A worker at Yellowstone National Park vanished just hours after he made an eerie phone call to his family from Eagle Peak mountain in Wyoming.
Austin King, 22, a concession employee at the park, was last heard from on September 17, after venturing out on September 14.
During the planned seven-day trip, park officials said he described fog, rain, sleet, hail and windy conditions while at the top of the mountain.
After failing to return to the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center on September 20, park officials started search and rescue efforts the following day.
Austin, of Minnesota, is described 6 feet, 160lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing glasses, gray pants and a black sweatshirt.
Austin King, 22, a concession employee at Yellowstone National Park, was last heard from on September 17 after venturing out on September 14
During the planned seven-day trip, park officials said he described fog, rain, sleet, hail and windy conditions at the top of Eagle Peak mountain (pictured) in Wyoming
On Saturday evening, ground and aerial search operations in the mountains of Eagle Peak led to the discovery of Kings belongings and campsite in the upper Howell Creek area.
The following day two helicopters, a search-dog team, 20 ground searchers, and unmanned air systems were deployed to locate the young man.
Anyone traveling in the backcountry near Eagle Peak since Sept. 14 may have seen King, the park noted.
A missing persons flyer distributed by the park said Austin was dropped off at Terrace Point by boat on Saturday September 14.
By Monday, September 16, the 22-year-old spoke to a backcountry ranger at Howell Cr. cabin (not his planned route), the park added.
He was headed to site 6D8 for the night and planned to climb Eagle Peak on Tuesday 9/17, the agency said, adding that he went on to phone a family member that evening.
Officials in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are actively searching for Austin, along with search and rescue teams from Park County and Teton County in Wyoming.
On Saturday evening, ground and aerial search operations in the mountains of Eagle Peak led to the discovery of Kings belongings and campsite in the upper Howell Creek area
Worried friends and family have posted images and updates about Austin across social media in hopes hell be located soon.
His father, Brian King-Henke, started a GoFundMe page to help us bring Austin back safe.
Family are keeping an open mind for him to come home. Please keep Austin in your prayers, it said.
Austins grandfather, Richard King, has also posted updates on Facebook, urging family and friends to keep his grandson and family in their thoughts.
Austin, of Minnesota , is described 6 feet, 160lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing glasses, gray pants and a black sweatshirt. (Pictured: Austin in July 2023)
Come on kid, show us where you are. 2 helicopters, 4 boats, a drone, 48 people on the ground and a dog are all out there, he wrote.
According to Austins Facebook, he competed in a triathlon in June 2022.
Officially a Triathlon Finisher. For those who care it was .25 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run and my finish time was 1:33:00, he wrote.
On August 27 he posted multiple scenic pictures of his time in Wyoming, with the latest one being of a waterfall at Yellowstone.