Father found dead, daughter missing after they went hiking on mountain in Maine

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(WJW) — A New York man was found dead and his daughter remains missing after the pair went hiking on Mount Katahdin in Maine over the weekend.

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 58-year-old Tim Keiderling and his daughter, 28-year-old Esther Keiderling, went missing after leaving the Abol Campground in Baxter State Park to hike to the Mount Katahdin summit.

58-year-old Tim Keiderling and his daughter, 28-year-old Esther Keiderling
(Courtesy of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)

They left the campground around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday.

Park rangers started a search for the hikers on Monday morning after realizing their vehicle was still in the same parking lot.

Officials said more than 30 game wardens, a K-9 unit and helicopters flown by Maine Forest Service and the Maine Army National Guard joined the widespread search.

In a Tuesday update, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said Tim Keiderling’s body was discovered by the K-9 unit on the Katahdin Tablelands, near the summit.

The search continued Wednesday for his daughter. Anyone with information should reach out to the Houlton State Police at 207-532-5400.

According to the National Park Service, Mount Katahdin, which means “Greatest Mountain,” is the highest in the state, peaking at 5,269 feet. Baxter State Park describes the hiking trails there as “a very strenuous climb, no matter which trailhead you choose.”

Missing

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