Hiker Found Dead in Maine, Daughter Is Still Missing
A New York man who went missing while going hiking in Maine over the weekend was found dead on Tuesday--and his daughter remains unaccounted for.
A search team recovered the body of Tim Keiderling, 58, of Ulster Park, N.Y., at around 2:45 p.m. ET yesterday, according to a social media post from Baxter State Park.
Keiderling and his daughter Esther, 28, were last seen around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, the day they left their campground at the Maine state park and attempted to hike to the summit of Mount Katahdin.
Park rangers began searching for the missing duo on Monday, with game wardens, the Maine Army National Guard, and a search and rescue team with a K-9 crew joining the fold Tuesday, according to CBSNews.com.
Tim's body was found near Mount Katahdin's 5,269-foot summit, but Esther is still missing, with Baxter State Park saying search efforts are still underway to locate her whereabouts.
"We know that many of our social media followers share in our deep sadness for the family and friends of Tim Keiderling, and appreciate your support as a teams continues the search for Esther," the park said in a statement.
The official Baxter State Park website lists the Katahdin Trail as a "very strenuous climb, no matter which trailhead you choose." The average round trip time for a Katahdin hike is 8-12 hours.
Additionally, the park warns that 75% of serious search and rescue incidents, including fatalities, occur because a hiker left the trail. An estimated 80% of all search and rescues happen on a hiker's descent from the summit, rather than on ascent.
All Katahdin trails are currently closed until further notice, the park announced.