Following an intensive multi-agency search, authorities at Olympic National Park confirmed that the body of a 26-year-old hiker who vanished nearly two weeks prior was located on Sunday evening.
The hiker, identified as Neil Gehring, originally set out from Madison Falls Trailhead on August 31 for an overnight backcountry excursion. His intended itinerary involved a cross-country trek stretching from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass, with plans to head back the following day.
Search operations spanned 10 days and involved coordinated ground crews, aerial units, K-9 teams, and specialized drone technology to scan remote and rugged terrain. The search teams located Gehring’s body on the northwest slope of Mount Appleton after obtaining additional cellphone location coordinates that helped narrow down his position.
The extensive search was spearheaded by the National Park Service alongside search-and-rescue personnel from Seattle Mountain Rescue.
Following recovery, Gehring’s body was transferred to the Clallam County Coroner’s office, which has not yet issued an official determination regarding the cause of death.
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