The hiker, a 78-year-old man, was reported missing on the Sauk Mountain Trail on Thursday.
The search for a missing hiker on Sauk Mountain has ended in tragedy, according to an update from search and rescue on Saturday morning.
The Skagit County Sheriff's Office said 78-year-old Peter Kalapaca was reported missing on Sauk Mountain on Thursday.
Search and rescue teams from multiple agencies launched a wide effort with ground crews, helicopters, air scent K9 units, and mountain rescue personnel searching through Friday.
During the evening, a helicopter crew located Kalapaca in steep terrain that ground teams could not reach. Officials said he was not moving and was deceased when found.
Because of the difficult location, a technical recovery using a helicopter from North Cascades National Park was needed to reach and recover Kalapaca safely. Authorities said the recovery is now complete and Sauk Mountain Trail has reopened.
The Skagit County Sheriff's Office thanked all who assisted in the search and operation.
The missing hiker is a man who is 78 years old, about 5 feet, 9 inches, tall and 170 pounds. He was wearing a yellow shirt, a yellow hat (as pictured here) and blue jeans. (Skagit County Sheriff's Office)He was carrying limited food and water and was unprepared to stay overnight.
Despite a thorough search on the ground and from the air Thursday evening, he was not found, according to the Skagit County Sheriff's Office (SCSO).
The search resumed on Friday with help from the National Park Service, U.S. Border Patrol, and neighboring county search and rescue resources.
Anyone who may have seen the missing hiker or has information about his whereabouts is asked to call the SCSO at 360-428-3211.
The provided photo of the missing man is recent, and he was wearing the same yellow hat when he disappeared.
