Two hikers die on Washington’s Sauk Mountain in one weekend
Two men died after falling while hiking on Washington state’s Sauk Mountain over the same weekend. Gary Idleburg, 66, fell an estimated 800–1,000 feet from a narrow switchback trail on 19 September, while Peter Kalapaca, 78, was found unresponsive after becoming separated from his group two days earlier. The deaths have renewed attention on the trail’s dangers, with at least five fatalities reported there over the past decade.
Search-and-rescue teams used ground crews, aerial support and scent-tracking dogs, with helicopter assistance needed because of the remote, rocky terrain. Idleburg was remembered as a prison-reform advocate, radio presenter and judo instructor, while Kalapaca’s son described him as an experienced and adventurous hiker, adding that age may have contributed to the accident. Authorities offered condolences to both families.
- Two hikers died on Sauk Mountain in one weekend.
- One fall was estimated at up to 1,000 feet.
- At least five hikers have died there in ten years.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Hiker who fell 1,000 feet to his death on steep, narrow trail is SECOND man to die on same Washington mountain in one weekend”.