The National Park Service is searching for 26-year-old Neil Gehring, who left the Madison Falls Trailhead on Aug. 31 for an off-trail traverse from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass and did not return as planned on Sept. 1. He was reported overdue on Sept. 2 and search efforts began immediately. Gehring is described as 5'5", about 130 lbs., with short black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call 888-653-0009 or email [email protected].
Missing Hiker: Search Underway for 26‑Year‑Old Neil Gehring After Off‑Trail Traverse at Olympic National Park
Neil GehringCredit: Courtesy of the National Park Service
Search teams from the National Park Service (NPS) and local partners are looking for 26-year-old Neil Gehring after he failed to return from a planned, one-day off-trail traverse at Olympic National Park in Washington.
Gehring departed the Madison Falls Trailhead on Monday, Aug. 31. According to his backcountry permit, he planned a cross-country route from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass and was expected to return to the trailhead the following day, Tuesday, Sept. 1. When he did not arrive as scheduled, he was reported overdue at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 and search operations began immediately.
Neil GehringCredit: Courtesy of the National Park Service
Search Details
The NPS confirmed search-and-rescue teams are actively working in the park's backcountry. Officials did not release operational specifics but noted that remote, off-trail terrain can present difficult conditions for search teams, including rugged topography and rapidly changing weather. Ground teams, volunteers and aerial resources may be used as conditions allow.
Description & Photos
According to a missing-person poster from the NPS, Neil Gehring is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, roughly 130 pounds, with short black hair, a slender build and brown eyes. The agency has shared photos that show Gehring smiling in casual outdoor clothing—one image in a quarter-zip fleece and another in gray athletic wear with a baseball cap and sunglasses against a mountain backdrop.
Missing-person flyer for Neil GehringCredit: Courtesy of the National Park Service
'Anyone who was in the area or has information that may assist the search is asked to call the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or email [email protected],' the NPS said.
An NPS spokesperson told PEOPLE on Sept. 6 that 'At this time, all available information is posted on our website.' Olympic National Park has also been contacted for updates as the search continues.
How You Can Help
If you were in the area between Aug. 31 and Sept. 2 or encountered a hiker matching Gehring's description along the Madison Falls to Appleton Pass route, please call 888-653-0009 or email [email protected]. Any tip, no matter how small, may be useful to investigators and search teams.
The NPS continues to coordinate resources and encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward.
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