Hikers escape Bolt Creek Fire after getting trapped on Baring Mountain by flames
2 hikers narrowly escape after Bolt Creek Fire traps them on Baring Mountain
The men set out for their 6-hour hike very early Saturday morning, unaware that a wildfire had just started a few miles from the ridge they were climbing.
INDEX, Wash. - Two hikers got trapped near the summit of Baring Mountain just as the Bolt Creek Fire started raging over the ridges Saturday.
The men set out for their 6-hour hike very early Saturday morning, unaware that a wildfire had just started a few miles from the ridge they were climbing.
When Steve Cooper and Matt Bishop got to the summit of Baring Mountain, they were met with an explosive sight.
"We could see the fire coming from the other ridge," said Matt Bishop of Snohomish. "We were like, ‘We need to get out of here’."
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The men set out on their adventure at around 6 a.m., by 7 a.m. they were on the trail. The skies were mostly clear, and they were completely unaware a fire had sparked about an hour earlier, at 5 a.m., and an inferno was growing in the forest.
After a nearly 6-hour trek up the steep climber's trail, they finally had an eagle eye view of the surrounding area. From that vantage point, they could see the massive wildfire about three to four ridges away, and barreling their way.
"It was definitely one of those moments when you were like, this is it, we are probably not going to make this," said Steve Cooper of Lyman.
The two friends and long-time hiking buddies turned around immediately and headed down the mountain. In the "V-notch" climbing area they realized the fire had made it to their side of the mountain and had cut off the trail back down.
"All of a sudden the trail in front of us was in smoke and erupts into flames," said Matt.
The men checked their GPS, looking for alternate ways off the mountain, as the fire raged.
"It roared like a jet engine," said Matt. "That was our route down the mountain, and it was engulfed in flames. It was terrifying."
"When that fire was coming up that ridge, it was hot, extremely hot," said Steve.
The men decided to make their way down by following a dry drainage. The fire chased alongside them.
In a video recorded from that day, Steve said, "We are trapped here, we have fire on either side."
"Hopefully you guys get to see this video because otherwise we didn’t make it," said Matt in the video.
The men tried to call 911 for help but unfortunately, with high winds and poor visibility due to the smoke, conditions were too dangerous for a rescue.
"We just got off the phone with 911 and search and rescue, and they cannot rescue us," said Steve in cell phone video from that day. "We are going to try to get out of here before we burn to death."
"The sheriff said we can’t get a helicopter to you, it’s too dangerous," said Steve.
The off-trail route they ultimately took to get to safety was slippery with ash and debris. It was also filled with dangerous drop-offs. At one point, Matt lost his footing and nearly slid 30 feet off a cliff with a 200-foot drop before grabbing a tree.
"If he would have dropped, I'm pretty sure he would have died," said Steve.
"We were following a water drainage down," said Matt.
After hours of stressful scrambling, the men picked up a trail near Barclay Lake, where they could hike to their Jeep. Steve chronicled the escape on his adventure YouTube Channel, "Path Least Taken."
"We had determination we wanted to stay alive, and make it back home to our families," said Steve.
The two want to warn other hikers not to make the same mistakes. They advise others not to go to the mountains on red flag days and if there is smoke in the air, even a light amount, forgo the hike.
"If it’s a red flag warning, you probably shouldn’t go out into the mountains. It’s a bad idea," says Steve. "If there is smoke, or any sign of smoke, probably just turn around and do not go hiking."
"The heat builds its own wind, and it’s amazing how fast it goes," said Matt.
"It was a traumatic experience, hope nobody has to go through what we went through," said Steve.
"We got lucky a lot of times on the way out," said Matt.
The men say, although they couldn't be rescued due to conditions. They credit 911 operators, search and rescue teams and the sheriff with keeping them calm as they made their way out.