EVERETT — Last year, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office received 14 search and rescue calls for Vesper Peak. By August, deputies had received 17 calls, double what they recorded for the same time period last year.
The spike is attributed to hikers underestimating the trail’s intensity based on aesthetic videos of the Peak’s scenery on social media, according to spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe.
“We saw this happen a few years ago with Eagle Falls,” O’Keefe said. “Young adults, teenagers, were making videos that were getting hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok and Instagram, showing the beautiful hike and the beautiful water.”
While the 8-mile round-trip hike may not sound too long, high elevation and lack of defined trails in areas can be challenging for inexperienced hikers, O’Keefe said.
Individuals who hike Vesper Peak, located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, experience around a 4,000 foot elevation gain, according to The Washington Trails Association. Its highest point reaches 6,214 feet.
Areas like Headlee Pass have substantial elevation gain in a short period of time.
“It’s about a 1500 foot gain, and it’s all open rock space with no defined trail,” O’Keefe said. “It’s like going up a ladder of rock.”
In addition to elevation, factors like spotty cell service, earlier sunsets due to the mountain’s shadow and a small creek with no bridge make the terrain difficult.
Most calls came from family members who were concerned their loved ones was hurt or lost after they take longer than expected to return, O’Keefe said.
“In addition to how long the hike is going to take, you have to factor in the three-hour round trip of drive time where they don’t have cell service,” she said.
Regardless of the trail a hiker goes on, they should pack their 10 essentials, O’Keefe said. These include navigation devices, sun protection, illumination like a flashlight or headlamp, first aid supplies, tools to start a fire, a multi-tool, emergency shelter, food, extra clothing like rain gear and water.
“We’ve had some hikers try to come down using just their cell phone flashlight when it’s dark, and that is not enough light to be able to safely see their way out,” she said. “We actually had an individual slip and fall in the creek on her way down and cracked her pelvis.”
O’Keefe recommends new hikers start on easier trails and build their way up to the steep hills of Vesper Peak.
“This is not a hike that folks should be doing as a first, second, even third or fourth hike,” she said. “This is not easy.”
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
