The grieving family of a former park ranger is warning that no one can take his safety for granted after it took nearly three weeks to find his body in the Yosemite wilderness.
Kirk Thomas Olsen, 61, was a seasoned backpacker and former employee of Hearst San Simeon State Park in California.
But he disappeared during a four-day solo hike along the Ostrander Lake Trailhead in Yosemite on August 27 after wandering off the path.
Since 2007, more than 160 people have died in the 3,000-square-kilometer park, many of them while traveling alone.
“Take as many precautions as you can because even with all the experience in the world, sometimes it doesn’t guarantee your safety,” said his cousin Holly Leeson.
Kirk Thomas Olsen, 61, pictured with cousin Holly Leeson, was found dead Saturday in Yosemite, nearly three weeks after he set out for the Ostrander Lake trailhead
The 17.7-kilometer trail has a climb of 457 meters and is described as ‘difficult’ by the NPS
Olsen had driven from his home in San Luis Obispo to the park on August 23 for a five-day hike.
He left a note on his car saying he expected to be back on August 27, but when he failed to appear, the alarm was raised.
He planned to take the challenging hike along Ostrander Lake, which would take in the granite domes of Mount Starr King and the Clark Range.
Olsen was 1.83 meters tall, weighed 86 kilos and was an experienced backpacker.
Researchers believe he wandered off the trail and became lost while trying to find his way back.
But the 11-mile (17.7-kilometer) trail has a 1,500-foot (457-meter) climb and is classified as “strenuous” by the National Parks Service.
“There is no drinking water available along this trail,” it warns on its website. “Drinking water is available seasonally at Glacier Point, shortly after the trail opens in the spring through early fall.”
A few days earlier, hikers Ana Rodarte, 40, and Miguel Delgado, 63, disappeared during what was expected to be a two-hour hike to Ostrander Lake.
But it took more than 48 hours for four search dogs, 64 ground searchers and an aircraft to find the animals alive in the scorching heat.
In late July, 20-year-old Grace Rohloff died when she fell 200 feet from the infamous Half Dome after losing her balance while descending cables on the cliff.
She and her father Jonathan Rohloff were both experienced hikers, but they had slowed their descent to accommodate less experienced climbers and became stuck in a rain shower.
He immediately scrambled down to follow her, but was unable to make it down the steep mountain to where the University of Arizona student was stranded.
It took three hours for rescue teams to reach Grace, who had suffered serious head injuries.
“It was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever seen,” said hiker Erin McGlynn.
McGlynn, 20, was one of the other hikers Rohloff encountered as he desperately prayed for his daughter’s safety.
“It was also one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen. He was able to pull himself together, just in case he could give her some comfort. He did everything he could,” she added.
Hundreds of people joined the search for Olsen as alarms went off and concerns grew for his safety.
“He’s a wonderful person and I found him very insightful and informative, very kind,” said a former visitor to San Simeon, where he worked as an interpreter and led elephant seal tours.
In late July, the park claimed the life of Grace Rohloff, 20, who fell 200 feet from the infamous Half Dome while climbing with her father Jonathan
Since 2006, at least six people, including the student, have died after rainstorms left the surface of Half Dome (pictured) slippery
Grace and her father were experienced hikers, pictured here in the last photo of them during their climb, but they were caught in a rain storm while waiting for slower hikers to descend
“He is an experienced hiker and former park ranger and as a family we are struggling to figure out what happened to him there,” Leeson wrote on Facebook.
But his body was found Saturday morning by detectives, who suspect he wandered off the trail and got lost trying to find his way back.
“I would like to sincerely thank Yosemite National Park for their diligent efforts to find him, and the community for their support,” his niece wrote.
“He was passionate not only about enjoying nature himself, but also about educating others about the world and their environment,” she added. “He really loved sharing that kind of information with people.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature in all her glory does not take past experiences into account and walking alone is never a risk-free undertaking.
‘If possible, travel with a companion and be safe.
“The Earth is beautiful and I will always support our national park system and the opportunities they provide to see nature at its best. But please take the necessary precautions and be safe in all your activities.”
