Rescuers in Yellowstone National Park are searching for a missing park concession worker, Austin King, who failed to check in at the end of a personal trip. King embarked on a weeklong trek on and around Eagle Peak, the park’s highest location, but failed to show up for a pick-up at Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm on Friday. Search efforts have included over 20 individuals on the ground, two helicopter crews, drones, and a canine team, but no sign of King has been found yet.
King last spoke to a backcountry ranger on Sept. 16, stating his plans to climb Eagle Peak the next day. On Tuesday, he described harsh weather conditions on the summit, including fog, rain, sleet, hail, and wind. The last communication from King was a phone call that evening, and no one has heard from him since. Search crews found an encampment and personal items belonging to King in the upper Howell Creek area, but the whereabouts of his 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup with Minnesota plates remain unknown.
The search for King has involved teams from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, as well as Park and Teton counties in Wyoming. Search efforts have focused on the Yellowstone Lake area and Eagle Peak. King was dropped off by a boat at Terrace Point on Yellowstone Lake before starting his trek. Temperatures in Yellowstone have been cold, with highs struggling to reach 60 degrees. King is described as 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, with hazel eyes, wearing glasses, a black sweatshirt, and gray pants. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center.
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