According to Eastside Firefighters Twitter feed, crews responded to the Mount Si Trailhead in North Bend, Saturday afternoon, September 3, 2016 around 11AM for an injured teenager- who fell approximately 90 feet off of the haystack and suffered serious head injuries.
Seattle Mountain Rescue reported they had a member already on the popular trail when the call came in, who then headed back up the mountain to locate the injured person. Other SAR teams also responded to the area.
A military helicopter from NAS Whidbey Island was dispatched to evacuate the 15-year old boy, who was at Mount Si with the Kennedy Catholic High School cross country team. He was initially found unconscious and airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.
SAR crews also helped rescue another teen who became stuck on the haystack while trying to help the injured teammate.
The popular Mount Si Trail is about 4.0 miles, with an approximate 3,100 foot elevation gain to the nearly 4,200 00 summit. The haystack at the top is a popular with hikers, who often scramble to its estimated 300 – 500 feet peak. The haystack climb is often described as difficult, with any fall be uncontrolled. It can also be very slippery when foggy or raining.
