Mystery of ‘Pinnacle Man’ found frozen in a cave solved after nearly five decades

A nearly five decade long search is now over, officials reveal the identity of a missing man found frozen in a cave along the Appalachian trail.

A man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave in 1977 has finally been identified, closing the book on a nearly 50-year-long mystery. The Berks County Coroner’s Office identified the remains of the missing man as Nicholas Paul Grubb, 27, from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Surprisingly, advanced technology played no role in identifying the “Pinnacle Man,” a moniker inspired by the peak in the Appalachian Mountains near where Grubb was found. Instead, Berks County Coroner John Fielding told reporters at a Tuesday news conference that a Pennsylvania State Police detective discovered the missing link to the cold case the old-fashioned way, by digging through files. On January 16, 1977, hikers found a man’s frozen body in a cave just below the Pinnacle, in Albany Township, the Berks County Coroner said at the news conference. During the autopsy he was unable to be identified based on his appearance, clothing or belongings, according to George Holmes, chief deputy coroner of Berks County. The cause of death, according to Holmes, was determined to be a drug-induced overdose. There were no signs of trauma to Grubb’s body suggesting foul play, the coroner’s office said.