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

[Tower]

@LookingForClues I didn't mention this, but my sons take frame backpacks when they go climbing. They set up a base camp, and leave most of their stuff there, and hike with day packs. So, they do have plenty of stuff at their "base". That way, if the weather looks "iffy", they go back to their base camp, and set up for night.

Did Austin have a "base" camp area? Or was he carrying everything to the Summit?

Previously in the thread, it was confirmed that Austin’s camp with tent was found.

 

[acutename]

I think this makes sense (and I'm not even an mountaineer). Human behavior is driven by many factors, one of which is "opportunity cost".
While I am more familiar with this concept in terms of behavioral finance, the same concepts affect every aspect of our lives.
We often feel that we've invested so much in a venture so far and we don't want to 'lose it', but that isn't always the rational decision at the point in time. Perhaps Austin felt that he told all of his colleagues about his plans and he was fairly far along in those plans so he didn't want to turn back and prove those naysayers wrong. He didn't want to throw away all of his supposed gains so he kept moving forward. It would only be kept human to think this way. That's a tough thought to overcome.

All of this is just in my imagination of what might have happened to him.

he was climbing an unfamiliar peak even though he had studied it, so he could have kept thinking "I"ll just go a little further." At his age, I doubt he thought "I'll just bag this and try again next year." Also as per his own statements, he did not like the path he was taking up, so maybe he imagined that he would see a better path once he was at the top and he would be able to go down a safer way. IMO

 

[acutename]

@LookingForClues I didn't mention this, but my sons take frame backpacks when they go climbing. They set up a base camp, and leave most of their stuff there, and hike with day packs. So, they do have plenty of stuff at their "base". That way, if the weather looks "iffy", they go back to their base camp, and set up for night.

Did Austin have a "base" camp area? Or was he carrying everything to the Summit?

they found his tent and supplies lower down

Yellowstone National Park asks public for help locating missing man, 22, last heard from Tuesday | Gephardt Daily

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming, Sept. 22, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) -- Yellowstone National Park is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Austin King, a 22-year-old man last heard from on Tuesday when he called a family member from the summit of Eagle Peak in the park’s remote southeast...

gephardtdaily.com

Austin King last spoke to friends and family on Sept. 17 from the summit of Eagle Peak.

He was reported missing on Friday Sept 20.
King never showed up for his boat pickup on the southeast portion of Lake Yellowstone on Friday afternoon.

Officials found King's personal items and his campsite Saturday night.

 

[mickey2942]

"Summit Fever". Just keep going. Happens to so many climbers. Laser focus on the target, completely ignoring everything else.

 

[RedHaus]

Did Austin have a "base" camp area? Or was he carrying everything to the Summit?

RSBM
Campsite 6D8 was AK's presumed base. Maps, image from SAR areal pics, etc. ^^^^.

 

[LookingForClues]

I wonder if he carried his sleeping bag the entire hike/climb, or stashed it and/or some supplies somewhere around the base of the mountain or partway up. He might have thought he would at least be able to summit and get back to that spot "fast and light," but it would be available if he was too tired to hike all the way back to his campsite. I suppose if he had done that, SAR would likely have found it. Typically they would look for something like that. He was off-route, though, which makes it so much harder to find him or any belongings (we don't know where he went off-route, which adds another dimension to the difficulty in finding him).

ETA: This is what I thought @mickey2942 was referring to when he/she mentioned a base camp, something closer to the mountain than his known campsite.

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 15, 2024

Dad continues search for missing hiker son as winter storm churns towards Yellowstone

Austin King-Henke spoke with family and friends via phone from the top of Yellowstone's highest summit on Sept. 17, and has not been seen or heard from since.

www.kare11.com

KARE 11's John Zeigler said the the storm will bring unseasonably cold air, accumulating snow and possible white-out conditions in higher elevations, like those where Austin disappeared.

"This morning we are sending out more guys and equipment and supplies and K9," Brian King-Henke posted Monday. "Tomorrow more guys will be going out... in the hopes we can find Austin before the weather changes late Wednesday into Thursday. Hoping God can hold that system off a few more days. I'm truly blessed with all of your kindness."

 

[mickey2942]

My kids stuff is all bright yellow and orange, that they use for hunting too. So, spotting them, is pretty easy. If Austin was dressed in the clothing in his picture, he will blend in with the background. Making it that much more difficult to find him.

 

[FoxxTraxx]

KARE 11's John Zeigler said the the storm will bring unseasonably cold air, accumulating snow and possible white-out conditions in higher elevations, like those where Austin disappeared.

The local forecast at Yellowstone predicts 6-14 inches of snow in elevations above 7,000 ft. Seems like a bad time for a search team to venture into a remote part of the park. I think we all know that the weather in Yellowstone can change rapidly and unexpectedly.

 

[PrairieWind]

The local forecast at Yellowstone predicts 6-14 inches of snow in elevations above 7,000 ft. Seems like a bad time for a search team to venture into a remote part of the park. I think we all know that the weather in Yellowstone can change rapidly and unexpectedly.

I think they have just a couple more days of searching and then its all going to be put on hold until late May.

 

[orchidaceaes]

Search For Missing Hiker Stopped After U.S. Forest Service Denies Helicopter Drop

U.S. Forest Service authorities declined to authorize a helicopter drop of searchers into a remote region to look for missing hiker Austin King, who…

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[RedHaus]

Search For Missing Hiker Stopped After U.S. Forest Service Denies Helicopter Drop

U.S. Forest Service authorities declined to authorize a helicopter drop of searchers into a remote region to look for missing hiker Austin King, who…

cowboystatedaily.com

Interesting, @orchidaceaes .

"The southwest region of the mountain, known as Table Mountain, is the least-searched area but also appears to be a likely trajectory for King.

Some cellphone ping information has pointed towards that region.

Also, said Lamb, King may have abandoned his camp and decided to trek straight toward Yellowstone Lake after weathering a cold and harrowing full-day climb to the summit in the fog."

 

[georgiajean]

Search For Missing Hiker Stopped After U.S. Forest Service Denies Helicopter Drop

U.S. Forest Service authorities declined to authorize a helicopter drop of searchers into a remote region to look for missing hiker Austin King, who…

cowboystatedaily.com

Thank you for posting this interesting read.
Why would the Yellowstone folks say that they needed more information and didn't get it, but Austin's father says they were just told "no" and weren't asked for any more info?

 

[kccorona]

The southwest region of the mountain, known as Table Mountain, is the least-searched area but also appears to be a likely trajectory for King.

Was this area covered by any of the aerial images?

ETA answering my own question- found at least two images that seem to be of this area, according to their captions.
First is ground crews climbing southwest ridge of Eagle Peak and directly below is west face of Eagle Peak

https://flic.kr/p/2qivcW3

https://flic.kr/p/2qivdAV

 

[mickey2942]

Thank you for posting this interesting read.
Why would the Yellowstone folks say that they needed more information and didn't get it, but Austin's father says they were just told "no" and weren't asked for any more info?

There are different federal levels, he may have had discussions with YNP staff in Wyoming, but the main staff in Montana, had a hard no.

Remember, park officials are stewards of YNP. They are considering the disturbance to the environment, animals, and also keeping those folks safe. This isn't a rescue any longer.

 

[kccorona]

Thank you for posting this interesting read.
Why would the Yellowstone folks say that they needed more information and didn't get it, but Austin's father says they were just told "no" and weren't asked for any more info?

I agree this was a really good article, sounds like the journalists did a good job of covering both entities involved in the current communication issues. I’m curious if the “hard no” came after they (natl park officials) had reached out and not heard back in time from the tour guide company? Since the hard no didn’t come until 10p last night and they were hoping to fly out at 8am, it could be that NPS attempted to get the info necessary to determine if it was safe to approve and waited until they felt it was decision time one way or another. All speculation, and I agree it seems like there may be some pieces missing but overall, I appreciate how all entities covered here seem to be respectful of the process and the “human side” of this heartbreaking point in the search.

 

[Tower]

I think they have just a couple more days of searching and then its all going to be put on hold until late May.

May would be too early. This article indicates July.

Search For Missing Hiker Stopped After U.S. Forest Service Denies Helicopter Drop

U.S. Forest Service authorities declined to authorize a helicopter drop of searchers into a remote region to look for missing hiker Austin King, who…

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

What about the possibility of a one-time exception for flying some drones, by a professional team, since there's indication he may have gone that way? JMO.

 

[tarabull]

11 days and no 'definitive clues' | Search for Minnesota man in Yellowstone now recovery mission

Austin King-Henke went missing in Yellowstone National Park. After 11 days of searching, the rescue mission has changed to a recovery effort.

www.kare11.com

For the past 11 days, more than 100 personnel have been looking for King-Henke, utilizing helicopters, dog teams, and drones. According to the National Park Service, more than 3,225 miles by air and ground at elevations ranging from 11,350 feet to 8,400 feet have been searched.

Officials said "unfortunately, they have not found any definitive clues as to King’s current whereabouts."

Bumping...as above, drones have been up...fwiw

 

[Missing Susan]

Here is a track posted recently. I'm guessing its posted by a fellow summer park employee who was part of the search early on. It seems it doesnt take very long to hike around the established trail and the lower basin area.

It would be interesting to see his "written plan" that he shared with his associates to see where he actually planned to hike. They must have shared it with all search and rescue people.

I wonder if he tried to go up to the peak by dead reckoning from his campsite (or from eagle pass). I could see that taking him all day and ending up on top of a different peak as he tried to hike the lines of least resistance. He did mention not being able to see the peak most of the day.