Latest news with #RiftonEquipment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family Speaks Out After Dad and Daughter Found Dead on Hike: ‘Days Have Been Filled with Endless Hours of Heartache'
The family of Tim and Esther Keiderling, the father and daughter who died while hiking in Maine, has spoken out Heinrich Arnold, Tim's brother-in-law, said the 'heartbreaking tragedy' has been "difficult to fully grasp" Tim and Esther's bodies were discovered on Mount Katahdin on June 3 and June 4, respectivelyThe family of Tim and Esther Keiderling, the father and daughter who died while hiking in Maine, has spoken out about the tragedy. In a statement shared via the family's New York-based church, Tim's brother-in-law, Heinrich Arnold, thanked community members for their 'outpouring of prayers and support" after the "heartbreaking tragedy." Explaining that Tim, a father of six, and Esther's deaths have been "difficult to fully grasp," he continued, "Both were taken from us far too soon, and we are all left asking: 'Why?' " "One comfort to the family is knowing that Tim and Esther were doing something they both were passionate about: being near to God, surrounded by expansive views and visions, immersed in nature, in the raw and wild beauty of creation," added Arnold. The relative also said: "The last few days have been filled with endless hours of heartache and prayer as we prayed for God's protection and his comfort in this loss." Joe Keiderling, Tim's brother, told NBC News that his sibling was "utterly unique." The pair both worked for the medical supply company Rifton Equipment. "Many young men and women remember him as an elementary school teacher who could hold them spellbound with wildly imaginative stories and escapades in the woods and fields of the Hudson Valley he called home," Joe continued. Of Esther, Joe said his niece was quiet but "deeply sensitive," telling NBC News, "She loved reading and writing, with a particular fondness for the poets Gerard Manley Hopkins and Edna St. Vincent Millay." Tim, 58, and Esther, 28, both of Ulster Park, N.Y., were last seen on Sunday, June 1, at around 10:15 a.m. local time. They had set out from the Abol Campground to hike Mount Katahdin, according to a statement from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Days later, on Tuesday, June 3, authorities updated the statement, writing that a Maine Warden Service K9 search team found Tim's body near the summit of the mountain, but his daughter remained missing. The organization updated the statement again the following day on Wednesday, June 4, announcing that searchers had found Esther's body. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Baxter State Park website describes the Katahdin trail as a 'very strenuous climb, no matter which trailhead you choose,' adding that it can take an average of eight to 12 hours to hike round-trip. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife did not respond to PEOPLE's request for further updates on Friday, June 6. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Father and daughter found dead on Maine hike were long drawn to mountain, family says
A New York father and daughter whose bodies were found on a mountain in Maine earlier this week had planned the hike while on a work trip. Tim Keiderling, 58, of Ulster Park, was found dead Tuesday in the Tablelands area on Mount Katahdin. The body of his 28-year-old daughter, Esther Keiderling, was discovered Wednesday afternoon about 1,000 feet away, between two trails off the Tablelands, Baxter State Park said. Tim was a father of six and a grandfather of two. He and Esther were very close, Tim's brother, Joe Keiderling, said. They both worked for Rifton Equipment, a New York-based medical supply company. "Tim was utterly unique," the brother said in a statement Thursday. "Many young men and women remember him as an elementary school teacher who could hold them spellbound with wildly imaginative stories and escapades in the woods and fields of the Hudson Valley he called home." In his free time, Tim enjoyed tending and growing fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries, and was a beekeeper. His faith was important to him, his brother said. Tim was a member of the Bruderhof Communities, a Christian community in which people share all their possessions, including money, its website states. "At church gatherings, Tim was a regular contributor, not only as a lay pastor but as a gifted storyteller, bringing life and vitality to familiar Bible stories and making them relevant to the issues of the day," Joe said. "At home, he was the consummate host and loved nothing more than lively conversation and a great laugh." Esther was quiet but "deeply sensitive," Joe said. "She loved reading and writing, with a particular fondness for the poets Gerard Manley Hopkins and Edna St. Vincent Millay," her uncle said. She kept a WordPress blog and wrote posts on the platform Substack. On Saturday, she wrote a post on Substack that she and her father were in Maine for a sales trip and had planned a hike, WMTW reported. She said she was "a little nervous" about the hike because of everything she had read about the Abol Trail, according to the news station. Joe Keiderling confirmed to NBC News that the pair had traveled to Maine for work for trainings for therapists on adaptive equipment for kids with disabilities. He said they decided to take a weekend vacation and "climb a mountain that had always attracted them." The park said the pair went missing Sunday after they left Abol Campground to hike the summit. The trail's difficulty is listed as very strenuous on the park's website. Water is limited after the first mile, and the trail is fully exposed after two and a half miles, it says. Authorities launched an extensive search Monday after their vehicle was found parked in a day-use lot. A park official said Thursday that the medical examiner's office will determine how the pair died. There is no evidence of criminal activity, the official said, and investigators are trying to determine why the bodies were found apart. This article was originally published on
NBC News
5 days ago
- General
- NBC News
Father and daughter found dead on Maine hike were long drawn to mountain, family says
A New York father and daughter whose bodies were found on a mountain in Maine earlier this week had planned the hike while on a work trip. Tim Keiderling, 58, of Ulster Park, was found dead Tuesday in the Tablelands area on Mount Katahdin. The body of his 28-year-old daughter, Esther Keiderling, was discovered Wednesday afternoon about 1,000 feet away, between two trails off the Tablelands, Baxter State Park said. Tim was a father of six and a grandfather of two. He and Esther were very close, Tim's brother, Joe Keiderling, said. They both worked for Rifton Equipment, a New York-based medical supply company. "Tim was utterly unique," the brother said in a statement Thursday. "Many young men and women remember him as an elementary school teacher who could hold them spellbound with wildly imaginative stories and escapades in the woods and fields of the Hudson Valley he called home." In his free time, Tim enjoyed tending and growing fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries, and was a beekeeper. His faith was important to him, his brother said. Tim was a member of the Bruderhof Communities, a Christian community in which people share all their possessions, including money, its website states. "At church gatherings, Tim was a regular contributor, not only as a lay pastor but as a gifted storyteller, bringing life and vitality to familiar Bible stories and making them relevant to the issues of the day," Joe said. "At home, he was the consummate host and loved nothing more than lively conversation and a great laugh." Esther was quiet but "deeply sensitive," Joe said. "She loved reading and writing, with a particular fondness for the poets Gerard Manley Hopkins and Edna St. Vincent Millay," her uncle said. She kept a WordPress blog and wrote posts on the platform Substack. On Saturday, she wrote a post on Substack that she and her father were in Maine for a sales trip and had planned a hike, WMTW reported. She said she was "a little nervous" about the hike because of everything she had read about the Abol Trail, according to the news station. Joe Keiderling confirmed to NBC News that the pair had traveled to Maine for work for trainings for therapists on adaptive equipment for kids with disabilities. He said they decided to take a weekend vacation and "climb a mountain that had always attracted them." The park said the pair went missing Sunday after they left Abol Campground to hike the summit. The trail's difficulty is listed as very strenuous on the park's website. Water is limited after the first mile, and the trail is fully exposed after two and a half miles, it says. Authorities launched an extensive search Monday after their vehicle was found parked in a day-use lot. A park official said Thursday that the medical examiner's office will determine how the pair died. There is no evidence of criminal activity, the official said, and investigators are trying to determine why the bodies were found apart.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
2 hikers die on Maine mountain amid treacherous weather
Rescue crews have found the bodies of two hikers who went missing after attempting to summit Mount Katahdin over the weekend amid cold, windy and wet weather. Mount Katahdin is the tallest mountain in Maine, located in the remote area of Baxter State Park, and is known for dangerous conditions when the weather isn't clear and dry. "Tim Keiderling and his daughter, Esther, went missing on a hike over the weekend after encountering difficult weather conditions. First responders have since found both succumbed to exposure," Rifton Equipment said in a statement. Both Tim and Esther Keiderling worked for the medical supply company, based out of Ulster County, New York. Sunday was windy and cold in Maine with rain falling around Baxter State Park through at least midday, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said. "It did not look like a good day to be on that mountain," Douty added. "Searchers had been looking for Esther and her father, Tim Keiderling, since Monday, when they found their unattended vehicle in a day-use parking lot. Tim Keiderling, age 58, and his daughter Esther Keiderling, age 28, both of Ulster Park, New York, had left Abol Campground on Sunday to hike to the summit of Katahdin," Baxter State Park said in a Facebook post. Both were found deceased after a three-day search, which included 25 game wardens, 25 state park rangers, seven K9 teams, and 15 additional volunteers. Katahdin is one of the most popular mountains to hike in Maine and is the northernmost point of the Appalachian Trail. The summit is above the treeline, meaning hikers are exposed to the elements during most of their trip. The temperature can be much lower near the summit compared to the lower elevations, and paired with high winds, can dramatically lower the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature. Rain can make the hike slippery and dangerous due to the rocky trails that lead up to the summit. "Hiking Katahdin requires an elevation gain of around 4,000 ft. This is a very strenuous climb, no matter which trailhead you choose," Baxter State Park said on its website. "Remember that your primary goal is not reaching the summit, but a safe return to the trailhead." Cell phone service may be limited in Baxter State Park, so hikers are encouraged to check the weather forecast carefully before heading to the mountain.
New York Times
6 days ago
- New York Times
2 Hikers, a Father and Daughter, Are Found Dead Near Maine's Highest Peak
The bodies of two hikers from New York State — a father and daughter — were found this week near the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine, the state's tallest mountain and the final stop on the storied Appalachian Trail, the authorities said. Park rangers began searching for the father and daughter, Tim Keiderling and Esther Keiderling of Ulster Park, N.Y., on Monday morning, after finding their vehicle parked in the day-use parking lot, officials said. They had last been seen hiking at about 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, heading toward the peak, officials said. The Maine Warden Service K-9 team found the body of Mr. Keiderling, 58, at about 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Searchers found the body of Ms. Keiderling, 28, around 1 p.m. Wednesday in a wooded area. Although the authorities did not give a cause of death, the company that employed the Keiderlings, Rifton Equipment, said that they encountered difficult weather conditions and that they had both had been found 'succumbed to exposure.' Rifton Equipment is a New York company that designs and manufactures adaptive equipment. 'We are deeply saddened to tell our friends and customers of the death of two members of our Rifton family,' the company said in a statement on Wednesday. 'We appreciate your support for their loved ones and the members of the search teams during this incredibly difficult time,' Baxter State Park officials said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. 'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Tim and Esther Keiderling's family and friends.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
