Missing Hiker Found in North Cascades

Date: June 24, 2009
Contact: Kerry Olson, 360 854-7249

A missing hiker was found on Sunday afternoon in North Cascades National Park when he walked out of the backcountry under his own power after six nights in the Cascade Pass area of the park.

Mark Albrecht, a 22-year old resident of Everett, was reported missing on Thursday, June 18, when he did not return to work or check in with family. National Park Service staff was notified late Friday that the missing hiker had planned to hike somewhere in the North Cascades range. NPS staff initiated a search and found that the missing hiker had obtained a backcountry camping permit for the Cascade Pass area of North Cascades National Park for the nights of June 15 and 16. His car had been located at the corresponding trailhead.

Albrecht stated that he became disoriented in the thick and low fog cover on Wednesday morning as he descended from Sahale Glacier camp, where he had a permit to camp. Realizing that he was lost by mid-morning Wednesday, he pitched his tent to await help. On Sunday morning, he made a successful attempt to find his way down a creek drainage to the Cascade River Road and to the rescue crews stationed at the Eldorado parking area.

Approximately 60 searchers, including two dog teams were involved in the search over two days, June 20 and 21. Teams of searchers included National Park Service employees and volunteer groups from Bellingham Mountain Rescue, Skagit Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue, King County Explorer Search and Rescue, and Bellingham Summit to Sound Search Dogs.