Stanislaus County man goes missing on solo hike in Yosemite

Crews in Yosemite National Park are searching for a man who was last seen a week ago at the start of a solo hike.

Joel Thomazin, 31, of Denair in Stanislaus County began his backpacking trip alone on Sept. 6. His plan was to hike from Hetch Hetchy to Lake Eleanor and then return to Hetch Hetchy on Sept. 9, the National Park Service said in a Facebook post published over the weekend.

Thomazin is described as being 5-foot-10 with brown buzzed hair. He was traveling with a yellow and grey Kelty backpack, green sleeping bag, bright-red inflatable kayak, blue-green hammock, and tan or blue zip-off pants, the park said.

Thomazin's LinkedIn page says that he was a member of the United States Army Reserve and graduated from California State University-Stanislaus with a bachelor's degree in history and has a second degree in entrepreneurial business from American Public University.

Lake Eleanor is a remote reservoir located at 4,650 feet elevation in the northwestern corner of Yosemite National Park in the Stanislaus National Forest. It's a popular spot for kayaking.

Authorities are asking anyone in the area of Miguel Meadow, Lake Eleanor or on the trails around Hetch Hetchy since Monday to contact Yosemite Search and Rescue at (209) 238-7046.