Search at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park moves from rescue to recovery

News Release Date:
September 24, 2021

Contact:Morgan Warthin, (307) 344-2015

9/24 Update: Search at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park moves from rescue to recovery

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - After five days of searching, efforts to locate Kim Crumbo at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park transition from rescue to recovery today, Sept. 24.

During the last five days, crews swept all the trails in the area, searched the entire Shoshone Lake shoreline by boat and gridded the open water by helicopter. Unfortunately, they did not find Crumbo.

Today, crews from the National Park Service's Submerged Resources Center will begin using sonar equipment to detect clues in the water. Park search crews continue to search for Crumbo by foot and boat, with assistance from Grand Teton National Park's interagency helicopter. Recovery efforts will continue for the next several days as conditions warrant.

This incident remains under investigation. While we cannot comment further about the specifics of this investigation, we will provide updates when appropriate to do so.

If you have information that could help investigators piece together a timeline of events, or if you were in the Shoshone Lake area between Sept. 12-19, please contact us, if you have not already, at 307-344-2428 or [email protected].

A sincere thank you to the public who have expressed interest in assisting with the search. We ask the public to maintain distance from any law enforcement personnel and search crews, equipment, vehicles and their related activity for the safety of the public in this remote area and to protect the integrity of our work.

Visit search and recovery at Shoshone Lake for a history of the incident.

Editor's Note: Find photos of the crews at Shoshone Lake here.

9/23 Update: Fatality, active search and rescue at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park search and rescue personnel continue to look for 74-year-old Kim Crumbo by foot, boat and Grand Teton National Park's interagency helicopter at Shoshone Lake and will continue for the next several days as conditions warrant.

Crews located the body of Mark O'Neill along the east shore of Shoshone Lake Monday, Sept. 20 after he and Crumbo failed to return from a four-day backcountry canoe trip. A family member reported the men were overdue on Sept. 19. O'Neill's cause of death has not been determined.

Yellowstone National Park extends our heartfelt condolences to Mark O'Neill's family and loved ones. Our thoughts are with them as they mourn.

This incident remains under investigation. While we cannot comment further about the specifics of this investigation, we will provide updates when appropriate to do so.

If you have information that could help investigators piece together a timeline of events, or if you were in the Shoshone Lake area between Sept. 12-19 and saw O'Neill and Crumbo, please contact us at 307-344-2428 or [email protected].

A sincere thank you to the public who have expressed interest in assisting with the search. We ask the public to maintain distance from any law enforcement personnel and search crews, equipment, vehicles and their related activity for the safety of the public in this remote area and to protect the integrity of our work.

Editor's Note: Find photos of the search and rescue crews at Shoshone Lake here.

9/22 Update: Fatality, active search and rescue at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - Park search and rescue personnel continue to look for Crumbo by foot, helicopter and boat at Shoshone Lake and will continue for the next several days as conditions warrant.

This incident still remains under investigation. While we cannot comment further about the specifics of this investigation, we will provide updates when appropriate to do so.

We ask the public to maintain distance from any law enforcement personnel, equipment, vehicles and their related activity for the safety of the public in this remote area and to protect the integrity of our work.

9/21 News Release: Fatality, active search and rescue at Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - Park search and rescue crews located the body of Mark O'Neill along the east shore of Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park Monday, Sept. 20.

O'Neill, 67, from Chimacum, Washington, and his half-brother, Kim Crumbo, 74, from Ogden, Utah, were reported overdue by a family member Sunday, Sept. 19 from their four-night backcountry trip to Shoshone Lake.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, park crews located a vacant campsite with gear on the south side of Shoshone Lake, as well as a canoe, paddle, PFD and other personal belongings on the east shore of the lake. Crews located the body of O'Neill along the east shore during the morning of Monday, Sept. 20.

Search and rescue efforts continue with 10 crew members on foot in the area Tuesday, Sept. 21 to locate Crumbo. A Grand Teton National Park interagency helicopter and crew are also assisting with search efforts.

Both O'Neill and Crumbo are National Park Service (NPS) retirees, and Crumbo is a former Navy Seal.

This incident remains under investigation. While we cannot comment further about the specifics of this investigation, we will provide updates when appropriate to do so. We ask the public to maintain distance from any law enforcement personnel, equipment, vehicles and their related activity for the safety of the public in this remote area and to protect the integrity of our work.

Shoshone Lake, the park's second-largest lake, is located at the head of the Lewis River southwest of West Thumb. At 8,050 acres (3,258 ha), its average year-round temperature is about 48 F (9 C). Survival time is estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in water of this temperature. Learn more about boating regulations and safety in the park.

Editor's Note: No photos of this incident are available.

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