One of the Seattle area's most popular training hikes went quiet on Tuesday, when Mount Si's trails were shut down after a bear encounter that left two people injured, according to emergency crews. Eastside Fire & Rescue said responders were working to carry both patients off the trail while wildlife officials searched for the animal. The closure affected the Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area outside North Bend, a route used by thousands of local hikers. Officials urged people to stay away from the area while the search and evacuation were underway.
Incident update from crews
Eastside Fire & Rescue said in a post on X that “Mt. Si trails are closed due to bear activity,” and that two people were injured as crews moved both patients down the trail for medic care while the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife searched for the animal. The post said crews were transporting the patients to waiting medics at the trailhead and did not list their conditions. Trail access in the immediate area was limited while responders and WDFW conducted the search.
Search and rescue operations on the peak
Rescue work on Mount Si can demand technical hauling and multi-agency coordination. A recent May operation required Bellevue Fire medics, Seattle Mountain Rescue and King County air support to hoist an injured hiker from the Haystack. Hoodline's May 16 rescue coverage outlined the rope-and-hoist techniques crews sometimes use on the peak. That history helps explain why responders moved deliberately on Tuesday as they evacuated the injured hikers and coordinated with wildlife officials on scene.
WDFW response and bear safety
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife tells people to call 911 for emergency dangerous-wildlife complaints and says agency employees respond to incidents involving predatory wildlife. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that conflicts with black bears are among the most commonly reported wildlife hazards in Washington and that the agency can investigate and take steps to reduce public risk. Eastside Fire & Rescue said WDFW was searching the Mount Si trails while crews completed the patient evacuations.
What hikers should know
Mount Si is one of the state's busiest day hikes and is often used for training by area climbers. The Washington Trails Association lists the route as an 8.0-mile roundtrip with about 3,150 feet of elevation gain and notes how heavily used the trail is, meaning closures can disrupt many weekend and weekday plans. Hikers should respect posted closures, avoid the area while the bear search continues, and monitor updates from Eastside Fire & Rescue and WDFW before heading to nearby trails.
This story will be updated as agencies release more information about the hikers' conditions and the progress of the bear search. For now, expect trailhead access and parking near Mount Si to be restricted while responders remain on scene.
