Missing Mount Rainier hikers found dead
KREM2 NEWS | Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 14 hours, 3 minutes AGO
A closeup of Wilson Glacier Falls in Mount Rainier. (Photo courtesy of National Park Service)
SUNRISE, Wash. — Search and rescue crews found the two climbers reported missing in the backcountry of Mount Rainier National Park near Wilson Glacier earlier this week, according to the National Park Service.
In an email to KING 5 News, the family of Ben Watson, 35, said Watson failed to check in with the park service Sunday night, as expected. The brother-in-law said the family was informed of the missed check-in on Monday, prompting concern.
Watson's relatives traveled from the East Coast, including Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania -- to be in Washington while awaiting updates from search and rescue crews.
The National Park Service said the search and rescue operations concluded after they found the hikers' remains on Tuesday.
After identifying overdue climbing permits on Jan. 18, park rangers "initiated an inquiry," the National Park Service said. Emergency contacts told KING 5 the climbers had not been in contact since the previous day.
Rangers later located their vehicle in the Paradise parking lot. Rangers were able to locate two "non-ambulatory" individuals near Wilson Glacier using spotting equipment. Weather conditions prevented aviation resources from accessing the area on Monday, park service officials said, but ground teams were able to reach the location on Tuesday and confirmed two deceased individuals.
Both climbers were recovered and transported to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will release any further updates, according to the National Park Service.
The two men have been identified in multiple social media posts as Watson and Jiri Richter, about age 50, though park officials did not publicly confirmed their identities.
Just days before the hikers were reported missing, Mount Rainier National Park posted a winter safety reminder on social media, warning that rapidly changing conditions — including whiteouts, avalanches, or injuries — can force unexpected overnight stays in extreme terrain. The post urged backcountry travelers to carry avalanche safety gear, navigation tools, and emergency supplies.