WY WY - Austin King, 22, Yellowstone National Park, Eagle Peak, 17 Sept 2024

[RedHaus]

The other odd thing is that the articles claim that he stopped at a cabin nearby Howell Creek (see also my thread #8), changing in this way his initially foreseen route, but there is no other hiking trail than the one going via Howell creek to get to the peak he chose…

I agree that is odd... unless the change in AK's 'initially foreseen route' was a change from access near the East Entrance to the "sailing" access from the West, per @Snoopster's video.

 

[RedHaus]

I’m curious if the time (7pm) that he last spoke with family/friends on the 17th was a typical time to reach the summit? It seems late, but maybe he was planning to camp along the way down so he could afford to be up there later, not needing to allot time to descend in daytime light.

RSBM

For Yellowstone National Park sunrise / sunset in Sept., here are data for 9/17/2024.

If AK made contact with friends and family from the Eagle Peak Summit at ~7pm MDT, sunset was less than a 1/2 hour later at 7:27pm MDT. The end of civilian twilight was at 7:56pm MDT.

With fog and precipitation, as AK reported to friends / family, his descent would have been trecherous at that late hour. And from the video ^^^, there appeared to be little opportunity for shelter on the final acent (and descent) to the summit. IMO.

 

[sunflowermomma]

Praying for a good outcome here. Working in the park, he must be familiar with the wildlife in the area and best practices to stay safe, ie rigging up your food at night. Hopefully he has appropriate gear as well.

 

[RedHaus]

Hopefully he has appropriate gear as well.

ETA: RSBM
I do too, @sunflowermomma! But that gear would have to include cold and wet weather apparel.

From Weather Underground's history for West Yellowstone, MT (Yellowstone Airport Station) at 7pm on 9/17/2024 it was about 37°F with some precipitation (likely rain and sleet as AK reported).

 

[GraceG]

Unless he had other cold and wet weather gear on hand than the pants and sweatshirt described as what he was wearing, I'd be a lot more worried about hypothermia than a bear attack. He could get hypothermic surprisingly quickly in the temps listed that day, even more so if he wasn't able to stay dry. Confusion, slowed and stiff movements, fumbling hands, changes in behavior, all post a risk, and coupled with elevation and terrain. . . . . Hoping for good news but I don't have a positive feeling about this one. If he was on the peak close to sunset he had a lot of exposure to the elements if he stayed and a descent would have been perilous.

 

[Snoopster]

RSBM

For Yellowstone National Park sunrise / sunset in Sept., here are data for 9/17/2024.

If AK made contact with friends and family from the Eagle Peak Summit at ~7pm MDT, sunset was less than a 1/2 hour later at 7:27pm MDT. The end of civilian twilight was at 7:56pm MDT.

With fog and precipitation, as AK reported to friends / family, his descent would have been trecherous at that late hour. And from the video ^^^, there appeared to be little opportunity for shelter on the final acent (and descent) to the summit. IMO.
View attachment 533034

This worries me too. But in particular since you would hope he would be more wise about ascending so late in the day if he was taking on such a tough challenge. As well, he was hiking alone and didn't have any 'check-ins' lined up for several days. (likely because of lack of cell coverage once down from the peak) Did he carry a satellite device with him?

I am so worried about this young man.
Hopefully he will have found a way to stay protected until he is found!

He wasn't reported missing until the 20th. That's a huge delay in a search.

ETA: I just looked at Austin's FB. He seems like such a lovely young man. And he clearly has a love of nature and photography. I didn't see any mention of mountain climbing or difficult hikes though. He worked at a concession at Yellowstone NP. So he wasn't necessarily working in a role that meant he had lots of backcountry experience.

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 23, 2024

Winona man missing in Yellowstone National Park

22-year-old Austin King was in Wyoming on a seven-day back-country trip to Summit Eagle Peak when he went missing.

kstp.com

On Monday, more than 20 ground searchers, two helicopters, and a search dog team concentrated the search near Eagle Peak.

Yellowstone Concession Worker Vanishes After Summiting Park’s Highest…

The search is on for Austin King, a 22-year-old concession worker at Yellowstone, who reached the top of the park's highest peak last Tuesday and hasn’t…

cowboystatedaily.com

One challenge is the rock bands.

Bands of brittle volcanic rock ring the mountain, separated by more sloped, roughly 20-yard intervals of scree, or loose rock and dirt. Though the rock bands look sturdier than the scree, they’re deceptive. They can break apart vertically just as one finds a foothold or a handhold on them.

“There’s one easy route through this rock cliff band, and if you missed that, you would be stuck trying to go down the steep sections of the rock band,” said Marschall. “It’s not pleasant climbing at all.”

 

[acutename]

he did not get back to his camp....so he has been outside this whole time- hope he had a winter coat and hat but I am thinking hypothermia- he is from MN so he must know something about the cold but 6 days wandering or injured- not good. Are there any caves? Would he have had a headlamp? Trails can look really different going in a different direction/in the dark/in sleet... and if he lost his glasses... really not good.

 

[acutename]

I wonder if he signed the Eagle Peak register.
That route up from Eagle Pass (where you veer off the trail and start to ascend to the peak) looks very dangerous. It's easy to see how Austin could have had an accident or gotten lost. There doesn't appear to be a clear route up/down, so it must be very difficult for searchers, as Austin could be anywhere. And since he didn't seem to make it back to his camp at SD8, this seems to be the most likely place he ran into trouble.

Here is a link to a YT video of 2 guys climbing to the peak. They came to Eagle Pass from the trail to the north, while Austin came at it from the south. But they all likely started their ascent at Eagle Pass. Go to 11:00 in the video to see that point to get a sense of the ascent.

It's also possible that he ran into a bear on the trail once he descended back to the trail, but I would presume there would be evidence of a bear attack, wouldn't there?

As an aside, I'm confused about the comment that his truck is missing. He got dropped off by boat and was supposed to catch a boat back, so he wouldn't have had his truck with him. Is it missing from where he parked and set off by boat? That wouldn't explain why he didn't make it back to his campsite though.

a. they seem to have a clear idea of where they are going throughout
b. despite the swollen stream, it does not rain on them at all during this hike
c. looks relatively warm and sunny
d. they are only on the peak in daylight... maybe it is June with longer days?
e. the bears do not visit their camp site or gear stash

34 miles in one day- hand me some ibuprofen and a medical kit....IMO
(I did notice that the picture of Austin upthread has him finishing a race... marathon? that would be good coditioning)

 

[Snoopster]

a. they seem to have a clear idea of where they are going throughout
b. despite the swollen stream, it does not rain on them at all during this hike
c. looks relatively warm and sunny
d. they are only on the peak in daylight... maybe it is June with longer days?
e. the bears do not visit their camp site or gear stash

34 miles in one day- hand me some ibuprofen and a medical kit....IMO
(I did notice that the picture of Austin upthread has him finishing a race... marathon? that would be good coditioning)

Yes to all of that.

I'd say that Austin had a clear idea of where he was going. And, like the guys in the video, he likely had to find his own route up to the peak. And he clearly succeeded at that.
But most of the other points are in stark contrast.
The weather was poor.
And, I wonder if Austin wasn't used to the early darkness on the east side of a mountain in Wyoming. The sun would disappear so much earlier than in Wisconsin, or on the west side of the mountain. (I can remember, as a flatlander, the first time I went to the Rockies I was surprised at how much earlier it got dark in the mountain towns.)

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 23, 2024

Authorities search for missing person in Yellowstone National Park backcountry

Austin King, a 22-year-old concession employee, is missing at Yellowstone National Park, according to a press release. He was last heard from a week ago while on an extended trip

www.postregister.com

• SAT, SEP 14 - King was dropped off by boat at Terrace Point on the shore of Yellowstone Lake
• MON, SEP 16 - He spoke to a ranger at Howell Creek cabin which was not on his planned route. He was headed to campsite 68D and planned to summit Eagle Peak the next day.
• TUES, SEP 17 - King called friends and family from the summit in the evening and described fog, rain, sleet, hail and windy conditions.
• FRI, SEP 20 - King failed to arrive for his boat pickup near Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm.
• SAT, SEP 21 - Search and rescue efforts began with aerial reconnaissance and ground search. Rescuers discovered his camp and personal effects in the evening in the upper Howell Creek area.
• SUN, SEP 22 - More than 20 ground searchers, two helicopters, unmanned air systems and a search dog team were searching near Eagle Peak.

 

[RedHaus]

DBM

 

[RedHaus]

a. they seem to have a clear idea of where they are going throughout
b. despite the swollen stream, it does not rain on them at all during this hike
c. looks relatively warm and sunny
d. they are only on the peak in daylight... maybe it is June with longer days?
e. the bears do not visit their camp site or gear stash

f. they summitted Eagle Peak as a pair of hikers, not a solo climber.

Are there any caves?

The only 'cave' I saw in the video ^^^ @Snoopster posted was the "keyhole" the hikers were looking for at ~11:00. They found it but it was too narrow to pass thru. But if AK knew of the 'keyhole' and was able to find it in twilight or dark (hopefully using a headlamp) despite no trail markers, it could have provided some shelter.

 

[RedHaus]

MON, SEP 16 - He spoke to a ranger at Howell Creek cabin which was not on his planned route. He was headed to campsite 68D and planned to summit Eagle Peak the next day. RS&BBM

***CORRECTION TO MSM REPORTED DATA***

There is NO Campsite 68D. There is Campsite 6D8 Upper Howell Creek in Yellowstone National Park.

See nps.gov screenshot from here and a 2008 static map & excerpt from here.

 

[orchidaceaes]

Best Friend Of Yellowstone Hiker Missing A Week Waits At Camp, Desperate For News

Desmond McGroarty, lifelong best friend of missing Yellowstone hiker Austin King, is desperately hoping he’s found alive. He’s at the concessions village…

cowboystatedaily.com

Quote I find interesting and relevant: "
King, who works in a dining hall, had been telling his friends about the trip for weeks. He’s an amateur mountaineer but very athletic. He competes in triathlons and hikes frequently, McGroarty said.

“He’s never done something like (Eagle Peak),” said McGroarty. “He showed everybody his plan (that) he wrote out on paper.”

His friends would tell him it didn’t seem like a great idea to go alone, but nobody wanted to push back too hard because King was so passionate about the climb and eager to win the experience for himself."

So, while he was very athletic, it doesn't seem like he wasn't particularly experienced in this type of climb.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1838616021554377132

 

[Tower]

I am an avid mountaineer and climber, including one trip to Grand Teton and one to Yellowstone this summer.

It is very unusual to summit at sundown. That is essentially never, ever my plan for a myriad of reasons. Reading the details of his disappearance, I am very concerned about his lack of mountaineering experience, his abnormally late summit, his sighting at a place he was not planning to go, and hiking alone.

He is young and healthy and I desperately hope my concerns are unfounded. Please hold on, Austin! Please be found today.

My own experience, my own opinion

 

[ChatteringBirds]

He sounds like an amazing person. Rooting for him to be rescued and safe. My heart goes out to his family.

 

[RedHaus]

Best Friend Of Yellowstone Hiker Missing A Week Waits At Camp, Desperate For News

Desmond McGroarty, lifelong best friend of missing Yellowstone hiker Austin King, is desperately hoping he’s found alive. He’s at the concessions village…

cowboystatedaily.com

RSBM
Thanks for this article, @orchidaceaes. I feel AK's friend's angst.

I also found these tidbits informative:

1. "King was due to board a boat Friday and head back to his RV in the Grant Village area in the park." FWIW he did not boat from the location in the video ^^^. See below for my edits to a screen shot. And perhaps his 'vehicle' is not missing after all.

2. "They found King’s camp in the Howell Creek area. King’s sleeping bag was not there..." IMO that is very good news as it means he may have some extra protection from the cold (if it stays dry).

3. ""He was super ecstatic,” McGroarty told Cowboy State Daily... “He did say his hands were cold and stuff, but it sounded like he just didn’t care, because he was so excited he made it to the top.”" IMO that is concerning if it means he had no gloves.

ETA: last sentence in #1

 

[Artis]

I am an avid mountaineer and climber, including one trip to Grand Teton and one to Yellowstone this summer.

It is very unusual to summit at sundown. That is essentially never, ever my plan for a myriad of reasons. Reading the details of his disappearance, I am very concerned about his lack of mountaineering experience, his abnormally late summit, his sighting at a place he was not planning to go, and hiking alone.

He is young and healthy and I desperately hope my concerns are unfounded. Please hold on, Austin! Please be found today.

My own experience, my own opinion

I've never climbed a mountain and totally agree. The last place you'd wanna be when the sun is setting is the summit. Look at the video posted, it's so full of loose rocks, too. Looks like an easy place to fall. Never mind grizzly bears and mountain lions.