Posted on 10/02/2026 9:43:51 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
What to Know: Early snow, icy trails, and vanishing daylight make autumn one of the trickiest times in the backcountry. After four tragic hiker deaths in Washington in a single week, search and rescue volunteers share how to navigate fall’s hidden hazards.
Neil Gehring, 26, went missing during an overnight backpacking trip in Olympic National Park. He set out on August 31 for a two-day traverse from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass, starting and ending at the Madison Falls Trailhead. He would never return home.
Gehring was found dead on September 13 on the northwest slope of 6,000-foot Mount Appleton.
Doug McCall, president of Seattle Mountain Rescue, was among the volunteer search-and-rescue officials that participated the mission to find Gehring. His team searched for nearly two weeks, using cellphone-location data to aide in the mission. “We just wish we could have found him sooner,” McCall told Outside.
Gehring died of extensive blunt trauma, coroner Rebecca Shankles confirmed to Outside. Based on the extent of his injuries, and where he was found 300 feet below the trail, Shankles said it’s likely he lost his footing and fell down the side of the mountain.
Gehring was one of at least four hikers who have been found dead in Washington State in less than a month. On September 19, 66-year-old Gary Idleburg died on Sauk Mountain after plummeting 1,000 feet after going over the edge of a switchback trail, according to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. The day before, Peter Kalapaca, 78, died on the same mountain. Oklahoma woman Sybil Claborn, 45, died of hypothermia in the Enchantments after she and her husband were stranded overnight in a snowstorm on September 13.
Experts told Outside that September presents very specific hazards to those who venture into the mountains, in Washington State and elsewhere. As summer transitions to fall, changing conditions mean shorter daylight, rapidly shifting weather, and slippery trail conditions that pose certain seasonal dangers.
“More and more people are getting out in the mountains, and statistically, that just means there’s a higher likelihood of incidents occurring,” McCall said. “Seattle Mountain Rescue has been around for 80 years, and year-over-year, we see a trend of increasing incidents.” McCall said his team sees an uptick in fall rescues. Outside spoke with him and Rob Brewer of the National Association for Search and Rescue, to learn more about how to safely hike when changing conditions present hidden dangers.
According to National Park Service mortality data, roughly 30 people die every year in U.S. national parks. It’s not just hikers—this dataset includes people who could be sightseeing as well, and can be as simple as a wrong step.
Washington is home to three national parks: Olympic, Mount Rainier, and the North Cascades, all of which include rugged mountain peaks and highly volatile alpine environments. Since the American Alpine Club started tracking in 1951, Washington has had more reported accidents than any other state or region, Climbing reported in February. Washington has 2,134 climber accidents recorded since 1951, followed by California, with 1,798 accidents. Washington also ties with California for most climber fatalities to date (378 per-state).
With its wet, maritime climate and northern latitude, Washington sometimes experiences fall conditions earlier than in other states, as storms dump rain and even snow on the highest peaks as early as mid- to late-August. These storms can blow in off of the Pacific and quickly drench trails and send the thermometer plummeting.
When it comes to hiking in the backcountry, McCall said that as leaves fall to the ground and freezing rain moves through high-alpine environments, the ground can become extra slippery.
Hikers should always be aware of their surrounding areas. They should also bring spikes, shoes with traction, and hiking poles because the ground can erode in bad weather.
“In the Pacific Northwest, the days are getting shorter, and the time will change soon,” McCall said. “A lot of times people will forget a headlamp, just thinking that it’ll be nice weather, but it gets dark faster. We will have an increase [of rescues] typically in the fall.”
Autumn also brings shorter daylight hours paired with rapid weather shifts. “As the days get shorter, you can get sudden snowstorms,” McCall said. With it getting darker sooner, he adds that hikers will forget critical cold weather gear, especially if they start a hike in nice weather.
McCall advises hikers to prepare for the early darkness with specific gear. Always bring a headlamp, including one additional light source in case it dies. Hikers should always include extra warm layers and an emergency shelter in case they get stranded overnight. A search-and-rescue favorite is the 98.6 bag, a plastic barrier that retains body heat and protects against the elements. It costs less than $10.
McCall adds to check weather conditions for the entire route—not just the trailhead—and to use satellite devices that can also provide real-time weather updates.
Both Brewer and McCall said people often overestimate their skills or endurance in the backcountry.
“Know your limits and be thoughtful about where things stand, because a small mistake can be devastating in the backcountry,” McCall said. “Be realistic about it. Preparedness is key.”
In search-and-rescue operations, Brewer and his team us a three-colored system to determine whether it’s safe to go into the backcountry. Green means it’s safe, amber indicates they should pause, and red means stop.
“We continually adjust and reflect on that Green-Amber-Red,” he said. “We tell our team members that it’s important that if something changes in the situation—like the terrain or vegetation or weather— to stop the team and have a discussion about what that risk looks like.”
Perhaps most importantly, know when to turn around. “Getting to the top is optional, getting down is mandatory,” Brewer said. “That idea drives risk management and situation awareness. Both transition seasons, spring and fall, bring their own risks not just to inexperienced or extreme hikers, but to anyone outdoors.”
A little communication can go a long way. Set a turnaround time that gives you enough time to get back to the trailhead. When hiking in groups, discuss limitations, coordinate gear like first aid kits and emergency blankets, and run through potential emergencies and how you’d manage them.
Unlike urban emergency services, which typically arrive within minutes, mountain rescue teams must travel to trailheads and hike in, which can take several hours or days depending on location and terrain.
“In the backcountry, most of the rescue teams have to drive to the trailhead and start hiking in,” McCall said. “Depending on how far a person is, it can take some time. Always be prepared to wait, especially as the days get colder or the weather suddenly changes.”
Cell phones are convenient but can also be unreliable. If a phone screen breaks, the device is essentially useless. McCall said hikers should bring a GPS system independent of their phone and paper maps to navigate if tech fails.
Extended searches and recovery operations take a significant toll on both the victims’ families and the rescue personnel involved.
“Any loss in the mountains or in the backcountry is devastating to the family and friends, and also to the climbers and rescue teams,” McCall said.
Most mountain rescue teams in the U.S. are comprised of volunteers who donate their time and rely heavily on donor funding to operate.
“I’m lucky I get to do this and it’s just a way of giving back to our community,” McCall said. “We know that accidents can happen, and it’s nice to know that there are mountain rescue teams and volunteers across the country who are willing to put their afternoons aside to help when needed.”
Rescuers like McCall and Brewer say they don’t want to discourage outdoor recreation, but rather hope to encourage safer, better-prepared experiences.
“There are so many beautiful places in our country to get out and recreate and enjoy,” Brewer said. “Get out there, be prepared, and do it safely.”
Being outdoors is vital for well-being, and fear shouldn’t prevent people from enjoying nature.
“Being outside is crucial to our mental health,” McCall said. “Fall hiking is a beautiful time to get out and enjoy the mountains. Just be ready for weather changes, and be OK with turning around.”
I'm shocked that four people have died in Washington in the last month. Katie Wilson should apply her vast expertise to this.
Dead Hikers + Washington state = Bigfoot
I’ve seen it on youtube, there are hundreds of Bigfeet in the mountain.
I’ve hiked along the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. Absolutely gorgeous views and enormous trees. But it’s definitely dangerous. It’s almost always wet. One slip and you could go down an awfully long way.
“Avoiding Accidental Falls in the Autumn”
Don’t go.
I hear dopey stories about Bigfeets in the local woods.(coastal Oregon) One guy said that he saw one right outside his yard. An elderly neighbor lady of his said that a family of them played on the swingset in her yard. His sighting I believe, was of an elk. I think the old lady was just yanking his chain. When you get a live one on the line, why not?
Ping!..................
This one youtuber posted a infrared video of bigfeet traveling at night. It looked pretty convincing.
I think the same youtuber posted about a dogman yesterday, so there’s that.
“Dead Hikers + Washington state = Bigfoot”
I lived there for 3 years. You ain’t lying. The one I dealt with came up from behind me, in absolute silence. I out-intimidated and won that encounter.
The Ranier trails will suck you in, as I found out the hard way. Beautiful country, easy trails...at first... Pretty soon you’re sweating and chilling in the wind and the altitude is starting to get to you, and the trail is getting rocky and there’s no cover, clouds blowing in, it’s getting dark, and the trailhead is miles back. Hypothermia sets in insidiously and you can fall off a trail due to decreased motor function you don’t even know you have. It’s close enough to the city to attract a lot of folks whose principal exercise activity is in an air-conditioned gym downtown (if any at all). I would not recommend soloing it. Your trail buddies may know when you’re fading before you do.
I and a classmate backpacked to bolder lake when I was 12.
Even in the middle of summer it got damn cold as soon as the sun went down.
We stayed only 2 nights instead of the 3 cuz of that .
The rainbow trout we caught were delicious!
Ol’ Bigfoot would be dead as vaudeville iffen he showed his puss around these parts. Of course, the smart folks at the local fishin’ hole knows that he jumps in and out of portals too fast for anyone to draw a bead on him. Maybe I’ll stumble through one of them portals, come deer season.
Yes, we’ve hiked in the Olympics around Hurricane Ridge. Pretty treacherous place.
I was hiking at Q’Emiln Park in Post Falls, Idaho last week. My first time there. It’s along the Spokane River which flows west out of Lake Coeur d’Alene. I was shocked at the huge talus / scree piles to scramble over and not just once or twice, but probably six or seven times. It was tough going, 50 minutes/mile. A few spots there were some really nasty drop-offs to canyons below. It’s remarkably rugged country so close to town. I saw one woman climbing a big cliff there. Lots of basalt cliffs in our area.
“Don’t go.” Hey, there’s only so much time you can spend indoors on FR before you go stir-crazy!
LOL...
I agree with you, everyone needs a light, who goes hiking without at least a pocket knife, flashlight, windbreaker, and a couple of Bic lighters in their pockets.
In my little 4”x7” belt pouch with survival gear I carry a Fenix AA headlamp with very long run time, everyone needs a flashlight, examples are having to continue in the dark from the trail to the car, another is being injured and needing to see in the dark to treat and evaluate the injury and to scoop up some firewood if you are stuck for the night, you have to be able to see if you misjudge the time and are in the night, because in a survival situation there are things that need to be done in the dark.
Hiking in the mountains I would have some lightweight gear based on a sudden need to protect body heat, maybe a bivy bag with a couple of hand warmers, or a poncho with a candle lantern for sitting cross legged with the lantern in your lap, a little pack away jacket the size of a soft ball but with a windproof hood, maybe just a big folded garbage back in the pants pocket, surely people can carry 5 to 10 pounds of something in a little school pack when hiking, or even a belt pouch, not enough to annoy you or interfere, but something for the wind at least, even a 55 gallon trash bag in your back pocket can save a life.
“...it gets dark quickly in the fall.”
Not something happening in your new neighborhood, but WA News.
Doing stuff is dangerous
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