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

[truthfinder2019]

Photo “terrain below Eagle Peak climber's route”, can someone pls check at the red circle, could be feet

 

[whitelilac]

I think

Photo “terrain below Eagle Peak climber's route”, can someone pls check at the red circle, could be feet

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I think those are rock pieces. Also compared to the trees, too big for feet I think. Here is a sharpened pic.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Photo “terrain below Eagle Peak climber's route”, can someone pls check at the red circle, could be feet

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Send the picture. Like said earlier, they must have better higher definition on their equipment than zooming on our computers. Anything could help!

 

[whitelilac]

Received a thank you email. Gosh, I didn't expect that....they have far more pressing issues.

Please let Austen survive this....

 

[RedHaus]

Can you all please look here? I see what looks like footprints. The lines of marks are too straight to be natural. Original and zoomed in section.
I don't know how to indicate with red circles.
There are two lines of "prints" on that snowy slope. One fairly central and the other up the slope, both traversing that slope.
They may be of searchers...?

eta: I went ahead and sent this to the email address. Just in case, you never know.

Excellent find @whitelilac ! I do see the tracks. My guess from the meandering prints that it was from a searcher or an animal (with melting around the prints that makes the prints appear larger).

That said, I do recall SAR (or Dad) reporting they had 'found prints'. We don't know where... and until now I've thought they were prints in mud or sand, since it was not snowing (yet) when AK summited. But if AK bivouacked overnight before attempting decent, he likely woke to fresh snow to trek through. Thank you for submitting to the NPS!!

Go team Websleuths!

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Received a thank you email. Gosh, I didn't expect that....they have far more pressing issues.

Please let Austen survive this....

Same here Also asked them to put more pictures of mountains on Flick if they can.

 

[RedHaus]

Same area as whitelilac higher on right side.

Indeed. Please submit to NPS if you haven't already. Could be searcher, but only SAR can figure that out... Every bit of data can help find Austin.

 

[Snoopster]

Great work everyone on scouring the images.
And thanks for being a great cheerleader @RedHaus !

I hope the searchers checked the "key hole" early on in the search, as well as the chimney that the two guys in the video came down.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Should we second guess footprints on pictures? I'm zooming on a pic with a few trails in the snow. Are those from rescuers?

 

[whitelilac]

Same area as whitelilac higher on right side.

Yes.
Enhanced :

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Rescuers or not, no way to tell

 

[Boots38]

Welcome @Boots38.

FWIW, more current reporting states AK placed his calls to his Mom and friend at 7:30pm, 9/17. Sunset at the Yellowstone Airport was at ~7:27pm IRRC. And he must have known about the inclement (cold and wet) weather setting in. Given those facts, what's your assessment of AK's preparedness for his summit of a trecherous peak?

I'm not making assessments on his preparedness,this trip was very important to him. To the point he had it all written down and was showing everyone his plans. I believe he was as prepared as possible for something he was very excited about. Accidents happen, monsters happen, and no level of preparedness is going to keep people safe all the time. MOO ..

 

[mlhenn]

If you're somewhere to do a 7 day trip and have a camp site there is obviously an excellent reasoning for not having all your personal belongings with you when setting out for a hike to the summit of Eagle Peak. Why carry every single item you brought for a 7day camping trip to the top of the peak? No one would do this it would be way too much work to carry so much added weight. He placed a call to family at 7pm so he clearly intended on being away from his camp after sunset. A hike like that you would have necessities with you in pack and a sleeping bag seems like an important item to have with you. MOO.

Thanks for the insight. I know nothing about multi-day hiking trips…what goes into it, etc. I live in southeast Arkansas where there’s flat farmland as far as you can see! Just by reading threads, I’ve learned it is something to be well prepared for and respected.

 

[Tower]

If you're somewhere to do a 7 day trip and have a camp site there is obviously an excellent reasoning for not having all your personal belongings with you when setting out for a hike to the summit of Eagle Peak. Why carry every single item you brought for a 7day camping trip to the top of the peak? No one would do this it would be way too much work to carry so much added weight. He placed a call to family at 7pm so he clearly intended on being away from his camp after sunset. A hike like that you would have necessities with you in pack and a sleeping bag seems like an important item to have with you. MOO.

I agree with you in part. No, you would typically not summit with your backpacking gear for a 7-day trip unless you were moving forward on a thru-hike and not going back the same way (NOT the case here). Clearly he intended to return to the campsite that has already been found to pack up his gear after summiting.

But I think his missing sleeping bag could be interpreted many ways. You state a 7 pm call means “he clearly intended on being away from his camp after sunset.” He may not have intended that at all. I think the most logical assumption is he intended to summit earlier in the day and he was delayed. I would guess most people would plan to descend during daylight, but I have descended by headlamp dozens of times without intending to. The only thing we know for sure is his plans did go awry at some point.

I am trying to remain hopeful that his missing sleeping bag means he has enough gear to be safe until he is found. We don’t have information about a bivy sack, clothing, food or fuel, so I am trying to remain optimistic in spite of my deepening concern.

Moo

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

On that picture, possible to see trace in the snow, something went down the mountain?
Eagle Peak Search & Rescue: north face of Eagle Peak

 

[ErinC]

On that picture, possible to see trace in the snow, something went down the mountain?
Eagle Peak Search & Rescue: north face of Eagle Peak

I'd send it in for sure. I can't see anything but my monitor is not the greatest, and they have equipment that can enhance it.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

I'd send it in for sure. I can't see anything but my monitor is not the greatest, and they have equipment that can enhance it.

Done. Picture is zoomed to the max, original more clear and much larger, had to lower quality to put on website.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Two helicopters spent Thursday extensively searching the remote southeastern portion of the park where King was last heard from, according to an update published Friday morning by the National Park Service. An employee of a park contractor, King had taken a seven-day solo backcountry trip to summit the 11,372-foot Eagle Peak, the highest point in the park.

He summited the mountain on Sept. 17 — the same day a storm moved into the area, bringing snow to higher elevations.

The search effort has now swelled to 96 people with assistance from helicopters, a dog team and a drone. The teams are combing an area from the peak to 8,000 feet, examining both drainages and ridgetops, according to the park service update.

Along with the physical search, park staff have “followed up on cellular activity by King” from the evening he summited the peak. The park service had previously said King called friends and family to inform them he had reached the top. On one call, he described fog, sleet, hail and windy conditions at the peak.

Searchers scour mountain, cellular data for missing Yellowstone hiker - WyoFile

The effort to find 22-year-old Austin King stretched into its seventh day. Nearly 100 people are now working to locate him.

wyofile.com

 

[carson3483]

On that picture, possible to see trace in the snow, something went down the mountain?
Eagle Peak Search & Rescue: north face of Eagle Peak

I noticed that too. Does anyone else think that it looks like there's something in what I assume is a cave. The trail in the snow starts there.

 

[carson3483]

In these pictures the one is zoomed in as far as I can get it. I circled and put a arrow. Does anyone else think that looks like a head with brown hair? If anyone can get a clearer image of it.