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The father of a missing 22-year-old who vanished in Yellowstone National Park a month ago has warned if they don’t find him soon they will be forced to abandon the search until spring.
Austin King set off on a solo expedition on September 14 and reached the summit of Yellowstone’s highest mountain – Eagle Peak in Wyoming – three days later. But he hasn’t been seen or heard from since and his family is concerned that efforts to find him are being scaled back.
Speaking to The Independent, Austins’ father Brian King-Henke said it was vital to act now: “If we don’t go now then we will have to wait until Spring.”
The stark warning comes as temperatures in the national park are set to plummet to negative double figures as winter looms and conditions worsen.
From October through to April, the National Parks Service close roads as the weather deteriorates and sub-zero temperatures become common – conditions that make a search and rescue mission significantly more challenging.
Austin has been missing for a month and his father said that at the time of his hike to Eagle Peak he was only carrying minimal belongings, including a water bottle and a sleeping bag.
The hiker had left his father a voicemail to express his relief at reaching the top of the mountain after grappling with extreme weather conditions – which he revealed in a note left at the summit.
But his father only received the voicemail a week after Austin made contact – little did he know this was the last time he would hear from him.
Days before speaking to The Independent, Brian shared the final words his son Austin left at the peak.
“I can’t feel my fingers and my glasses are so fogged from the ruthless weather of the mountains,” the note said. “I truly cannot believe I am here after what it took to be here. I endured rain, sleet, hail and the most wind I have ever felt(.)
“I could not see Eagle for most of the day due to the most fog I have ever seen in my life. I free soloed too many cliffs to get here and walked up to the peak from the connecting peak – AKA not the right path. I am 22 years old and I will never forget today (for) the rest of my life.
“Life is beautiful, get out and LIVE IT!” before signing his name and etching a smiley face beside it.
Despairingly, his father shared: “He was one of the best people I’ve ever met – a best friend to his little brother. He always had a smile on his face…I can’t even find the words to explain what we’re going through.”
While search and rescue teams reportedly saw footprints and remnants of a firepit on the trail – they could not be certain as to whether they were Austins.
His father has now taken matters into his own hands by organizing multiple search efforts in one last bid to save his son before the winter closes in.
A GoFundMe page has reached $13,000 and so far more than 100 rescue personnel have participated in the search.
Speaking of the volunteers who have shown their support, he said: “I asked God to send me an army – and he did.”
