Yong Chun Kim, 66, was leading a snowshoe walk for a hiking group from Tacoma Saturday afternoon, January 14, 2012, when he slipped down a steep slope. He was unable to ascend back to the group and told them he would go around an meet them. His hiking companions returned to Paradise, and when Mr. Kim had not returned by 3:00, the National Park Service initiated a search, which continued on Sunday and Monday, ultimately involving more than 100 people.
Mr. Kim is an experienced snowshoer who has done many day trips at Mount Rainier. He was well equipped for day travel but did not have overnight gear or experience. The search took place in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 4,000-6,000 feet. The weather was wintery, with fresh snow each day, low temperatures in the teens, and high winds.
Missing NPF Stories
Connected Missing NPF News:
None connected.
Personal Characteristics
Male
66 years old
Classification: SNOWSHOER
Investigative Overview
Foul Play Suspected: No
Suspected Suicide: No
Cause of Death: Believed Alive / Not Dead
Significant Dates
Reported missing on January 14, 2012 - 4158 days, 13 hours, 48 minutes ago
Found on January 16, 2012 - 4156 days, 13 hours, 48 minutes ago
This case file was posted on
Jun 17, 2021 at 07:20
This case file was last modified on
Jun 17, 2021 at 08:05
This case file has been assigned the Missing Persons ID 4787
Disclaimer
Missing NPF Public Notice
Missing NPF lists “Foul Play Suspected,” “Suspected Suicide,” “Cause of Death,” and other elements of data in association with public reporting. These settings do not reflect the opinions of Missing NPF and/or its staff. Unless explicitly noted, Missing NPF does not publicize opinion, nor are any of the initial reports written – or edited – by members of Missing NPF. All content (with the exception of “IMPORTANT” notices, listed toward the top of applicable case files) are the works of external persons, sources and/or entities. All pictures displayed on this case file have been downloaded from the public domain, unless a user has commented or otherwise transmitted a picture to Missing NPF or its social media accounts. Case updates are derived from external persons, sources, and/or entities, and do not reflect the internal work of Missing NPF, unless expressly noted.
Judaea Rojo
July 10, 2021 at 11:13 pm1/16/12 Update: Yong Chun Kim was found alive and well. More here: https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/lost-snowshoer-rescued.htm