“Pinnacle Man” identified 50 years after being found frozen in a cave
BERKS COUNTY, Penn. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Nearly 50 years after a man was found frozen in a cave along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, that person, known as "Pinnacle Man," has now been identified.
"For 47 years, this man remained unidentified. A nameless figure in a long-forgotten case. But today I'm honored to announce that through the unyielding determination of federal, state and local agencies, the Berks County Coroner's Office has confirmed the identity of this individual. His name is Nicolas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old man from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania."
John Fielding III, Berks County Coroner
Grubb was found frozen in a cave below the pinnacle in Albany Township on the Appalachian Trail in 1977.
The discovery was made during one of the coldest months in Pennsylvania's history with the average high of only eight degrees and snow totals during that winter reaching 49 inches.
Fast forward to August 2009, the man was entered into the national missing and unidentified persons system database.
Ten years later, the body was exhumed but the major breakthrough occurred this month when Pennsylvania State Police cold case detective found the man's original fingerprint card and determined an exact match to be Nicolas Grubb.
Family were then contacted and confirmed his identity and provided documents.
The man, known to family as "Nicky," served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1971.
His relatives have requested his remains be buried in a family plot.
