Winona man, 22, missing after failing to return from hike in Yellowstone National Park

Authorities in Wyoming are searching for a man from Winona, Minnesota who failed to return from a seven-day backcountry trip at Yellowstone National Park.

Austin King, a 22-year-old concessions employee working at Yellowstone, was dropped off at Terrace Point by boat on Saturday for a planned seven-day backcountry trip to the summit of Eagle Peak in the park's remote southeast corner.

He was supposed to be picked up near Yellowstone Lake’s Southeast Arm on Friday afternoon but never arrived.

He was last heard from on Tuesday, Sept. 17, when he called a family member from the top of Eagle Peak.

King is 6’0" and weighs 160 lbs. He has brown hair and hazel eyes, wears glasses, a black sweatshirt, and gray pants, and has tattoos on his shoulder and forearm.

Family members, including King's father, have taken to Facebook to spread the word and ask for help in finding him.

A search and rescue effort began on Saturday morning, involving aerial reconnaissance and ground search operations in the high mountain areas of Eagle Peak and surrounding areas.

On Sunday, more than 20 ground searchers, two helicopters, unmanned air systems, and a search dog team focused their efforts near Eagle Peak. Saturday evening, rescuers discovered King’s camp and personal effects in the upper Howell Creek area.

King's father created a GoFundMe to raise money so he could continue looking for his son without worrying about missing work.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can contact the Yellowstone Interagency Communications Center at 307-344-2643.