Hiking Group Tries to Save Man, 63, Who Fell 200 Feet from Picturesque Mountain Trail

A 63-year-old man died over the weekend after falling from a trail in Washington state, authorities reported.

The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office said the victim was hiking with a group of eight people on the Sauk Mountain Trail on Saturday, Sept. 27, when the accident occurred, according to The Seattle Times, Cascadia Daily News, NBC affiliate KING and ABC affiliate KOMO.

First responders arrived on the scene to find members of the hiking party and others attempting life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, the man succumbed to his injuries.

Authorities estimate he fell approximately 200 to 250 feet.

The Washington Trail Association notes that the Sauk Mountain Trail is a popular destination, offering views of the Sauk and Skagit River valleys, Cascade mountain peaks, and, on clear days, the Olympics and San Juan Islands.

“The way is steep and narrow, and in some places eroded from hikers cutting the switchbacks. Please don’t; the switchbacks are there to prevent erosion and environmental damage to the trail,” the association advises.

This marks the second fatality in the Cascades in under a month. On Sept. 7, Andrew Wong, 37, of Long Island, N.Y., fell near Dragontail Peak in the Enchantments, The Seattle Times reported. Wong had been reported missing after failing to return from his hiking trip on Sept. 9, per KING.

In 2018, a 71-year-old woman from Connecticut also died after a fall on the Sauk Mountain Trail, according to the Associated Press. Authorities said she appeared to have fallen from a steep embankment.