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

[truthfinder2019]

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[moonrise]

I wonder what this is. It looks too smooth and rounded to be a rock. Could it be a sleeping bag or a coat? (Do we know what color the sleeping bag is?) There are people (searchers?) at the top of that hill, but maybe it's steep, and maybe they couldn't see the rounded object from that angle. It's hard to get a feel for the steepness of the slope with a 2D picture.

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[Boots38]

Unless he had other cold and wet weather gear on hand than the pants and sweatshirt described as what he was wearing, I'd be a lot more worried about hypothermia than a bear attack. He could get hypothermic surprisingly quickly in the temps listed that day, even more so if he wasn't able to stay dry. Confusion, slowed and stiff movements, fumbling hands, changes in behavior, all post a risk, and coupled with elevation and terrain. . . . . Hoping for good news but I don't have a positive feeling about this one. If he was on the peak close to sunset he had a lot of exposure to the elements if he stayed and a descent would have been perilous.

IMO he works in the Yellowstone and had taken a 7 day back country trip, its obvious that he didn't go unprepared. I'm sure he likely had a pack he hiked with and gear for different weather.

 

[ItalyReader]

It does not help of course if AK was dressed in black. But I assume he had the same as in the photo as his arrival. If he likes black maybe also his sleeping bag is black.
I don’t have a super high res screen. The only thing that attracted my attention though of all photos (but will look at them again when less tired). is a black shape near the descent trail. It is not the same color as the rocks.

Maybe any of you can double check with higher resolution?

View attachment 533374

Now, concerning his car.. On his FB profile he indicates living in West Yellowstone. If he is renting sth there and going to his summer job at the park, he needed to drive there.

Regarding where he was living -
In the article Dotta posted the mom is quoted as saying “He gets to live in his camper. He gets to hang out with his friends all night.”

 

[Boots38]

he did not get back to his camp....so he has been outside this whole time- hope he had a winter coat and hat but I am thinking hypothermia- he is from MN so he must know something about the cold but 6 days wandering or injured- not good. Are there any caves? Would he have had a headlamp? Trails can look really different going in a different direction/in the dark/in sleet... and if he lost his glasses... really not good.

May I ask where you have seen that he lost his glasses?

 

[ItalyReader]

May I ask where you have seen that he lost his glasses?

I think they are saying hypothetically “if” he lost his glasses - articles said he was wearing glasses.

 

[Boots38]

What reason would his sleeping bag be missing but his other personal belongings be at the campsite? Would he just take his sleeping bag?

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.

 

[RedHaus]

He placed a call to family at 7pm

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?

 

[Tower]

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 think this is a fair question to ask. To summit that late means he was many, many hours behind schedule and could have been unprepared to be stuck away from his camp overnight, or that his plan was to bivouac halfway down the mountain. Either way, it’s not the optimal plan, in my opinion. But I have often been caught veering from my optimal plan. In this case, I personally would have bailed out on the summit and tried again the next day, but we seem to have proof he signed the summit register and confirmed his location to family around sunset.

My experience, my opinion

 

[RedHaus]

I wonder what this is. It looks too smooth and rounded to be a rock. Could it be a sleeping bag or a coat?

What got me is a head/face and possibly one bare leg like Austin appeared in the photo of him when he was dropped off to depart (also dark clothing).

RDBM

Interesting @moonrise and @tarabull. I see what you both see. Could be nothing, but could be something to explore. SAR/LE likely have access to high tech equipment to take a closer look.

IMO you should send your images (referencing the source image of course) to [email protected], as AK's father requested the public do if we have anything.

I did that with Snoopster's video of the two climbers because they wanted images from others' summit of Eagle Peak.

If you don't want to, I'd be happy to...

 

[Chimera]

All of this discussion about Austin's employment at the park leads me to think he was experienced and fully prepared for his hike and the late summit !
I.e., not a novice.

Also imo something wholly unexpected could have happened to him.
A sudden fall and sprained ankle, or an animal attack.
Omo.

Wish they could find him soon as the longer time goes by ....
In some of the above photos, it looks like snow (if there is much ?) has melted ?
Godspeed to all of the searchers out there.
So heartbreaking for his loved ones.

 

[tarabull]

RDBM

Interesting @moonrise and @tarabull. I see what you both see. Could be nothing, but could be something to explore. SAR/LE likely have access to high tech equipment to take a closer look.

IMO you should send your images (referencing the source image of course) to [email protected], as AK's father requested the public do if we have anything.

I did that with Snoopster's video of the two climbers because they wanted images from others' summit of Eagle Peak.

If you don't want to, I'd be happy to...

Thank you for that, I did send to that email addy.

Regardless, may they bring Austin home today.

 

[Judy Sleuth]

All of this discussion about Austin's employment at the park leads me to think he was experienced and fully prepared for his hike and the late summit !
I.e., not a novice.

Also imo something wholly unexpected could have happened to him.
A sudden fall and sprained ankle, or an animal attack.
Omo.

Wish they could find him soon as the longer time goes by ....
In some of the above photos, it looks like snow (if there is much ?) has melted ?
Godspeed to all of the searchers out there.
So heartbreaking for his loved ones.

There are many types of employment at these parks, and the first announcement identifies him as a "concessions employee." That means he could be working a gift shop, a cafeteria, custodian, etc. So his employment might not be directly using or strengthening his outdoorsmanship. There are numerous stories of park employees getting into risky situations in the books by Ghiglieri and Farabee. (I won't post the titles here, because I want to have only positive energy going toward finding Austin.) (Mods, feel free to retract if I should be giving more direct citation.)

 

[RedHaus]

All of this discussion about Austin's employment at the park leads me to think he was experienced and fully prepared for his hike and the late summit !
I.e., not a novice.

RSBM
I too want to keep a positive mindset about AK's chance for survival right now.

But sadly, here is a reality check from a reporter who interviewed AK's friend, Desmond McGroarty.

**************************************

"Crumbling​

The top is known for its brittle and shifting footholds ...

He’s an amateur mountaineer but very athletic. He competes in triathlons and hikes frequently, McGroarty said.

“He’s never done something like (Eagle Peak),” said McGroarty. “He showed everybody his plan... ”

His friends would tell him it didn’t seem like a great idea to go alone, but nobody wanted to push back too hard because King was so passionate..."

 

[arielilane]

I believe phone reception is possible during hiking but the network coverage and quality of service is highly dependent on the altitude gain. It is my understanding that AK is experienced hiker and I am hopeful he will survive this trek.

All is a matter of jmo.

Hope Austin King is found soon!

 

[tarabull]

Austin has been working the concession in Yellowstone since June....so 3 MONTHS

Snipped...
...When King went to work as a concession employee in Yellowstone National Park in June, McGroarty decided to join him two months later.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Nothing about other hikers who might have crossed paths with him and talked to him?
I guess he was not the only hiker trying to reach the summit on same days?

 

[RedHaus]

Maybe a slight bit of new news from 3 hours ago?

"The search... is shifting..."

"Searchers say they are now focusing on what they call a "high-elevation, expansive and hazardous area.""

That sounds like the area captured by SAR image #20 that we've been scouring here in our WS world. Earlier today, @tarabull submitted to the National Park Service the image @tarabull found of what looks to be a person in a crevasse.

And @moonrise also had an interesting find from another SAR image that I hope he/she/they submits to the NPS email address: [email protected]. And that goes for anyone else here who finds something in this high resolution SAR Album.

It is only ~1:45pm MDT at Yellowstone, so the day is still young. Praying SAR finds AK today.

ET: modify gender reference to be neutral.

 

[whitelilac]

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.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Same area as whitelilac higher on right side.