Search for missing Winona man in Yellowstone National Park scaling back

The search for a missing Minnesota man in Yellowstone National Park who’s been missing for 11 days is scaling back, according to authorities.

Yellowstone National Park officials say they are transitioning from rescue to recovery efforts to find 22-year-old Austin King from Winona.

More than 100 personnel, including two helicopters, search dog teams, ground teams with spotting scopes, trackers and a drone, have searched more than 3,225 miles by air and ground at elevations ranging from 8,400 to 11,350 feet.

Authorities state they have not found any definitive information about King’s whereabouts.

King was an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which is a private business in Yellowstone. Officials say he didn’t arrive for his boat pickup near Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm on Sept. 20 after his planned seven-day solo trip to summit Eagle Peak.

Limited search efforts will continue in the future as conditions warrant, according to Yellowstone. The park said they will not provide any further updates unless a notable change occurs.

“Despite significant search efforts over the past week and a half, we have not been able to locate Austin,” said Superintendent Cam Sholly. “Although we will continue to hope for the best, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Austin’s family, friends and colleagues. I also want to thank the teams from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and Park and Teton counties, Wyoming, who have all worked tirelessly to find Austin in some of the most difficult and remote terrain in Yellowstone.”