Woman, Dog Rescued After Getting Lost Near Easton

A Kirkland woman and her elderly dog are safe after getting lost deep in the woods near Easton on Sunday.

The 44-year-old woman called for help at around 8 p.m. after she and her 13-year-old Shiba Inu lost their way in the area of French Cabin Mountain.

Inspector Christopher Whitsett with the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office says the woman was not prepared for the weather and terrain conditions in the area.

"As the day went on, she lost the path and we believe this was primarily because up at these elevations, there's still two or three feet of hard-packed snow on the ground."

Whitsett says hikers and daytrippers need to remember that conditions in the back country during late spring are usually very different than those at lower elevations.

"It's not unusual at all for people to overestimate the influence of a little bit of warm weather. We've recently had a few really warm days that feel like summer down at low elevations, but it takes a long time for this kind of weather to put a dent in the conditions that persist up in the high country."

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Volunteers with Kittitas County Search & Rescue began looking for the woman and her dog around 10 p.m. and were able to communicate back-and-forth with her periodically using multiple radio relay teams.

Rescuers finally located the pair at around 3:20 the next morning and helped in guiding them to safety.

The woman was reportedly tired but able to walk out under her own power, while the dog was suffering from exhaustion and had to be carried out in a backpack.

Whitsett says the rescue is one of many the Sheriff's Office has already assisted with so far this spring.