No clues found to missing hiker's whereabouts

Sunday, October 31, 2021 1:30am

PORT ANGELES — An extensive search Saturday turned up no sign of a hiker who has been missing for over a week in Olympic National Park.

The search will continue today for Duane Miles, 78, of Beaver, who was last seen on Oct. 19 at the Graves Creek trailhead.

Searches on Friday and Saturday involved more than 30 personnel from a wide array of organizations and included ground searchers, dog teams and aircraft from Hillsboro Aviation.

"We came away empty-handed," said Lee Taylor, park spokesperson, Saturday afternoon.

Miles is a fit and very skilled hiker who often travels alone off-trail looking for shed elk antlers, Taylor has said.

His vehicle is parked at the Graves Creek Campground and the search was focused in that area, circling out from there.

The terrain in this area is thick with vegetation and has very wet, uneven ground, Taylor said.

"The dense understory and tall trees make both ground and air searching challenging, especially when looking for someone off trail," she said.

National Park Service staff from four area parks were joined Saturday by searchers from volunteer search and rescue organizations from across the region: Olympic Mountain Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue, Hood River SAR, Bellingham Mountain Rescue, Clark County SAR, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and Skagit County Ground SAR.

The Washington State Search and Rescue Planning Unit has also been providing valuable assistance developing search strategy.

Anyone who has visited the Graves Creek area since Oct. 19 or who has information regarding the whereabouts of Duane Miles is asked to call 888-653-0009.