The body of a 61-year-old man was found in Yosemite National Park more than 20 days after waiting for him to return from a solo hike.
Yosemite National Park Announced in a Facebook post on Thursday that engineers were searching for Kirk Thomas-Olsen, who disappeared between Aug. 23 and Aug. 27 during a planned trip to the Ostrander Lake area. A day later, Thomas-Olsen’s cousin said in a Facebook post that his body had been found, and on Saturday authorities confirmed his death but provided no further details.
St. Thomas Olsen Church
(National Park Service)
Thomas-Olsen traveled to the park from San Luis Obispo and left a note on her car saying when she would return, said her niece, Holly Leeson. Chronicle of San FranciscoHe said the note was reported missing when park rangers discovered it Thursday.
Leeson later published Facebook asks people for help to find his uncle. He described Thomas-Olsen as “an experienced hiker and former park ranger” and said his family in the national park were “struggling to understand what happened to him there.”
According to the National Park Service, the trail he followed is an 11.4-mile loop that takes eight to 10 hours to complete and includes a gentle incline through forests and meadows.
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 the death of his uncle.
“His body has been found, which is not the outcome we as a family were hoping for, but I want to express my sincere gratitude to Yosemite National Park for their tireless efforts to locate him and to this community for their support,” Leeson said.
While his uncle was an experienced hiker, Leeson added, “Unfortunately, Mother Nature in all her glory does not rely on past experience, and hiking alone is never a risk-free endeavor.”
“Please travel with your companion whenever possible and stay safe,” Leeson wrote.
The National Park Service did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.
