News Tribune reporter Stacey Mulick is reporting that the body of the missing Mount Rainier hiker has been found.

UPDATE
Statement from Mount Rainier National Park:

Rangers searching for a missing hiker located his body about a mile from the Kautz Creek trailhead late Wednesday morning. Rangers followed a single set of tracks in the snow to an elevation of 4200 feet. The tracks then descended east of the trail to about 3000 feet, where the body was found.

Devin Ossman, 45, of Mukilteo, is believed to have arrived in the park Monday morning for a day hike. Ossman was not planning to be out overnight and was dressed lightly in blue jeans, a flannel shirt and jacket.

A ranger noticed Mr. Ossman’s car parked at Kautz Creek late Monday and upon investigation discovered his wife had reported him missing to the Mukilteo Police Department that afternoon. With daylight dwindling there was time for only a cursory search of the area.

By Wednesday morning the search had expanded to include more than 20 National Park Service staff with helicopter support from Northwest Helicopter Company in Olympia. German Shepherd Search Dogs of Washington out of Pierce County assisted with two dog teams.

It’s going to be a busy spring in the state’s three major national parks. That was my impression after talking with the three superintendents after a meeting Monday in Seattle.

Late this spring we can expect to see the draft environmental impact statement outlining options for the Carbon River Road at Mount Rainier National Park. Superintendent Dave Ubueruaga said it is unlikely any proposal would include rebuilding the road all the way to the Ipsut Creek Campground. Public meetings will be held to discuss the options and take public comment.

At Olympic National Park, options for reopening the Dosewallips road should be released in mid April. Acting superintendent Sue McGill said she expects the announcement of a permanent superintendent to be made in May. And the park’s general management plan should be finalized by early summer.

At North Cascades National Park, the staff is developing plans to celebrate the park’s 40th anniversary.

Fishing will be prohibited for a while Friday from Les Davis Pier as scuba divers will clean up the waters surrounding the pier.

About 20 volunteers are expected to spend six hours removing everything from broken fishing line to trash. For the safety of the volunteer crew, no fishing will be allowed from the pier between 3-9 p.m. while the clean up is underway.

“We often see people throwing cans, bottles and other garbage into the bay when we’re diving,” said event organizer Amy Rhodes. “As one of the few reefs in the area created specifically for divers, this place is becoming a Tacoma icon. We’re excited to start removing the garbage littering this special habitat.”

According to Rhodes the number of shore divers accessing this area has grown significantly following construction of the nearby dive steps, a project spearheaded by Metro Parks Tacoma’s Marine Advisory Council members a little over a year ago.

“The area is really accessible for divers of all abilities now,” Rhodes commented, “so we’ll have divers with a range of experience who participate in this clean up.”

The clean up event is an official event of Project Aware, an international foundation dedicated to conservation of underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Metro Parks’ staff will support the effort through CHIP In! (Citizens Helping Improve Parks) by providing trash receptacles and bags, and hauling away the debris that is collected.