Search Underway for Yellowstone Employee Missing After Hike in Severe Weather

Rescuers in Yellowstone National Park are searching for a missing park concession worker, Austin King, who failed to check in after a weeklong trek on Eagle Peak. King was last heard from on September 16, describing challenging conditions on the summit. Despite search efforts with helicopters, drones, and ground teams, King has not been located. A 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup associated with King was found along with his personal items in the Upper Howell Creek area. Temperatures in the park have been cold, with lows in the high 20s. Anyone with information on King’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center. The search has involved crews from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, as well as from Park and Teton counties in Wyoming. Yellowstone Lake and Eagle Peak have been the primary focus of search efforts. King is described as 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, with hazel eyes, and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and gray pants. The search for King began after he failed to board a boat at Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm as scheduled. Yellowstone National Park Lodges provide backcountry access to sites on the lake for hiking and camping. King’s disappearance remains a mystery, with no clear explanation for his failure to check in after his trek.

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