UPDATE | October 26, 2015, 1PM
The King County Sheriff’s Office said that search and rescue crews located the two missing hikers Monday afternoon around 12PM. The women had become lost and were found about four miles off of the trail in the Snoqualmie River Middle Fork area.
KCSO Sgt. Cindy West said the women were cold, wet, but safe after spending the night in the wilderness.
King County Search and Rescue crews launched a search early Monday morning, October 26, 2015, in the popular Middle Fork hiking area near North Bend for two missing Seattle area women.
According to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the two women, identified by Q13 Fox News as Jennifer and Elizabeth Monday from Bothell, were reported missing after not returning from a planned early afternoon Sunday hike.
Their car was found at the Pratt River Trailhead Sunday night and still remained there Monday morning as crews set out to search the large area around daybreak.
King County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Cindi West said the hiking area, which starts about 12 miles past Twin Falls Middle School on Middle Fork Road, is large with no cell service.
According to Washington Trails Association, the Pratt River Trail is a 6-mile roundtrip hike with a gain in elevation of only 100 feet. Lows overnight hovered around 50 degrees.
One veteran SAR volunteer said it’s not uncommon for hikers to lose their way in the Middle Fork area, adding, “People get lost all the time out there.”
SAR crews headed out at around 6:30AM to look for the women.
Comments
Pratt River trail is a lot more than 6 miles R/T and 100 ft gain! Check it out from the trailhead all the way to Pratt Lake.
Was going by what WA Trails Assc. said for the Pratt River Trail.
What they were referring to is what is called the Pratt River “Connector” which goes to the actual Pratt River drainage then on the trail all the way to Pratt Lake’
Thanks, Art. Good to know. Did you see video of the women? They thought the trail would loop around and come back which was why they kept going. They said they were embarrassed. Glad they were found safe.
Here it is! http://seattlebackpackersmagazine.com/pratt-river-trail-no-1035/