The body of a 61-year-old man was discovered in Yosemite National Park more than 20 days after he was expected to return from his solo hike.
Yosemite National Park announced in a Facebook post on Thursday that rangers were looking for Kirk Thomas-Olsen, who had gone missing on a planned back trip around the Ostrander Lake Area from August 23 to 27. A day later, a niece of Thomas-Olsen said in a Facebook post that his body had been found, and on Saturday officials confirmed his death but provided no further information.
Kirk S. Thomas-Olsen
(National Park Service)
Thomas-Olsen traveled from San Luis Obispo to the park and left a note on his vehicle announcing when he would return, his niece Holly Leeson said San Francisco Chronicle. He was declared missing when park rangers discovered the note Thursday, she said.
Leeson then signed on Facebook to ask for the public’s help to find his uncle. She described Thomas-Olsen as an “experienced hiker and former park ranger” and said her family was “struggling to understand what has happened to him out there” in the national park.
The trail he reportedly followed includes an 11.4-mile loop that takes an estimated 8 to 10 hours to complete and includes a gentle incline through forest and meadow, according to the National Park Service.
Part of the trail climbs to an elevation of 1,500 feet.
Thomas-Olsen previously worked as a park ranger at Hearst San Simeon State Park in San Luis Obispo County, his family told the Chronicle.
On Friday, Leeson updated Yosemite Tourist Information Facebook page to confirm that her uncle had died.
“His body was found which is not the outcome we as a family were hoping for but I would like to say a sincere thank you to Yosemite National Park for their diligent efforts to find him, and to this community for their support,” Leeson wrote.
While her uncle was an experienced hiker, Leeson added, “unfortunately, Mother Nature in all her glory does not take past experience into account, and solo hiking is never an endeavor that is without risk.”
“Please, whenever possible, travel with a companion and be safe,” Leeson wrote.
The National Park Service did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.