UPDATE: Overdue hiker walks out of park

By Sequim Gazette Staff • June 11, 2023 5:23 pm
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office / Hunter B. Fraser, a 44-year-old California resident, who was reported overdue by family after hiking into Olympic National Park, walked out of the park with assistance from other hikers.
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office / Hunter B. Fraser, a 44-year-old California resident, who was reported overdue by family after hiking into Olympic National Park, walked out of the park with assistance from other hikers.

A hiker overdue since Wednesday and last seen west of Deer Park campground in Olympic National Park walked out of the park via the Dosewallips River Trail with the assistance of other hikers, the park reported at 4:29 p.m. Saturday, June 10.

Hunter Bryan Fraser, 44, was driven by other hikers to Quilcene, where his family, park personnel and medical responders met him, park officials said in a press release.

Clallam County search-and-rescue team members had been searching since June 7, starting in the Slab Camp area south of Sequim after the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office was notified by Olympic National Park rangers that day that he had been reported overdue.

“The search area was rather large,” said Amos Almy, interim spokesperson for the park.

Fraser is a Stanford University professor who missed a court hearing Friday related to domestic violence charges he faces in Santa Clara County, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Fraser left his vehicle at the Deer Ridge Trailhead on Monday “with the intent of hiking a 40-mile trek with two overnights, likely some kind of loop although the exact route is unknown,” sheriff’s office representatives said.

His family last had contact with him via text Tuesday morning. He was expected back in Seattle by mid-day Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said.

The search effort included air support, ground teams and dog teams from a variety of agencies, many of which are volunteers. About 90 search-and-rescue personnel were involved.

Assisting Olympic National Park were Washington State SAR Planning Unit, Quilcene Fire & Rescue, Snohomish County Volunteer SAR, Kitsap County ESAR, Jefferson County SAR, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Pierce County ESAR, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Clallam County SAR, Mount Rainier National Park, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Photo courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office / Hunter B. Fraser, a 44-year-old California resident, who was reported overdue by family after hiking into Olympic National Park, walked out of the park with assistance from other hikers.

Photo courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office / Hunter B. Fraser, a 44-year-old California resident, who was reported overdue by family after hiking into Olympic National Park, walked out of the park with assistance from other hikers.