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...