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Contact: Patti Wold, PIO, 360-569-6563
On Sunday, March 1, 2020, a snowshoer spent an unplanned night above Paradise, near the Muir Snowfield in white-out conditions. As crews searched for the missing woman the following morning, she connected to a distant cell tower and placed a broken call long enough to relay her coordinates. After several additional hours, the team reached her location. She traveled the remainder of the descent to Paradise under her own mobility, assisted by searchers.
The 34-year-old woman, set out on Sunday, March 1st, for a day trip to Camp Muir. At approximately 7:00 pm Sunday her husband reported that she hadn’t returned home. A skier who’d been on the mountain on Sunday reported seeing her at approximately 3:30 pm on the Muir Snowfield. The skier described rapidly deteriorating weather conditions with high winds, white-out visibility, and snow drifts covering the tracks along the snowfield.
A hasty search was launched in poor weather from Paradise up to Glacier Vista continuing until early Monday morning. Teams used Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) to scan the Muir Snowfield for heat emission, conducted noise attraction with whistles, and searched for signs of the missing woman. The teams searched the Deadhorse Creek Trail up to Glacier Vista and the Skyline Trail up to the base of Panorama Face. Emergency vehicles were placed in the parking lot at Paradise with spotlights and emergency lights on as visual attractants. No sign of the missing woman was found.
The morning of March 2, 2020, Olympic, Seattle, and Tacoma Mount Rescue Association volunteers searched from Paradise Meadows up to the Muir Snowfield. A total of nine searchers assisted.
She survived the night by digging a hole in the snow to get out of the extreme weather. When located, she was in good condition with minor injuries. She left the park with family after being transported from Paradise to Longmire.
Overnight into Monday morning the Muir Snowfield experienced blizzard-like conditions, strong winds up forecasted up to 65 mph, near zero visibility, and a low of 13 degrees Fahrenheit. White-out conditions and inclement weather can occur suddenly on the Muir Snowfield at any time. Be prepared for changing conditions and unexpected difficulties. Plan ahead by checking weather forecasts, understanding the Camp Muir Route, and exploring the park Winter Recreation webpages.
Last updated: March 2, 2020