A harrowing fall of 100 feet into the icy embrace of Lake Serene resulted in serious injuries for a solo hiker this past Sunday, triggering a complex overnight rescue operation in Snohomish County. As FOX 13 Seattle reports, the individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was hiking near the north end of the lake when he plummeted down a cliff, striking multiple rocks before landing in the chilly waters below.

The incident became a race against time as the hiker, now suffering from hypothermia, managed to activate a personal locator beacon, which alerted the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office to his precarious situation, as was detailed by KOMO News. Located at an elevation of 2,525 feet, Lake Serene sits within the shadow of Mount Index, according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife; its 45 acres of surface are deceptively calm over depths reaching 23 feet, the waters this time of year are partially frozen adding an extra layer of peril to the hiker's ordeal.

The combined efforts of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office and a Naval Air Station Whidbey Island search and rescue team were instrumental in extracting the injured man from his chilling predicament — a helicopter airlift eventually bridged the gap between the wilderness and the hospital in Seattle, as per the reporting by The News Tribune.