Solo hiker rescued after plummeting off cliff into remote lake

December 9, 2024

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — A lone hiker in Snohomish County was rescued overnight after falling off a cliff and into Lake Serene in the Cascades late Sunday.

After the accident, the hiker activated a personal locator beacon (PLB) to alert rescuers. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said at that time, the hiker was hypothermic.

Lake Serene is considered a high lake at an elevation of 2,525 feet and sits under the walls of Mount Index, according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Around 10 pm., the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) notified a U.S. Navy search and rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) that a hiker had fallen off a cliff and into Lake Serene.