Washington State

Hiker dies after dead wood fell from a tree in Mount Baker National Forest

A woman was killed instantly by a falling tree while hiking near the Lake Ann Trail in the Mount Baker National Forest, according to an email from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

The 59-year-old woman from Burnaby, B.C., was on an overnight hike with a friend when a large portion of dead wood fell from a tree overhead, landing on top of her at approximately 10 a.m., Oct. 8.

Deputies from Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office responded to the trailhead and called Bellingham Mountain Rescue to have them start a callout for volunteers. Multiple reports of the incident came in from other hikers throughout the day, according to the sheriff’s office.

The body was recovered and transferred to the medical examiner’s office.

This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 8:44 AM with the headline "Hiker dies after dead wood fell from a tree in Mount Baker National Forest."

Jack Belcher
The Bellingham Herald
Jack Belcher covers transportation and recreation for The Bellingham Herald. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in digital journalism in 2020 and joined the staff in September 2022. Belcher resides in Bellingham.
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