Cool, rainy weather was hampering the search Friday for a Vermont hiker missing in Olympic National Park/NPS file
Cool, rainy weather was hampering the search for a Vermont woman missing since Tuesday in Olympic National Park in Washington state.
Thirty-five-year-old Laura Macke, hometown unavailable, was reported overdue Thursday morning. She was described as standing 5-foot-6, weighing 200 pounds, with curly light brown hair in a bob cut. Macke had a backcountry permit for October 30-31 and was traveling solo with an intended route to the Enchanted Valley, stopping to camp at Pyrites Creek. She indicated that she would still be in the backcountry on November 1 but has not returned. Macke is known to hike in a black and white striped shirt, black rain jacket and maroon colored puffy jacket.
Search and Rescue personnel hiked into the wilderness on Thursday to begin a hasty search of the area after Macke was reported missing. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter conducted a preliminary search, but was impeded by changing weather.
On Friday, search crews were checking camping areas along the route to Enchanted Valley, Macke's destination. The search-and-rescue team planned to be in the backcountry for two nights.
If you were in the area of Lake Quinault, Graves Creek, or Enchanted Valley between October 30 and November 1 or have any information regarding this individual, you're asked to call or text the tip line at 1-888-653-0009, submit a tip online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip, or email [email protected]
Comments
This likely could have been prevented if park policy was changed to give the rangers more power to make decsions. Had Laura been required to pick up her permit in person and her gear was inspcted, just about every, if not every, ranger in the NPS would have known that she was woefully unprepared for this particular trip and she would not have been issued a permit. Sometimes in the US, it seems we are unwilling to impinge on an indivual's freedom even if what they plan to undertake has a high chance of resulting in serious harm to themselves or to a would-be rescuer.
I suppose when the search is over, we'll get to read a lot of insensitive comments from people saying how stupid she was as if they have never made an unsafe decison in their entire lives. Be kind.
And how do you know that she was "woefully unprepared?"
Who says she was woefilly unprepared? I agree that getting a permit in person is a good idea but that certainly doesn't stop people from taking too much risk.
I prey for her safe return.
Did she sign in at the trail head? Another article reports that she was driving there under rain conditions. Is it possible she never made it to the trail? And .. I assume they did this, but, did they look inside that old chauteau to see if she took shelter there for some reason? Also, have they checked everyone else who was officially using the trail and other camp sites? Hope she's found soon.
Knowing that trail, it's likely she had to avert a giant tree or clump of them that failed. I've had issues with it where I spent upwards of an hour trying to get back on trail and I can imagine getting fully lost or injured in that situation