2nd Hiker Found Dead on Katahdin 1 Day After Father’s Remains Were Discovered Off Abol Trail

Esther Keiderling, a 28-year-old hiker from Ulster Park, NY, was found dead on the slopes of Maine’s highest peak Wednesday afternoon, roughly 24 hours after her father’s remains were discovered nearby.

Tim Keiderling, 58, also of Ulster Park, had set out with his daughter Esther to summit Katahdin early on Sunday morning, but family members reportedly alerted authorities when they did not hear from the pair that evening.

A large-scale search was initiated on Monday morning, but no trace of either missing hiker was found until Tuesday, when Tim Keiderling’s body was discovered on the Tablelands, a relatively flat area near the summit of Katahdin and the same area where the pair had last been seen by other hikers on Sunday morning.

The search for Esther continued until today, when authorities discovered her body in a wooded area of the Tablelands between two known trails. Authorities have not released details regarding the Keiderlings’ cause of death. 

An extensive search party, including Baxter State Park rangers, the Maine Warden Service Search and Rescue team, the Maine Warden Service K9 team, the Maine Forest Service, and the Maine Army National Guard, participated in the search.

According to local news outlet WMTW, Esther Keiderling had posted on Saturday about her plans to hike Katahdin with her father, saying she was nervous about tackling the notoriously difficult Abol Trail but planned to move forward with the hike if the weather was favorable. “If you don’t see me back on Substack notes again, that’s where I am,” she wrote.

“We understand that many of our social media followers share in our profound sadness for the family and friends of Tim and Esther Keiderling,” said Baxter State Park in a press release. “We appreciate your support for their loved ones and the members of the search teams during this incredibly difficult time.”

Search and Rescue Organization Issues “Open Challenge” to Community  in Wake of Tragedy

Amid an outpouring of grief at the news of the Keiderlings’ deaths, Franklin County, Maine Search and Rescue has called for more community members to get involved with local search and rescue.

“Amidst the sadness this week at the tragic loss of two hikers in Baxter State Park, it has been encouraging to see so many of you expressing wishes to help in times of need such as this,” the organization wrote in a call to action on social media. “Help us help others and turn your passions into action. We rely on dedicated folks such as yourselves to maintain a robust pool of first responders for backcountry emergencies.”

Featured image: Tim and Esther Keiderling pictured in a photo released by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

This article was updated on June 5, 2025 to include a call to action from Franklin County Search and Rescue.