A three-day search for a missing hiker culminated on Wednesday morning with the discovery of his body about a mile from the Kautz Creek trailhead. David Ossman, 45, of Mukilteo, Washington, evidently arrived in the park on Monday morning for a day hike. He was not planning to be out overnight and was dressed lightly in blue jeans, a flannel shirt and a jacket. Conditions were wet, with temperatures in the 30s and several feet of snow on the ground. Ranger Dan Camiccia found Ossman’s car parked at Kautz Creek late on Monday. When he investigated further, he found that his wife had reported him missing that afternoon. With daylight dwindling, there was time for only a cursory check of the area. A search was mounted the next day and by Wednesday morning had expanded to include more than 20 park staff and volunteers, with two dog teams assisting from German Shepherd Search Dogs of Washington. Rangers found and followed a single set of tracks to an elevation of 4,200 feet. The tracks then descended east of the trail to about 3,000 feet, where Ossman’s body was found.
