Deceased Hiker Found on Mt. Pugh after 3-Day Search

Mt Pugh near Darrington

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has concluded the search for a missing 34-year-old Bothell man, after he was located deceased on Mt. Pugh.

The Bothell man was reported missing on Sunday, May, 10 after he failed to show up for work.

The initial information gathered by deputies lead them to believe he had been hiking alone near Mt. Pugh, which is outside of Darrington.

A Search and Rescue Deputy located the hiker’s vehicle at the Mt. Pugh trailhead. This immediately began a multi-day search operation utilizing volunteer personnel from Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, Everett Mountain Rescue, Skagit Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, and Seattle Mountain Rescue Units.

During the initial search, in the first 12 hours, other hikers coming down the trail provided clues to searchers, providing a possible last known location.

Through a coordinated effort between mountain rescue units and two Sheriff’s Office helicopters, personal hiking equipment was located at the top of a steep couloir.

On the third day of search operations mountain rescue teams were inserted via helicopter and were able to work down the couloir where they located the male deceased, 800 vertical feet from where the initial personal hiking equipment was located. The male was recovered from the mountain via the Sheriff’s Office helicopter, SnoHawk10. The decedent was transported back to Taylor’s Landing via helicopter and turned over to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Positive identification, as well as cause and manner of death will be determined by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.