Search suspended at Vesper Peak for Seattle hiker missing since Aug. 1

EVERETT, Wash. -- Search operations have been suspended for Samantha Sayers, 28, of Seattle, who hasn't been seen since Aug. 1 when she went for a hike at Vesper Peak in the North Cascades, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday.

"We have exhausted all leads and tips," sheriff's Search and Rescue Sgt. John Adams said. "We've interviewed all witnesses who have come forward. We have checked and double checked the possible routes we believe Sam could have taken.

"If there was a place we thought she could get to, we put people there to look for Sam, often putting our volunteers and personnel at great risk due to the rugged, remote and dangerous terrain," Adams said.

Sayers was alone when she went out on Aug. 1. She was described as an experienced hiker who had climbed the peak before.

The sheriff's office has said another hiker saw her at lunchtime the day of her hike at the 6,220-foot summit, and that she had walked to the south, rather than east back to her car.

The sheriff's office said preliminary numbers since the search began on Aug. 2 included 357 hours for air operations, 105 hours for drone operations, 82 hours for the Marine Unit to search Spada Lake, 329 hours for sheriff's office Search and Rescue personnel, and thousands of volunteer hours from search and rescue agencies across Washington.

The sheriff's office said spot checks of the area will continue in the area as snow continues to melt.