A man in his 50's from Pt. Townsend by the name of Randy did not return from a solo ski tour at Hurricane Ridge Saturday afternoon.
He first called a personal contact and then was put in touch with the rangers at the lodge (presumably via 911) from his cell phone just after 4:00. He called to report that he had lost his way and that he believed himself to be on Hurricane Hill. He had apparently been following a skin track before losing it. Conditions were worsening and he had become disoriented. He discussed his location briefly with the rangers before contact was lost and was not regained. He described his last know position to the ranger as having climbed atop the Hurricane Hill bowl and continued around to the N.E. Randy had a map and compus and I understand that he is a regular at the ridge. I was not clear if he had a beacon or shovel. It did not sound like he was well prepared to stay out overnight.
Two rangers and a volunteer were dispatched initially in the direction that the skier was believed to be. A buddy and I encountered them about one half mile from the lodge as we were returning from a ski tour on Hurricane Hill. We reported that we had been out that way and had not seen anyone. We toured above and beyond Hurricane Hill poking in a few different spots and skiing down just over 1000' on it's easternmost flank toward the South Branch Little River drainage. We then climbed to meet our skin track about one half mile west of Steep and Icy and returned on this outbound track. With the heavy snow and strong winds, tracks were filling in fast but they were also very deep and it did not appear that anyone else had traveled our route on the ridge between Steep and Icy and Hurricane Hill. I am confident however that if he was where the ranger believed that he had indicated, the skin track that he mentioned must have been ours as we saw none other that far out.
We repeated our report to the Rangers at the lodge and after a quick restocking, we joined two other rangers and another volunteer in the search. At about 5:15 we set out by headlamp (into more heavy snow) down the ridge toward the summer picnic area and parkinglot on the way to Hurricane Hill. We traversed the ridge from side to side blowing our whistles and shining our lights into the drainages on either side stopping short of Steep and Icy. The decision was made no to continue further due to the degrading avalanche conditions. We were relieved just before 9:00 by two members of Olympic Mountain Rescue. On our way back to the lodge we encountered a snow cat which was moving out to the summer picnic parkinglot to act as a visual attractor with its flashing yellow light. It had been snowing so hard that on our way off of the mountain, another volunteer, myself and two rangers moved in a three car convoy through 6" to 10" of new snow on the road high centering my car.
Long day.
It will be a tough night on the hill for Randy with constant snow and temps in the teens. I can only hope that he dug in and will wait to move. The forcast may not be conducive to a comprehensive search in the morning with 8" to 18" expected by tomorrow afternoon. Despite the circumstances, I am optimistic and will be happy to learn of his safe return.
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