Rangers continue investigation into missing hiker

Published 12:10 pm Thursday, March 20, 2014

Click here for previous story.

Olympic National Park Rangers continue to investigate the disappearance of day hiker Bryan Lee Johnston of Seattle, who was reported overdue on Aug. 28.

A search of the Lake Ozette area and adjacent Pacific Coast shoreline failed to uncover any clues to Johnston’s whereabouts.

Rangers continue to search for indications of Johnston’s plans or location. A photo of Johnston has been sent to hikers who had backcountry permits for the north coast and Ozette area and may have had contact with him.

Johnston, 71, left his home in Seattle and traveled to the Olympic Peninsula on Thursday, Aug. 22. Family members reported Johnston overdue on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Rangers located Johnston’s truck in the Ozette Ranger station parking lot early Wednesday, immediately following the report.

Ground searchers and a helicopter were involved in the search effort on Aug. 28, with additional ground searchers, boat searchers and two search dog teams added on Thursday. On Aug. 30, five teams of ground searchers and three dog teams from Pierce County Search and Rescue continued the intensive search.

Search efforts have been concentrated in the area of the popular nine-mile Ozette – Cape Alava – Sand Point – Ozette triangle hike, covered over 25 miles of the park’s Pacific Coast from Shi Shi Beach south to Norwegian Memorial, the Lake Ozette shoreline and nearby roads and trails.

Anyone with clues or information regarding Johnston’s whereabouts is asked to call Olympic National Park at -565-3120.

Johnston has white hair in a ponytail and blue eyes and is 5 feet 10 inches tall. Family members describe him as active and physically fit. He is believed to have been wearing blue jeans and carrying a black day pack.