Dense vegetation and steep drop-offs hampered the search for Matt Thoke in Sequoia National Park/NPS

The body of a hiker gone missing in Sequoia National Park three weeks ago has been recovered not far from where he was last seen, while Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Obed Wild and Scenic River also recorded visitor fatalities.

Sequoia National Park

Matt Thoke, 43, of Newport Beach, California, had been hiking with friends when he deliberately parted ways with them at Bearpaw Meadow on July 21, with the stated intention of hiking out to Crescent Meadow via the High Sierra Trail on his own. He was last seen at about 1 p.m. that day, at which time he was traveling downhill and south off of the High Sierra Trail, about three miles east of the Crescent Meadow Trailhead, leaving his pack behind. The search was initiated that afternoon after Thoke failed to return to his pack.  

Approximately 75 people were involved in the search for Thoke. Searchers used a broad range of search techniques, including ground search and rescue teams deployed for multiple days, aerial searches via helicopter and unmanned aerial systems, infrared flights, canine search teams, trail containment, technical/mountaineering searches, and investigations. On August 2 the decision was made to scale back the search. At the time, officials said ground searchers had been challenged throughout the process by terrain so steep, densely vegetated, and full of tripping and slipping hazards as to often be impassable even for skilled and experienced searchers.

This past Saturday, trained searchers assisting the Thoke family were able to locate his body in a location not visible by air and hardly visible on the ground, not far from where he was last seen, in technical terrain, a park release said.

“We are saddened by this conclusion but are grateful for all the agencies, organizations, friends and family who worked on this effort,” said Clay Jordan, superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. “It often takes a village to bring things to a close. We ask that the public and press continue to respect the family’s privacy in this extremely difficult time.”

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

A 34-year-old Columbia, Tennessee, resident died from injuries sustained by a 100-foot fall while free-climbing with a friend in the vicinity of Twin Arches on Sunday, August 8.

The body was recovered with assistance from local emergency responders as well as staff from Obed Wild & Scenic River, and then transported to Big South Fork Medical Center in Oneida, Tennessee.

Additional information regarding the deceased man will be released after family notifications have been made.

Obed Wild and Scenic River

At approximately 8:45 p.m. on August 1 a 32-year-old male visitor was last seen fishing from an inflatable kayak in calm water. The victim had a life jacket in the boat but was not wearing it and reportedly could not swim. Shortly thereafter his kayak was seen floating upside down.

A search by park staff and local agencies ensued but was unsuccessful that evening. The search resumed around 7 a.m. on August 2. The victim's body was located around 1:20 p.m. an underwater drone near the point last seen in approximately 4.5 feet of water. The victim's body was transported to the bank where he was pronounced dead by the medical examiner.

The incident is still under investigation and an autopsy will be performed, but observations thus far support accidental drowning as the cause of death, a park release said.

Visitors are reminded that rivers can be deadly, even if the water looks calm. It is essential to always wear a personal floatation device and know your abilities and water conditions before entering the water.