The father of a Yellowstone National Park worker has revealed the haunting final words written by his son at the top of a Wyoming mountain summit the day he vanished.
Austin King, 22, was last in contact with family on September 17 after reaching the summit of Eagle Peak in Wyoming — Yellowstone’s highest mountain — three days after he had set off. He called his relatives to tell them he had reached the height of the 3,500m peak but has not been seen or heard from since.
Now his father Brian King-Henke has released a note that reveals the struggle his son endured while climbing the hazardous peak, Cowboy State Daily reports.
The scribbled note read: “I can’t feel my fingers and my glasses are so fogged from the ruthless weather of the mountains.
“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.”
He concluded his registry diary entry: “Life is beautiful, get out and LIVE IT!” before signing his name and etching a smiley face beside it.
King had set off on his 7-day solo trek on September 14 after being dropped by boat at Terrace Point.
He made contact with a backcountry ranger at Howell Cr. cabin on September 16, the National Park Service said. But the interaction took place away from his original route, said The Daily Mail.
Superintendent Cam Sholly said on Friday that another extensive aerial search would take place along with on-the-ground teams looking at areas covered by snow a few weeks ago, reported Cowboy State Daily.
Snow is forecasted to fall from Thursday to Saturday but King’s father remains optimistic in the search for his son— who was carrying just a water bottle and sleeping bag — telling The Independent “he had to take matters into his own hands” with search efforts for his son.
“I asked God to send me an army — and he did,” he said, noting that more than 100 people have gotten involved.
King-Henke revealed that his son had left him a voicemail when he reached the summit, which he only listened to a week after King was declared missing.
Describing his son’s zest for life and adventurous spirit, he added: “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.”
King-Henke has organized a GoFundMe which has raised $11,725 so far in aid of his sons’ rescue and urged anyone “able-bodied” and an “experienced hiker” to volunteer in the search effort on Facebook.
The 22-year-old was supposed to return by boat on September 20 back to Grant Village – his home while he worked as an Xanterra Parks and Resorts employee in Yellowstone, Cowboy State Daily reported.
On October 2, the NPS announced that an extensive search composed of over 100 people including helicopters, search dogs, ground teams equipped with spotting scopes, trackers, as well as a drone, have so far been deployed to locate the man across a 3,225-mile search radius.
No definitive clues have yet been found.
The Independent contacted the NPS for comment.
