A 55-year-old Kennewick hiker was rescued by a King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter at 10:45 a.m. Monday near White Pass after getting lost while trying to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
The man, an experienced hiker prepared with gear, food and shelter, left the Goat Rocks area Saturday to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, planning on making a 24-hour round trip. However, at some point he turned south rather than north, and didn’t realize his mistake until about six hours later, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
The man called his family and told them his location. His family called the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at 8 p.m. Sunday. The Sheriff’s Office mobilized its Search and Rescue unit at 6 a.m. Monday morning.
The man was located 3 to 5 miles from the Clear Lost Trail near White Pass, with help from the Lewis County Posse, Lewis County ATV and Packwood Search and Rescue.
The man ran out of water and was dehydrated. He was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
