Search expands for missing N. Cascades hiker

By KOMO Staff Published: Jun 21, 2009 at 10:45 AM PDT
Search expands for missing N. Cascades hiker
MARBLEMOUNT, Wash. - Authorities have expanded the search for a hiker who has been missing in North Cascades National Park for several days, but the search effort is hampered by poor weather and thick clouds.

The hiker, Mark Albrecht, 22, of Everett, moved to the area from Indiana a few weeks ago. He left Monday on a planned three-day hiking and camping trip into the mountains and hasn't been heard from since.


 Mark Albrecht
He was reported missing late Thursday by his family after he didn't return from his hiking trip and failed to show up at work.

Albrecht's car - a 1991 red Ford Thunderbird - was found late Friday at a trailhead about 20 miles east of Marblemount, and a search was launched Saturday morning.

Rangers said he filed a backcountry camping permit on Monday showing plans to hike over the Cascade pass, spend Monday night in Pelton Basin, then hike the next day to the 7,600-foot-high base of Shahale Glacier and finally back down to the trailhead on Wednesday.

Searchers focused Saturday on his planned route, but found no sign of Albrecht.

On Sunday, the search was expanded. About 35 to 40 trained searchers have spread out across areas along and beyond Albrecht's planned route.

But they are stymied by very poor visibility and a forecast of possible snow showers in the higher elevations of the Cascades.

"We can't put a helicopter in the air because of the cloud cover, and the rangers on the ground report intermittent visibility of 50 feet or 100 feet or 500 feet," says park ranger Paula Ogden-Muse.

Another obstacle is the huge size and remoteness of the wilderness search area.

Albrecht is said to be athletic and familiar with the outdoors, but he had never before overnighted on his own in the Cascades.