Hiker details evacuation at Mount Rainier

By Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest.com editor

At least 150 officers descended onto Mount Rainier Sunday after reports of a park ranger shot and killed. Hikers and campers were evacuated to the visitor’s center as the manhunt unfolded.

Can you imagine helicopters and planes flying overhead and breaking the silence as you’re snowshoeing through a snow covered meadow?

One hiker detailed the scary moments on a hiking forum, nwhikers.net.

Kayakbear wrote:

This morning, we are all still in bed around 8:30am when the chopper comes back and hovers for a good long while until we get out of the tents. They call out on their speaker “ranger shot and killed. Shooter at large.” Well crap. That explains the swarms.
Read more from the hiker’s account

In the account, the hiker says several helicopters flew over multiple times to check in and basically escort their group out of the area. Apparently the helicopters dropped two empty coffee cups with specific instructions for evacuation.

The group actually never made it to the visitor’s center before the alleged shooter, Benjamin Colton Barnes, was found dead in Paradise Creek. They met up with an armed US Forest team who told them the news.

(Photo courtesy Kayakbear)

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