Search Intensifies For Missing Yellowstone Employee and Hiker In Remote Area

There is currently an active search and rescue in remote southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park.

The public's assistance is requested in locating Austin King, a 22-year-old male last heard from on Tuesday, Sept. 17, when he called friends and family from the summit of Eagle Peak in the park’s remote southeast corner.

King is about 6’ tall, weighs 160 lbs, with brown hair, hazel eyes, possibly glasses, and a black sweatshirt and gray pants.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, Park County, WY, and Teton County, WY, search and rescue teams are actively looking for King in the vicinity of Eagle Peak, Eagle Pass Mountain Creek Trail and Eagle Creek Trailhead in Shoshone National Forest.

King is a concession employee working in Yellowstone; he was reported overdue to the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center when he failed to arrive for his boat pickup near Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm on Friday afternoon, Sept. 20, after his planned 7-day backcountry trip to summit Eagle Peak.

While on the summit, King described fog, rain, sleet, hail and windy conditions.

A search and rescue effort began at first light Saturday morning, Sept. 21, that involved an aerial reconnaissance and ground search operations in the high mountain areas of Eagle Peak and surrounding areas including Yellowstone Lake. Rescuers discovered King’s camp and personal effects Saturday evening in the upper Howell Creek area.

Today, more than 20 ground searchers, two helicopters, unmanned air systems, and a search dog team are focusing efforts near Eagle Peak.

Anyone traveling in the backcountry near Eagle Peak since Sept.14 may have seen King.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center at 307.344.2643.

The park will provide more information when it is available.