After the National Parks Service scaled back its search efforts for a missing 22-year-old man from Winona, his father organized a new, independent search team to find his son over the past couple of weeks, but as of Tuesday, that too is coming to an end for now.

Austin King embarked on a solo hike in a remote corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming in September, reaching the highest peak in the park before he disappeared.

His father, Brian King-Henke, traveled there to start his own search with a small group of experienced, volunteer climbers two weeks ago and from the ground, he’s gotten a clearer picture of the conditions his son was up against as he climbed more than 11,000 feet to summit Eagle Peak.

“There’s cliffs everywhere, there’s crevices, there’s holes,” King-Henke described in an interview from a campsite near Eagle Peak last week.

“My kid’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s smart, and he’s resourceful. He did his planning, but he didn’t have the experience that was needed to do this is what it’s come down to.”

Austin was last heard from in phone calls to family on Sept. 17, sharing the news that he made it.

King-Henke shared a journal entry that Austin made that same day. It was retrieved from a weatherproof box at the summit.

“I can’t feel my fingers and my glasses are so fogged from the ruthless weather…” Austin wrote, describing the conditions as the “most wind…and fog” he’s “ever felt.”

Before signing his name, Austin added, “I will never forget this day for the rest of my life…”

“Well, I’ve always told my kids, I go, ‘Don’t let anything hold you back, no matter what anybody tells you. If you truly believe in that, go do it,'” King-Henke said, reacting to reading his son’s journal entry.

“So, it’s 100% pride as a dad.”

After a two-week grassroots effort, King-Henke shared a picture of his final meal from Wyoming on Monday, which included a plate set aside for his son. Winter weather conditions officially put a pause on his independent search efforts, he said.

On Tuesday, he began the long drive back to Minnesota to spend time with Austin’s younger siblings as the reality that a recovery may not happen hit.

Still, King-Henke said he’ll be back after the snow is gone with more resources to help.

“That means our search right now is paused, and then we’re going to be meeting over the winter and setting up for a big search… We’re going to be pulling in a lot of people,” he said.

“I’m not giving it up for what we’re doing here.”

As of the last update, the National Parks Service was continuing its scaled-back recovery effort.

“The park does not expect to provide further updates unless a notable change occurs,” the Oct. 2 news release read.

“Although we will continue to hope for the best, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Austin’s family, friends and colleagues,” a statement attributed to Superintendent Cam Sholly read.

“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.”