covered the whole area around the campsite and lake and did not see any sign of anyone leaving the area on foot or ATV on any of the trails or through the woods

People in the community make posters and start putting them up.

The RCMP investigation continues, a team of 14 members is assembled and a press release is issued.

Tuesday May 31st 2011

  • Friends, family and other volunteers continue grid searches in the area
  • Roads are searched by vehicles
  • Tails are searched by foot and ATV’s.
  • house to house canvasing begins
  • people across the province are contacted to spread the word and put up posters
  • A facebook group is started, and a temporary website.

Month of June 2011

  • The volunteer search covered so much ground. All the roads from Fraser Lake to Isle Piere were driven and any tracks leaving the road were investigated. Grid searches of all the trails around the hogs back area, nearby gravel pits. Surrounding trails and roads were driven with ATV’s and a lot were walked.  private land and buildings were searched. The Canadian Rangers were out searching for a weekend.
  • Extensive searching in the Hogsback area by helicopter.
  • Posters put up over most of BC
  • RCMP interviewing and polygraphing party goers. Following up on tips, cell phone records.

Since that first year Madison went missing:

  • RCMP continued their investigation with more interviews and polygraphs of party goers, following up on tips, and other leads. The case was reviewed by other RMCP divisions.
  • Lots more private searches in 2012 and 2013
  • Missing signs put up in the interior of British Columbia, small and large.
  • Missing posters sent far and wide.
  • Annual Poker ride 2012 to 2018 at Hogbacks lake to keep awareness and local community involvement. Proceeds went to the local community association, and funding for find maddy awareness campaign.
  • The case of Missing Madison Scott covered by podcast, and missing people sites etc.

2023 May

154 comments

  • Does anyone have info as to if it is true that Maddy spent most of the party in her tent ? And if so why she might do that ?

    • She could have been on a hallucinogenic experience? It could explain why she denied two invites from friends to leave the tent, as well as leaving her tent with her phone and keys later on. During the climax of a hallucinogenic drug, the sleeping bag and tent may have felt like the safest place until the plateau of the drug made a walk more possible.

    • The temperature that night was around 3-10 degrees Celsius. There may not have been enough space for her to sit near the campfire, the tent may have been more comfortable, or she was visiting with friends in the tent.

    • I don’t think that it is clear as to why she spent so much time inside her tent. I think she was texting with her Mom about a song? Which is kind of strange because Madison was there to party. And Madison was so outgoing and most people say, that she was usually the life of the party and fun to be around.

  • Has anyone been watching or observing the Hogsback Lake area, esp the area where she was camping, on the anniversary dates each year? I wonder if the responsible party feels any guilt, and is visiting the site on the anniversary date out of such guilt. This tactic has been used to catch murderers in the past.

  • I’m of the mind that the friend Jordi was involved, I watched the documentary and she looks guilty big time it’s in her body language 10000% it’s annoying that the olive aren’t doing their job. I feel for this family. I will pray that you are brought peace

    • Police ** not olive

      • Instead of posting wild theories and half baked speculation about who was involved why not actually do something positive and donate to help find Madison?

        • Actually..sometimes it’s the wild theories and half baked speculations that help solve a case… and how do you know the posters didn’t donate? Right now ANY interest in this case is positive…and yes I’m donating…God Bless Madison her family and friends and all who r searching for her

    • Björn from Sweden

      Why would she be involved? Doesn’t make much sense. I’ve been looking into this case now and reading and watching everything and it seems to me the most likely explanation for her dissapearance is that someone threatened her with a gun – so she went into a car and then drove off, or that she willingly went into someone’s car who seemed trustworthy.

      Who that person is, well we don’t know. The only one I know that did things like this and specifically talked about nature areas and camping sites was Israel Keyes, the serial killer.
      He had been known traveling very long distances to look for victims (he had also been in British Columbia before in 2007) where he stayed in Bonaparte Motel in Cache Creek.

      It wouldn’t be impossible to think he has been in B.C more times.

      Who knows. It’s very sad if someone knows something and doesn’t give that information. It’s a very scary case when someone just dissapears without a clue, without even a sign of struggle and you have no idea what happend.

  • Just wondering if you might contact a real medium to maybe help locate her or find out what happen some people believe in that stuff some don’t but don’t think it would hurt to try this is so terrible to go through I can’t imagine I’m so sorry

    • What an irresponsible thing to suggest. “Mediums” are nothing but scam artists taking advantage of families’ grief, and their hope and willingness to try anything to find their loved one. It is disgusting exploitation, profiting off of victims. Psychics are not real. They do WAY more harm than good.

      • Hold up…any real medium/psychic DOESNT ask for money only offers help..how is that taking advantage? School yourself before you make a fool of yourself…this is about helping to find MADISON..not your flawed perception of what is NOT a disgusting exploration!

  • I was wondering if anyone knows what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance!

  • I was wondering if anyone knows what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance?

  • Is there any updates on weather Madison has being located? This case is strange someone at that party know something, usually with cases like this one they cover up for someone was all people there polygraphed? her friends, the random people that joined them? Someone knows what happened and why did her friend leave her?? Suspicious id NEVER leave my friend alone specially when others join who nobody knows who they are!

    • Remains identified as her were found today. Prayers for the family in this painful time, at least they finally have her back and can say goodbye.

  • If I ever win the lottery I’m coming up there to stay until she is found. I live in Oklahoma as of now. But since this happened I’ve felt a strong desire and need to find this girl. I have a feeling she is still alive tbh and she is being held somewhere. I usually have strong feelings about these things. But it is very close to Highway of Tears. And we all know about that. I pray she is found soon. I really wish I could help right now.

    • I was thinking that myself. The fact that she was found exactly 12 years to the day. Suspicious. My question is did they find her now 32 year old body or just her bones from when she was 20 ? I was thinking someone has been keeping her hostage and alive for 12 years. And on anniversary date decided to kill her and let her be found. (Not trying to be vulgar with words just trying to say things so others understand ) so sorry !! I would feel so horrible for her if she had to go through something like this for so long only to have a terrible outcome anyway. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family now as they try to piece this together.

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