Search continues for missing hiker

By Brian Gawley The Peninsula Daily News • November 8, 2022 1:30 am

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — The search continues for 35-year-old Laura Macke, a hiker who was reported missing at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Enchanted Valley area of Olympic National Park.

On Friday, search and rescue teams were checking camping areas along the route to Enchanted Valley and were expected to be in the backcountry two nights, according to Meagan Huff, acting public affairs specialist for the park.

Early afternoon Saturday, the park asked on its Facebook page for more information from those who had left tips, indicating that the search was ongoing. Macke, 35, is described as 5-feet-6-inches, weighing about 200 pounds, with curly, light brown hair in a bob cut. Macke is known to hike in a black-and-white-striped shirt, black rain jacket and maroon puffy jacket.

She had a backcountry permit for Oct. 30-31 and was traveling solo with an intended route to the Enchanted Valley, stopping to camp at Pyrites Creek, Huff said.

The family member who reported her missing said that she would still be in the backcountry on Tuesday, Huff said.

Law enforcement located her rental vehicle and established the facts on Wednesday and then hasty teams were deployed on Thursday, Huff said.

Nineteen people went out Friday but she didn’t know how many went out Thursday.

Olympic National Park is partnering with search and rescue teams from King County Explorers Search and Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Mason County Search and Rescue, and Jefferson County Search and Rescue.

Huff said she didn’t know if the Coast Guard would conduct another aerial search, since weather was an issue on Thursday and Friday’s weather forecast was “not great.” Coast Guard public affairs officers in Seattle and Astoria were unavailable on Friday afternoon.

Huff said she didn’t know if West Coast Search Dogs in Aberdeen or a similar search and rescue organization had been contacted.

If you were in the area of Lake Quinault, Graves Creek, or Enchanted Valley between October 30 and November 1 or have any information regarding this individual, please call or text the tip line at 1-888-653-0009, submit a tip online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip, email nps_isb@nps.gov, or call park dispatch at 360-565-3115.