PORT ANGELES — Searchers combing Olympic National Park for a hiker who was last seen Oct. 19 found a clue Sunday.
A relatively recently opened sardine can was discovered Sunday as about 20 people and tracking dogs sought Duane Miles, said Lee Taylor, park spokeswoman.
“We will be following up in the same area tomorrow to see if we can find anything more,” she said Sunday afternoon.
Miles, 78, of Beaver, is described as very fit and a skilled hiker who often travels alone off-trail looking for shed elk antlers.
His vehicle is parked at the Graves Creek Campground. The search, which began the evening of Oct. 23 after friends reported Miles overdue, has fanned out from that area through thick vegetation and uneven ground.
Searches on Friday and Saturday involved more than 30 personnel —National Park Service staff from four area parks, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue, Hood River SAR, Bellingham Mountain Rescue, Clark County SAR, Tacoma Mountain Rescue and Skagit County Ground SAR — as well as ground searchers, dog teams and aircraft from Hillsboro Aviation.
The Washington State Search and Rescue Planning Unit has also been providing assistance developing search strategy, Taylor said.
Anyone who has visited the Graves Creek area since Oct. 19 or who has information regarding the whereabouts of Duane Miles is asked to call 888-653-0009.
