A State Trooper who had spoken with McCunn before his trip and helped him mark his campsite on a map stated that he was aware of a hunting cabin located from his campsite. It is unclear why McCunn did not use it when the weather began getting colder. Eventually snow began falling and the lake froze. Game became increasingly scarce, and McCunn set snares for rabbits, but the traps were frequently raided by wolves and foxes. By November, McCunn had run out of food. He considered trying to walk to Fort Yukon, approximately away, but was unable to make the trek due to snow and his weakened condition. By Thanksgiving (November 26) he wrote of having dizzy spells and almost constant chills.