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Minnesota hiker reported missing in Yellowstone

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  September 23, 2024 10:40pm CDT
Missing Persons
FOX 9

The Brief

    • A search is underway in Yellowstone National Park for Austin King, a Minnesota man who failed to return from a backpacking trip.
    • A search Sunday involved over 20 people, including ground teams, helicopters, drones, and a dog team.
    • Anyone with information is asked to contact Yellowstone authorities. King is 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Austin King was reported missing in Yellowstone during a backpacking trip. (Supplied)

(FOX 9) - A search is underway in Yellowstone National Park for a missing Minnesota man.

What we know

A search is underway in the park's southeast corner for Austin King, a man from Winona, Minnesota.

King, who was on a seven-day backpacking trip, failed to arrive at his scheduled pick-up point last Friday. The last time his family heard from him was a week ago when he reached the summit of Eagle Peak.

Search efforts began early Saturday, Sept. 21, involving ground teams, helicopters, drones, and a search dog team. His camp and personal belongings were found later that day in the upper Howell Creek area. More than 20 ground searchers focused on Eagle Peak and nearby areas on Sunday.

Park rangers are asking anyone who may have seen King to come forward with information.

How to help

Anyone with information on King's whereabouts is asked to call the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center at 307.344.2643.

King is six-feet tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes. He was last wearing a black sweatshirt and gray pants.