Charles M. Hosch, 67, was last seen Nov. 11 on a familiar trail in North Georgia, officials said.
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — A multi-agency search is underway in the Chattahoochee National Forest for Dallas attorney and law professor Charles M. Hosch, who was reported missing after a Nov. 11 hike near Blood Mountain, according to local authorities. Hosch, 67, was last seen that afternoon on the Byron Herbert Reece Trail outside Blairsville.
Hosch’s disappearance has drawn an expansive response from county, state and volunteer teams in the North Georgia mountains and from colleagues in Texas. Investigators say they are working from witness accounts that place him on the mountain on Veterans Day and are canvassing the area with dogs and aircraft. The search has grown each day as crews navigate steep, forested terrain and cold nights. Hosch is a co-founder of a Dallas law firm and an adjunct at Southern Methodist University’s law school. The case remains a search-and-rescue effort, and officials have not announced evidence of foul play.
Union County authorities said searchers began fanning out on Nov. 12 after relatives could not reach Hosch and his vehicle was found at the Reece Trailhead. Over the weekend, a hiker contacted investigators to report meeting Hosch on Nov. 11 as he descended from Blood Mountain, providing a time window for when he was last seen. By late Sunday, officials said teams had scoured drainages, informal cut-throughs and spur paths off the Appalachian Trail corridor using K-9 units, drones and helicopters. “He is an Eagle Scout in every sense of the word,” his daughter, Julia Hosch-Singh, said, describing him as an experienced outdoorsman who knows the area well.
Authorities have described a dense search footprint centered on the Byron Herbert Reece Trail, Blood Mountain approaches and nearby crossings used by day hikers. Search coordinators said personnel included county deputies, Georgia Department of Natural Resources rangers, trained volunteers and dog teams, including one specialized in electronics detection. As of Nov. 16, officials said as many as 95 people had rotated through the effort on a given day. Investigators have also asked hunters and landowners to review game cameras and report any potential sightings from Nov. 11 onward. The family said Hosch’s phone has not connected and that he did not check in as he typically does.
Hosch grew up in Gainesville, Ga., and often returned to hike trails he knew from youth, relatives said. Colleagues in Dallas noted he co-founded Hosch & Morris and has mentored students for decades at SMU’s Dedman School of Law. In public posts, the law school said it is monitoring the situation and offering support to his family. Blood Mountain is among North Georgia’s most popular peaks, with multiple intersecting paths that can create confusion in low visibility or at dusk. Recent searches in the region have highlighted how quickly hikers can become disoriented once they step off established routes.
Investigators said the case remains open and active, with daily operational briefings guiding assignments based on new tips and sightings. The Union County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating ground teams and aerial sweeps, and officials plan to continue grid searches while conditions allow. If weather shifts, commanders said they will adjust tactics and redeploy resources. No timeline has been given for scaling back operations. Officials said any credible leads will be evaluated and, if confirmed, shared in future updates.
At the trailhead Monday, small groups of searchers moved out at first light while relatives waited nearby. “It’s huge,” Hosch-Singh said of the latest witness account narrowing the window of his last known movements, adding that the family is clinging to hope as crews work ridge by ridge. Hikers who passed through the area last week described steady law-enforcement activity and low-flying aircraft tracing the valleys. Nearby business owners said they have seen search vehicles and volunteer teams gathering before dawn and returning at dusk.
As of Tuesday evening, officials said the search remained focused on Blood Mountain and adjacent trail corridors, with updates expected as new information is verified. Crews planned to resume operations at daybreak Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated November 18, 2025.