Cause of Death Revealed for Second Hiker Found Dead on Katahdin This Month

The cause of death has been revealed for Tim Keiderling, 58, the hiker who died on Maine’s Katahdin earlier this month along with his daughter Esther, 28 (both of Ulster Park, New York). The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled that he died from complications related to hypothermia. 

Esther Keiderling’s death was ruled last week to have been caused by blunt force injuries, likely resulting from her sliding downhill and colliding with boulders below the trail.

The pair set out to summit Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak, on June 1 but never returned to their car and were reported missing, triggering an extensive search. Tim’s remains were found two days after the pair set out for a day hike to the summit, and Esther was found dead the day after. Both hikers were discovered within about a thousand feet of each other on Katahdin’s Tablelands, a relatively flat area near the summit of Baxter Peak and the same area where they were last seen alive on the morning of June 1.

Challenging Conditions — Even in June

Conditions on the day of their hike reportedly included heavy winds, rain, snow, and freezing wind chill temperatures. Both Keiderlings were described as experienced hikers with appropriate gear, but the challenging terrain and unpredictable weather on Katahdin make it a notoriously dangerous trek. 

Officials believe the pair successfully reached Baxter Peak but got off trail about three-tenths of a mile from the summit on their descent, right around the area where Tim Keiderling’s body was found.

“It appears that Esther continued downhill off trail and attempted to traverse the boulder area, which was steep and snow covered, and slid downhill until she collided with large boulders,” a Baxter State Park spokesperson said. “Based on the temperatures and other weather conditions on June 1, the snow field was likely extremely icy and almost impossible to navigate without traction foot gear such as crampons or microspikes.”

In a statement released last week, Tim Keiderling’s son Timothy thanked search and rescue personnel for their efforts to find Tim and Esther and bring a degree of closure to the grieving family. “We are extremely grateful for the professional and immediate response of the search teams and the investigation that followed,” he said.

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