Behind inviting social media videos lurks danger at Vesper Peak, deputies say
EVERETT — Last year, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office received 14 search and rescue calls for Vesper Peak. By August, deputies had received 17 calls, double what they recorded for the same time period last year.
The spike is attributed to hikers underestimating the trail’s intensity based on aesthetic videos of the Peak’s scenery on social media, according to spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe.
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While the 8-mile round-trip hike may not sound too long, high elevation and lack of defined trails in areas can be challenging for inexperienced hikers, O’Keefe said.
Individuals who hike Vesper Peak, located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, experience around a 4,000 foot elevation gain, according to The Washington Trails Association. Its highest point reaches 6,214 feet.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/behind-inviting-social-media-videos-lurks-danger-at-vesper-peak-deputies-say/