Hikers Rescued Near Cascades Hot Springs In Snowstorm

NORTH BEND, WA - A group of adults and a child that ventured into the Cascades backcountry in the midst of Monday's snowstorm had to be rescued Tuesday morning. The group hiked to Goldmyer Hot Springs, a popular winter destination that requires an advanced reservation to access.

The group, which included a 3-year-old, parked at the Dingford Creek on Monday and hiked 6 miles to the hot springs. They didn't leave the springs until around 7:30 p.m. Monday, according to the King County Sheriff's Office, at the height of a storm that dumped so much snow in the North Bend area, I-90 had to close. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground near the hot springs, according to trail reports.

The family never returned home on Monday, and family members called 911 on Tuesday. King County's search-and-rescue team took a Snowcat vehicle to the trailhead area. They found the hikers huddled in their truck, trapped by the snow and out of cell service range.

They were able to stay warm because the truck had a full tank of gas. There were no injuries.

Image courtesy KCSO