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

[RickshawFan]

GPS is only one-way communication. The signals are broadcast from a satellite and your phone interprets them to determine your location. Nothing is sent back up to the satellite.

The only way for anyone to know where you are is if the phone can link to a cell tower. (And some of the newest phones can also send out messages via satellite. But that’s a separate system than GPS.)

In a way, GPS is a little like old-fashioned broadcast tv or radio. The tv/radio is only a receiver of signals sent over the airwaves. Nothing is sent from your tv/radio so no one could know what you’re watching or listening to.

An inReach is the most sophisticated GPS system for wilderness. It's two-way.

 

[RickshawFan]

Just catching up on this thread - I was a summer worker in Yellowstone a very long time ago. Likely he was altitude adjusted as the whole park is pretty high and after 3 months living and hiking in the park he would be in good physical condition.

There are many peaks in the park that don't have established summit trails but rather routes and these are much easier to get yourself lost on especially in poor visibility. we had no GPS or phones when I was there and word of mouth\ paper maps were how you would hope to know where to go. It should be noted that unlike the Tetons there are virtually no true rock climbing routes in Yellowstone as quality of the rock is poor (especially as contrasted to the Tetons).

I'm surprised he was so completely off route since he had a phone and these days it is much easier to see where you are versus your intended path. But mapping apps drain phone batteries and they drain even quicker in the cold

It cannot be overstated how huge this park is and as mentioned elsewhere the backcountry of Yellowstone is incredibly remote.

All the best to his family and I hope they use extreme caution in continuing the search.

I'd never go somewhere like that without a paper/Tvek map: a phone only gives you a sliver of a trail, without enough contours for any kind of planning. Context is everything IMO, especially in this kind of terrain. That's why a paper map is on the "10 Essentials".

It's possible he got disoriented and went down the wrong side of the mountain.

 

[RickshawFan]

On top of that, it is standard practice to turn on airplane mode when backpacking in areas with poor cellular coverage. Otherwise a phone's battery runs down rather quickly as the phone continually tries and fails to connect to a non-existent cellular network.

There is no guarantee Austin's phone would be enabled to ping a cell tower.

He might not have known about 10 Essentials and carrying an extra battery.

If he had a headlamp, it might also have run out of battery part way down that cliff.

 

[Eridachtlin]

He might not have known about 10 Essentials and carrying an extra battery.

If he had a headlamp, it might also have run out of battery part way down that cliff.

We have been operating under the wrong assumption that he would be descending in the dark.

I have been thinking he would have gotten out of camp early, hiked the two miles to Eagle pass in under an hour, inexplicably took ten or more hours struggling to find a way to the summit, and then attempted to descend in the dark, falling on the way down.

Knowing he intended to stay the night on top changes everything. He could start late and take a leisurely pace; he had all day and no reason to get there too early. His summit time no longer seems crazily unwise. Even his cold hands, which seemed disastrous for his chances of safely descending and damning for his judgement, do not seem that alarming considering he could hunker down in his sleeping bag presumably suited for Minnesota. The big question is then where would he hunker down? His father is intent on searching the SW slope.

The wind mentioned in the summit logbook is disturbing. I wonder if he had a bivvy bag. SOL emergency ones are like $20. The lightweight, breathable ones are about $50. I also wonder about water. When I have backpacked in YNP I take a single bottle and a filter because there is almost always water nearby, but I would not want to climb a peak and stay the night with a single liter in the cold; dehydration make you more susceptible to hypothermia.

 

[touch]

An inReach is the most sophisticated GPS system for wilderness. It's two-way.

An inReach will use GPS to determine it's location but it uses the Iridium satellite network for communication. GPS is still one-way and a device needs an alternative means of communication if it wants to transmit that location. (eg a mobile phone with GPS signal still needs a mobile data signal if it wants to send that info to another person)

 

[Tower]

An inReach is the most sophisticated GPS system for wilderness. It's two-way.

This was discussed earlier in the thread, but an InReach has significant limitations and is not really two-way for the purposes of finding an unconscious person who does not initiate an SOS call. Based on all reports, there is little to no chance Austin had an InResch as it has never been mentioned. Only cell phone pings have been mentioned.

In reference to your earlier post and linked immediately above it, Austin’s tent was found at his camp and he used his phone to call his mom and leave a voicemail for his dad from the summit. Previously linked repeatedly in this thread

What happened to Minnesota native missing in Yellowstone? His dad is determined to find out.

Brian King-Henke is leading his own search from Wyoming for backpacker Austin King, a 22-year-old Winona native, who disappeared after reaching the summit of Eagle Peak.

www.startribune.com

 

[Missing Susan]

Regarding weather and the 6 foot drifts of snow. were those deposited on the night he was at summit or during the week that elapsed before SAR published photos? What did he actually endure that night?

 

[Eridachtlin]

Regarding weather and the 6 foot drifts of snow. were those deposited on the night he was at summit or during the week that elapsed before SAR published photos? What did he actually endure that night?

This is critical. A huge danger in his plan would be waking up to a blanket of snow then being unable to climb down.

 

[RedHaus]

This is critical. A huge danger in his plan would be waking up to a blanket of snow then being unable to climb down.

But if AK had opted to biouvak in a shallow cave with his sleeping bag (presumed to have) at or near the summit after making his 7:30pm calls, because it was getting dark*, even if he had woken up to snow 9/18, he could have called 911 for rescue - he would still have had cell service.

That said, I fear AK tried to descend in the dark, wet and fog on 9/17 and either fell to his death or somehow made it down but got lost and succumbed to hypotherthermia and/or injuries.

* Sunset was at 7:30pm and end of civilian twightlight at ~8:00pm, but likely already dark due to fog, precipitation, and cloud cover.

ETA: IMO

 

[RedHaus]

The only new news I can find. So very, very sad. :-(

Father of missing Yellowstone hiker reveals heartbreaking decision to return home

‘It was the hardest decision I ever had to make to leave my boy’

www.independent.co.uk

 

[LookingForClues]

I'm really surprised that we didn't hear until now about his plans to sleep on the summit to watch the sunrise. It presents some significantly different scenarios. So many articles have been written in the past month and not a one of them even hinted at this.

I also go back to my earlier questions about what he was wearing, what gear he carried, etc. I find it hard to believe he planned to hike/climb this remote peak in the casual attire he wore on his boat ride to the trail. It was fall already, yet we haven't heard what he packed for his 7-day remote backcountry camping and hiking trip. Rain jacket and pants, cold weather shell/jacket/pants, puffy, layers, multiple pairs of gloves, hats, headlamps, etc. What did he bring with him, what did he leave behind at his campsite?

Sadly, I've believed since the search started that it was too late, but knowing these things helps figure out where to look for him. It helps his family someday find a sense of closure.

 

[georgiajean]

I'm really surprised that we didn't hear until now about his plans to sleep on the summit to watch the sunrise. It presents some significantly different scenarios. So many articles have been written in the past month and not a one of them even hinted at this.

BBM and snipped for focus.
I have seen people hypothesizing that he might have slept on the mountain, but I have not seen any confirmation that this was his actual plan. Can you please provide a source for this information? Thanks

 

[mlhenn]

BBM and snipped for focus.
I have seen people hypothesizing that he might have slept on the mountain, but I have not seen any confirmation that this was his actual plan. Can you please provide a source for this information? Thanks

And, while King submitted his trip plan to a park staffer, saying that he intended to sleep overnight on the summit to watch the sunrise, he was inexperienced.

What happened to Minnesota native missing in Yellowstone? His dad is determined to find out.

Brian King-Henke is leading his own search from Wyoming for backpacker Austin King, a 22-year-old Winona native, who disappeared after reaching the summit of Eagle Peak.

www.startribune.com

 

[georgiajean]

And, while King submitted his trip plan to a park staffer, saying that he intended to sleep overnight on the summit to watch the sunrise, he was inexperienced.

What happened to Minnesota native missing in Yellowstone? His dad is determined to find out.

Brian King-Henke is leading his own search from Wyoming for backpacker Austin King, a 22-year-old Winona native, who disappeared after reaching the summit of Eagle Peak.

www.startribune.com

Thank you so much. I had followed this case from the beginning, and had not seen that. This article also gives some more clues about what was in his campsite. BBM:

King has been missing for nearly a month, and Lamb said elements of his story make it unlikely he survived. Search-and-rescuers found King’s food bag at his campsite, in addition to his tent and sleeping pad, Lamb added. And, while King submitted his trip plan to a park staffer, saying that he intended to sleep overnight on the summit to watch the sunrise, he was inexperienced.
Lamb said it’s possible King succumbed to cold weather or fell into a crevasse or ravine. That might explain why no one has found any trace of him, not even a missing backpack and sleeping bag from his campsite. What happened to Minnesota native missing in Yellowstone? His dad is determined to find out.

 

[ch_13]

An inReach is the most sophisticated GPS system for wilderness. It's two-way.

I don’t want to get too in the weeds with terminology, but I don’t think it’s correct to refer to inReach as a “GPS system”. It uses a completely different satellite system for communications.

In my post I was responding to a question about why Austin couldn’t be tracked via GPS on his phone and I explained that GPS itself only goes one-way.

Edit- @touch said the same thing.

 

[ch_13]

considering he could hunker down in his sleeping bag presumably suited for Minnesota. The big question is then where would he hunker down? His father is intent on searching the SW slope.

I wonder what the summit even looks like. Is there enough of a flat space without rocks or boulders where he could stretch out a sleeping bag? I assume he has a pad with him, but that will only go so far.

 

[iamshadow21]

I wonder what the summit even looks like. Is there enough of a flat space without rocks or boulders where he could stretch out a sleeping bag? I assume he has a pad with him, but that will only go so far.

Google images of the summit of Eagle Peak in Yellowstone and it looks like about the least likely surface someone could sleep on.

MOO

 

[Tower]

I wonder what the summit even looks like. Is there enough of a flat space without rocks or boulders where he could stretch out a sleeping bag? I assume he has a pad with him, but that will only go so far.

The most recently linked article said his pad was found at his campsite. I have hiked with others who carry 2 pads for various reasons, but I’d guess that’s unlikely in this case. I would guess he had his sleeping bag with no pad based on what’s been reported.

From the mist recently linked article above: “Search-and-rescuers found King’s food bag at his campsite, in addition to his tent and sleeping pad, Lamb added.”

 

[Eridachtlin]

I also go back to my earlier questions about what he was wearing, what gear he carried, etc. I find it hard to believe he planned to hike/climb this remote peak in the casual attire he wore on his boat ride to the trail. It was fall already, yet we haven't heard what he packed for his 7-day remote backcountry camping and hiking trip. Rain jacket and pants, cold weather shell/jacket/pants, puffy, layers, multiple pairs of gloves, hats, headlamps, etc. What did he bring with him, what did he leave behind at his campsite?

There is a question about the hoody. It has a large logo I don't recognize as being a common outdoor brand logo, but the image is low quality. It looks like a something that might be sold at the YNP gift shop or maybe branded gear for the concessionaire he worked for. Worst case is that it was cotton. If it was synthetic then it doesn't really matter. Fleece is fleece. It all performs pretty similar. The expensive stuff just fits better, looks better, and the newer fabrics like Alpha Direct and Octa are lighter and more breathable. I cannot tell anything about the rest of what he is wearing. It does not look out of line, but we don't know what was in his pack.

He is not rocking the style I would rock, but to be honest the expensive clothing is--well, more expensive and that is largely it. For the most part it does not necessarily work much better. People would be better off spending their money on trips rather than more gear. And that is coming from someone who has ridiculous amounts of Arc'Teryx, Rab, Patagucci, Outdoor Research, Mountain Hardwear, Western Mountaineering, etc., often multiples in different colors. Yes, I have a problem.

If he has an Instagram account then there are probably pictures of him on other trips that would reveal what type of gear he had. I don't feel like stalking social media to dig into his life.

 

[Eridachtlin]

The most recently linked article said his pad was found at his campsite. I have hiked with others who carry 2 pads for various reasons, but I’d guess that’s unlikely in this case. I would guess he had his sleeping bag with no pad based on what’s been reported.

Yeah, in winter I carry an inflatable and a 3/4 CCF pad just in case the inflatable fails. You raise an important point. A sleeping bag in cold temperatures and no insulation between the ground will perform very poorly.

I think the photo of him being dropped off shows a folded CCF pad on his pack. It looks reflective like a Thermarest Z-Lite SOL. Perhaps he had an additional inflatable pad in his pack. It seems weird he would take a sleeping bag to stay the night on top and not some sort of pad.