Mountain Hikers Face Winterlike Conditions

Mountain hikers out for a June jaunt should prepare for harsh winter conditions, rescue officials warn.

Snow levels and low temperatures make it feel like March, not June, said David Estep, coordinator of the King County Search and Rescue unit. That heightens the danger of hikers getting lost, sliding down snowfields or getting hypothermia, he said.

For instance, the popular Comet Falls Trail at Mount Rainier National Park is buried in a steep expanse of snow. Unless a hiker has an ice ax handy to stop a fall, it’s easy to slip and slide all the way down to the icy creek, said wilderness district manager John Wilcox.

“If you don’t get killed or severely injured in the fall, you could die of hypothermia,” Wilcox said.

Getting lost is a danger when snow covers the trails or fog obscures the landscape. Avalanches pose another threat; even small slides can cover hikers’ footprints, making it hard for them to retrace their steps or for a search party to find them.

Hikers heading for the mountains should check the weather, carry the right equipment and dress properly.