Yellowstone Worker Has Been Missing for 6 Days

The 22-year-old hiker last checked in from park's highest point while on a backcountry trek
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 23, 2024 5:01 PM CDT
Missing Yellowstone Worker Last Checked in From Peak
Yellowstone Lake   (Getty/Outside4life)

On Sept. 17, Austin King called friends and family from the summit of Eagle Peak, the highest point in Yellowstone National Park. The 22-year-old hiker told one relative he was dealing with fog, rain, sleet, hail, and wind, the National Park Service said. That was the last time anyone heard from him. King, who was on a seven-day backcountry trip, didn't show up for a scheduled boat pickup Friday on Yellowstone Lake. Crews have been searching for the concession worker since then, CBS News reports.

The crew looking for King near Eagle Peak on Sunday included more than 20 ground searchers, two helicopters, unmanned air systems, and a search dog team. The search has been widened to include the Eagle Creek Trailhead and Shoshone National Forest. The 11,300-foot peak is in an especially remote section in the southeastern section of the park, several miles from the lake. Searchers found King's camp and personal belongings on Saturday, per People. Low temperatures at night have been in the high 20s the past few nights, per NBC News. (More Yellowstone National Park stories.)

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