A 40-year-old BASE jumper was found dead after a complex three-day recovery effort on the north face of Mt. Baring, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
On Tuesday, Aug. 19, at about 7 p.m., Snohomish County Search and Rescue deputies responded to reports that a BASE jumper was unresponsive after leaping from the 6,127-foot summit.
A companion who jumped just after him reported hearing a crash and later saw an open parachute caught near the 4,000-foot level of the mountain, but could not reach or see the man.
The rescue quickly became a recovery mission because of the steep, hazardous terrain.
Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue (SCVSAR), the Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit, Everett Mountain Rescue, and the Helicopter Rescue Team were all called in to assist.
The first night, crews used the SnoHawk1 helicopter to scan the mountain face.
By the next morning, a more detailed aerial search located the parachute around 4,150 feet, confirming that a technical ground recovery would be needed.
Because of the dangerous terrain, crews staged a helicopter insertion point about 600 feet above the victim’s location using SnoHawk10.
Over several hours, specialized teams rappelled down steep rock faces, installed anchors, and worked to package the body for removal while managing rope systems and rockfall hazards.
The Air Support Unit then carried out one of its most challenging extractions to date — using an 800-foot long line, the longest system the team has ever flown.
The operation lifted the victim from the cliffside and lowered him to a safe landing zone near the base of Mt. Baring.
From there, the body was transported to Skykomish Airfield, where the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office took custody.
The examiner will make a positive identification and determine the cause and manner of death.
Officials emphasized that the recovery would not have been possible without the combined planning, rope expertise, and aerial precision of multiple search and rescue units.
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