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

[Tomgetty]

The entire trail segment of Mountain Creek/Howell Creek, YNP has been closed since the SAR activities started, but now shows availability for backcountry reservations starting this Sunday, 10/6. I would imagine AK's SAR activities will continue until Saturday, or perhaps be extended if the weather allows.

 

[mlhenn]

'I'm not gonna give up': Father of missing hiker from Winona remains hopeful for son's return

King is a triathlon winner and full of outdoor survival skills, his dad said. He took those skills with him out to Yellowstone National Park where he's been working recently.

kstp.com

Austin King’s father, Brian King-Henke, has been leaning on hope as the days pass without word from his son.

“All you can do is wait hour by hour and minute by minute,” he said during an interview on Monday. “I’m not gonna give up until I get that call.”

 

[tarabull]

The BBM has me hopeful, somehow - FWIW
Snipped from the link above...
...King is a triathlon winner and full of outdoor survival skills, his dad said. He took those skills with him out to Yellowstone National Park where he’s been working recently.

“He was in his element,” King-Henke continued.

 

[Tower]

'I'm not gonna give up': Father of missing hiker from Winona remains hopeful for son's return

King is a triathlon winner and full of outdoor survival skills, his dad said. He took those skills with him out to Yellowstone National Park where he's been working recently.

kstp.com

Austin King’s father, Brian King-Henke, has been leaning on hope as the days pass without word from his son.

“All you can do is wait hour by hour and minute by minute,” he said during an interview on Monday. “I’m not gonna give up until I get that call.”

Heartbreaking. I have a son exactly Austin’s age and my kids are all avid climbers, mountaineers and hikers. I can absolutely imagine what his father is going through, and it’s painful, my chest actually aches. What a long and terrible 9 days Austin’s family has endured. He could still be alive if he wandered far off course, at lower elevation, and found a water source. I couldn’t give up hope either.

 

[RedHaus]

He could still be alive if he wandered far off course, at lower elevation, and found a water source. I couldn’t give up hope either.

RSBM
Hope is very powerful. And to your heartfelt point, there are numerous creeks to the north, east, and south of Eagle Peak, at the lower elevation. So if AK got lost but found a creek, he could have parked there to keep himself hydrated.

I now wonder if SAR are walking those creeks as part of their search for AK.

 

[tarabull]

This is puzzling...MOO

Snipped...
... It's not clear what became of a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup with Minnesota plates that the park service said is associated with King.

 

[ch_13]

This is puzzling...MOO

Snipped...
... It's not clear what became of a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup with Minnesota plates that the park service said is associated with King.

That's a week-old article. I think we would have heard something by now if it was relevant.

I don't think there's any outstanding question about his truck. It's clear that he took a ferry across Yellowstone Lake and walked to Eagle Peak. His truck in all likelihood is parked at his residence, or in one of the parking lots where he picked up the ferry.

"It's not clear"....It's not clear to whom? The Park Service? The reporter? People sometimes try to dissect these articles like they're the Ten Commandments, when really they are being written under deadline with no editing. It's like the statement from the retired ranger who seemed to suggest that something nefarious had happened at the campsite, when in reality his words were probably taken out of context. I suspect what happened was that the reporter asked about the vehicle and the spokesman said that they didn't know where it was, when they really should have said, "Why are you asking me about Austin's truck when he went missing on the other side of the park, at least 50 miles away from wherever it is parked?"

 

[tarabull]

Perception is always interesting & always welcome.

ETA:
Snipped...
...According to Austin's Facebook, he competed in a triathlon in June 2022.'Officially a Triathlon Finisher.

For those who care it was .25 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run and my finish time was 1:33:00,' he wrote.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Search continues for missing Winona hiker

It's been nearly two weeks since loved ones have heard from 22-year-old Austin King of Winona.

www.kaaltv.com

“All you can do is wait hour by hour and minute by minute. I’m not gonna give up until I get that call,” King’s father said.

King’s father also says Austin is a triathlon winner with strong outdoor survival skills. Skills, he says, Austin took out to Yellowstone.

 

[RedHaus]

Perception is always interesting & always welcome.... For those who care it was .25 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run and my finish time was 1:33:00,' he wrote.

RSBM

So, based on AK's own reporting: he finished a Sprint Triathalon (with 1/2 swim) two+ years ago.

Sprint-distance triathlon: A sprint triathlon is half of the Olympic distances. It includes a swim for 0.5 miles, a cycling route across 12.4 miles, and a run for 3.1 miles.

What are Olympic triathlon distances?
"The overall Olympic triathlon distance is 51.5km (32 miles). This includes a 1.5km (0.93 mile) swim, 40km (25 mile) cycle, and a 10km (6.2 mile) run."

ET: correct triathalon classification.

 

[Snoopster]

Search continues for missing Winona hiker

It's been nearly two weeks since loved ones have heard from 22-year-old Austin King of Winona.

www.kaaltv.com

“All you can do is wait hour by hour and minute by minute. I’m not gonna give up until I get that call,” King’s father said.

King’s father also says Austin is a triathlon winner with strong outdoor survival skills. Skills, he says, Austin took out to Yellowstone.

I really wish that Austin had had an emergency location device like this person this week:

Missing Canadian hiker found dead on Mount Baker - My Bellingham Now

The outcome wasn't great, but at least family didn't have to wait too long to find out what happened and searchers didn't spend weeks searching.
Of course Austin was young and fit, but, as we see, anything can happen to anyone.
I hope we hear some news soon. His poor family.

 

[Tomgetty]

NPS updated today on AK's SAR and the transition from Rescue to Recovery. The updated map shows they have searched adjacent valleys and more ridgelines of the corresponding peaks.

 

[RedHaus]

NPS updated today on AK's SAR and the transition from Rescue to Recovery. The updated map shows they have searched adjacent valleys and more ridgelines of the corresponding peaks.

Wow, @Tomgetty, that is just a stunning search effort in all possible directions that AK may have gone. Kudos to SAR.