The body of a 26-year-old hiker who went missing in Washington state’s Olympic National Park was discovered almost two weeks after he started his backcountry journey. This came after the search teams received and analyzed new cellphone location data, according to officials.
Neil Gehring was found on the northwest slope of Mount Appleton, and his body was recovered by search-and-rescue teams on the evening of September 13. He had been taken to the Clallam County Coroner’s Office around 8 p.m. that same day.
Gehring had set out from the Madison Falls Trailhead on August 31, intending to return the following day, September 1. However, when he didn’t return, he was reported missing on September 2. The details surrounding his cellphone data and the circumstances surrounding his death have not been disclosed by the authorities.
His planned route included a cross-country trek from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass, and he was marked overdue early on September 1, prompting an immediate search effort. For the next several days, teams utilized aerial and ground searches, along with drones and dogs, in hopes of locating him.
By September 11, after failing to find Gehring, the park officials shifted their strategy to look for any new leads that might assist in the search. They also encouraged anyone who had information regarding his whereabouts to reach out.
Just two days later, the breakthrough came. The search team managed to locate Gehring after utilizing the additional cellphone data. Olympic National Park expressed appreciation for the efforts of the volunteer search-and-rescue teams involved in the mission.
As of now, there are no further details available about the case.
