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Well-known Seattle hiker missing on Mount Rainier Rescuers find body in search for writer missing in Mount Rainier
(about 11 hours later)
Friends of the prominent outdoors writer Karen Sykes are anxious but hopeful that searchers will find her safely sheltered somewhere in Mount Rainier National Park. The search for a travel writer missing in Mount Rainier national park has been suspended after rescuers found a female body.
The well-known Seattle-based hiker was reported missing by a hiking partner late on Wednesday. She was researching a story. The well-known Seattle-based "guru of trails" Karen Sykes was reported missing by a hiking partner late on Wednesday. She was researching a story.
The National Park Service said on Saturday six ground crews, including two dog teams, were combing an expanded search area near the Owyhigh Lakes Trail on Rainier's east side. Rescuers also searched by air. Mount Rainier national park spokeswoman Patti Wold said the body had not been identified, but it was located Saturday in the general area where teams had been searching for 70-year-old Sykes.
Wold said the body was found in rough, steep terrain an area difficult to access and not commonly traveled.
There was no immediate word on the cause of death, and Wold said the medical examiner would determine the person's identity.
The National Park Service said on Saturday six ground crews, including two dog teams, were combing an expanded search area near the Owyhigh Lakes trail on Rainier's east side. Rescuers also searched by air.
A crew in a helicopter and about 30 people on the ground searched steep, rugged terrain in the Owyhigh Lakes area for a second day Friday.A crew in a helicopter and about 30 people on the ground searched steep, rugged terrain in the Owyhigh Lakes area for a second day Friday.
Sykes, 70, had adequate survival gear to camp overnight in an emergency, park spokeswoman Patti Wold said.
Safety concerns for Sykes and search crews include snow bridges, tree wells and steep, wet, slippery terrain, Wold said. A searcher was hurt on Thursday when he punched through a snow bridge. He was airlifted out of the search area.
Sykes is well-known in the Northwest hiking community and has written numerous hiking stories for online publications and newspapers. She is also a photographer and has written a book about hikes in western Washington. She was working on a story when she disappeared, Wold said.Sykes is well-known in the Northwest hiking community and has written numerous hiking stories for online publications and newspapers. She is also a photographer and has written a book about hikes in western Washington. She was working on a story when she disappeared, Wold said.
Her disappearance comes weeks after six climbers are believed to have fallen to their deaths while attempting to climb a challenging route to the summit of the 14,410ft peak southeast of Seattle.Her disappearance comes weeks after six climbers are believed to have fallen to their deaths while attempting to climb a challenging route to the summit of the 14,410ft peak southeast of Seattle.
Sykes hiked ahead of her partner on Wednesday when the two reached snow level at an elevation of about 5,000ft on the east side of the mountain, Wold said. The Seattle Times said she was reported overdue by her partner, who made it down the mountain, several hours later.Sykes hiked ahead of her partner on Wednesday when the two reached snow level at an elevation of about 5,000ft on the east side of the mountain, Wold said. The Seattle Times said she was reported overdue by her partner, who made it down the mountain, several hours later.
Close friend Lola Kemp had planned to hike with Sykes this weekend.Close friend Lola Kemp had planned to hike with Sykes this weekend.
"She is the guru of trails," Kemp said on Friday in an email, adding that Sykes hiked at least twice a week and has a background in climbing and scrambling. "I find it difficult to imagine that she would get lost. I think it's more likely she's injured and waiting, perhaps impatiently, to be rescued.""She is the guru of trails," Kemp said on Friday in an email, adding that Sykes hiked at least twice a week and has a background in climbing and scrambling. "I find it difficult to imagine that she would get lost. I think it's more likely she's injured and waiting, perhaps impatiently, to be rescued."
Greg Johnston, a former outdoors writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, described Sykes as an avid, strong hiker who knew the mountain extremely well.Greg Johnston, a former outdoors writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, described Sykes as an avid, strong hiker who knew the mountain extremely well.
"She's the last person anyone would expect to get lost, particularly on Mount Rainier," said Johnston, who recruited Sykes to write a weekly hiking feature for that newspaper, which ran for more than a decade."She's the last person anyone would expect to get lost, particularly on Mount Rainier," said Johnston, who recruited Sykes to write a weekly hiking feature for that newspaper, which ran for more than a decade.
"If anybody can survive it, it's her. She's really tough and really savvy."