PORT ANGELES — A search underway in Olympic National Park for a missing 78-year-old man from Beaver is expected to continue today.
Tuesday’s search for Duane Miles had found no sign of the missing hiker by 4:30 p.m., according to Lee Taylor, park spokesperson. If he was not found by dark, then the search would resume today, she said.
Miles had intended to take a day hike in the Lake Quinault area of the park a week ago, on Oct. 20, Taylor said. He was reported missing to park authorities at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday.
Miles, an experienced hiker who often went out into the park alone, told friends he intended to hike off-trail south of the Graves Creek Campground and exit near Graves Creek corral, Taylor said.
He did not intend to camp but instead to return that same day.
He was last seen on Oct. 19 in Amanda Park wearing black rain pants and a camouflage jacket. He was known to carry a dark-colored backpack.
Miles is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighs 185 pounds and has blue eyes.
The area he intended to hike “is pretty rugged. There’s no clear, open understory,” Taylor said.
Saturday evening, Ranger Jon Cummings investigated the immediate area of Miles’ vehicle, which is parked at the Graves Creek campground.
Cummings and a person who knows Miles, Bill White, continued the search during Sunday’s storm, hiking out to the Enchanted Valley Chalet and back without finding any sign of Miles, Taylor said.
The park search intensified on Monday, when the weather had cleared, and White and a group of others also continued looking for Miles, Taylor said.
The search on Tuesday included five dog teams as well as an estimated 20 ground searchers.
Partners in the search effort include the National Park Service, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Clallam County Search and Rescue, Kitsap County Search Dogs and German Shepherd search dogs, Taylor said.
Those with any information regarding Miles’ whereabouts are asked to contact the park tip line at 888-653-0009.
