(BAXTER STATE PARK, Maine) — A man and his daughter were found dead following an extensive, dayslong search after they went missing while attempting to hike to the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine, officials said.
Tim Keiderling and Esther Keiderling, both of Ulster Park, New York, set out to hike the summit on Sunday, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.
They were last seen Sunday morning on the Katahdin Tablelands heading toward the summit, which is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and located in Baxter State Park.
Baxter State Park rangers began searching for them Monday morning after their vehicle was still found parked at the trailhead in the day-use parking lot, park officials said.
The search on Katahdin expanded Tuesday to include the help of dozens of Maine game wardens, including the Maine Warden Service Search and Rescue team, and the Maine Warden Service K9 team. The Maine Forest Service and the Maine Army National Guard also responded as part of an aerial search.
The body of Tim Keiderling, 58, was found Tuesday afternoon, officials said. A Maine Warden Service K9 search team located him at approximately 2:24 p.m. on the Tablelands near the summit of Katahdin, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said.
The body of his 28-year-old daughter was found at approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday in a wooded area of Katahdin’s Tableland between two known trails, officials said.
Additional details will be released later Wednesday after search crews return to the base area, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said.
“We understand that many of our social media followers share in our profound sadness for the family and friends of Tim and Esther Keiderling,” Baxter State Park said in a statement on Facebook. “We appreciate your support for their loved ones and the members of the search teams during this incredibly difficult time.”
Baxter State Park notes on its website that hiking Katahdin “is a very strenuous climb, no matter which trailhead you choose.” The average round-trip time for a Katahdin hike is eight to 12 hours, it said.
All Katahdin trailhead trails are currently closed until further notice, the park said.
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