Mount Si hiker dies; 2 stranded in Cascades

A 27-year-old man died after falling about 200 feet on Mount Si, about 30 miles east of Seattle, Thursday afternoon.

Rescuers reached the man about 3:40 p.m., administered CPR and took other measures to try to save him, but they were unsuccessful. Neither his name nor hometown were made public.

Thursday's death on Mount Si capped what's been a very difficult week for hikers in the region as unseasonal rain and cooler-than-normal temperatures made it feel more like October than late August.

Wednesday evening, a 33-year-old man and his 27-year-old girlfriend became stranded on an 18-inch ledge at Spire Point, northeast of Darrington. And earlier in the week, three teenage boys were rescued after being stranded on Three Fingers Mountain in Snohomish County.

On Mount Si Thursday, the 27-year-old man who suffered the fatal fall was hiking with a 22-year-old friend. The man fell from the back of a viewpoint known as the Haystack, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet, said King County Deputy C.C. Bedker, of the sheriff's search-and-rescue unit.

A helicopter was standing by in North Bend, Bedker said, but the craft was unable to reach the site because of heavy fog at higher elevations.

The man fell about 2 p.m.; rescuers reached him about 3:40 p.m. and he died about 4:15 p.m., Bedker said, "They worked on him for 20, 25 minutes."

The man fell in an area that's one of the most popular hiking trails in the Seattle region, reached by thousands of people a year.

The couple who became stranded at Spire Point Wednesday evening, called for help by cellphone. A helicopter from Whidbey Island tried to get to them but was not able to reach them. The couple remained stranded through Wednesday night, so a "fast team" of three rescue hikers started the climb to assist them.

Skagit County Sheriff's Deputy Brad Holmes said the hikers had not reported any injuries but their exposed condition in the cold and rain at the 6,000-foot level was a serious concern.

By Thursday evening, the Skagit County Sheriff's office reported the couple had managed to get to higher, safer ground. Thursday evening, the rescuers were about a mile away and 1,500 feet below the stranded pair, Holmes said.

The three boys stranded on Three Fingers Mountain earlier this week, were all from the Marysville-Arlington area. When they became stranded Tuesday night by fog, snow, rain and cold, they called for help with a cellphone. They remained periodically in touch with rescuers as they waited for help.

Rescuers reached the teens Wednesday morning at the 6,200-foot level of the 6,800-foot mountain and started to warm them with portable heaters in tents. Two of them reportedly suffered mild hypothermia.

Lt. Kathi Lang of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department said one of the teens walked off the mountain after the weather cleared. The others were rescued by helicopter in separate trips Wednesday evening. One of those two had hiked part way down with rescuers. Lang says the third teen was suffering from back pain from a prior injury.

Hikers should prepare

The Washington Trails Association is recommending that with more autumn-like weather in the forecast, it behooves hikers to take extra precautions.

Before setting out, the trails association says, hikers should carefully choose the destination and take time to check trail conditions and weather forecasts.

Hikers should always let someone know where they will be and when they plan to return. They should carry warm clothes and be prepared for any weather. Packing backcountry essentials could be lifesaving if hikers become lost or injured.

Many trails still have lingering snowfields from last winter that could make hiking more difficult. Snow levels have dropped considerably during the past week, and some trails may have new snow. The association recommends calling ahead to local ranger stations for conditions.

The association says hikers should turn back if treacherous snow and ice are encountered, unless hikers are equipped with an ice ax and are knowledgeable about how to use it.

In snowy areas, hikers should be aware of avalanche danger.

The association endorses WOWweather.com, Washington Online Weather, as a good source for avalanche conditions and safety. Hiker-safety information is available at www.wta.org.