According to Komo News reporter, Luke Ducey, King County Sheriff Deputies say that the witness who saw missing hiker, John Wright, on the trails near the Middle Fork trailheads area of the Snoqualmie River reported Wright said he was trying out a new trail to the Green Mountain Summit – an elevation of nearly 4000 feet.
In the experienced hiking community, hikers will sometimes blaze trails themselves. According to the Komo reporter who was on the scene all morning, the trail Wright was on was not a legitimate trail, but according to hiker blogs, it had been “carved out enough that it was manageable.”
The terrain in the area is very steep. Theories are Wright might have fallen and been injured or may not have found the trail coming at it from a different angle or in the dark. Ducey says the Sheriff’s Deputies are confident they will find Wright.
Comments
I was thinking that exactly myself. Here is a link that shows an alternate route.
http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/2010/02/green-…
I have hiked to the top of Green Mountain on the “trail” many times. Portions of the trail (most of it) goes up an old logging road. Other portions of it go up a flagged route through brush and timber. Still other portions go up through a boulder field with no flagging. I would not recommend this route unless a person is very good with map and compass. It is very easy to get off route and lost in the dense brush and timber… and it is very steep. Hopefully, they will find the lost hiker.
Regards, David Spring