Olympic National Park has had 66 Search and Rescues (SARs) this year, with multiple incidents over the last two weeks.
This has prompted park officials this week to release the following reminder:
With a busy Labor Day weekend approaching, visitors are urged to plan ahead, hike smart, pack the Ten Essentials, and have an emergency plan. Consider learning CPR and basic wilderness first aid, especially if you are planning to hike in the backcountry.
Park officials report that on the evening August 12 a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) was activated about ten miles from the Dosewallips River road washout. Park staff coordinated a response with Olympic Mountain Rescue (OMR), who rode 6.5 miles on bicycles to the trailhead and then hiked 5 miles to meet the patient at 4:00 am the next day. A 37-year-old male from Oregon was suffering from a medical emergency that left him unable to self-rescue.
The patient was transported by helicopter to Dosewallips State Park in Brinnon and transferred to an ambulance.
On August 16 park dispatch received a report of an injured backpacker near Pony Bridge in the Quinault Valley. Park staff arrived on scene to assist the 66-year-old male who sustained numerous traumatic injuries when he lost his grip while descending by rope and fell an estimated 20 feet. The injured backpacker was carried out of the backcountry by a litter team. Numerous park personnel were involved with this rescue.
That same day park dispatch received a report of an injured backpacker in the area of Glacier Meadows, near the base of Mount Olympus. Park personnel were dispatched to the scene and confirmed the male was deceased. The 65-year-old from New York was part of a group on a backpacking trip. Members of the group reported the man had fallen due to a suspected medical issue.
Late Friday evening, August 23, Peninsula Communications received an emergency call requesting medical aid for a 10-year-old boy at Toleak Point who had sustained burns on his feet and leg. A Coast Guard Port Angeles helicopter crew hoisted the boy and his mother into the helicopter at 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning and airlifted them to Olympic Medical Center. Toleak Point is a remote location on the South Coast of the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness.
In addition to these incidents over the last couple weeks, park staff have handled multiple overdue and separated party reports along with many Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls.
For information about planning ahead and staying safe while visiting and hiking in national parks visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/trails/hiking-safety.htm.
For information on planning a backpacking trip in Olympic National Park check out the Wilderness Trip Planner guide at https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm.
ONP Photo: Daniel J. Evans Wilderness Re-dedication ceremony. Staff with Senator Evans himself (center).