A search is underway for 44-year-old Hunter B. Fraser in Olympic National Park / NPS File
A search is currently underway for a backpacker reported missing on June 7th in Olympic National Park. Hunter B. Fraser is a 44-year-old male from California and is 6’3” tall, trim build, with short dark brown hair. He has scruffy facial hair and smaller scars on his head and chin. He has a grey t-shirt and a grey backpack (not the red one in picture). He also has a light turquoise one-person Mountain Hardware “Solitude” tent.
Fraser left his vehicle at the Deer Ridge Trailhead (#836), also known as Slab Camp, on Monday, June 5th, with the intention to hike a 40-mile trek, including two overnights. The exact route is unknown. His family last had contact with him via text on the morning of June 6th. He was supposed to return to the Seattle area by midday on Wednesday, June 7th.
If you were in the area of Slab Camp, Deer Park, Gray Wolf Trail, Cameron Creek Trail, or Grand Valley between June 5th to June 8th, please contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009, complete an online form www.nps.gov/ISB > Submit A Tip, or email [email protected] .
Olympic National Park dispatched several search teams June 9th, including Olympic National Park Search and Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Kitsap Explorer Search and Rescue, Jefferson Search and Rescue, Pierce County Search and Rescue, and dog teams from Kitsap, Pierce, and Mason Counties.
Although the region has experienced a stretch of good weather, the high country of Olympic National Park is still covered in snow. Visitors to the mountains should be prepared for snow covered trails and navigating avalanche terrain. The proper equipment is necessary and a Wilderness Permit is required of visitors planning an overnight backcountry stay in the park. Such permits allow rangers knowledge of a visitor’s general itinerary and emergency contact.
