Olympia Washington 
 
Thursday, May 15, 2003 

Hiker dies in fall from Mason County peak 

The body of a Shelton hiker was found in a rugged area of Mount Washington on Wednesday. 

Joel McLin, 22, had left home early Tuesday afternoon for a day hike in the Olympic National Forest, Mason County Sheriff Steve Whybark said. 

About 40 people were searching for McLin when his body was found about 20 miles northwest of Shelton. He fell about 900 feet while climbing Mount Washington. 

McLin was considered an experienced hiker, Whybark said. 

He'd told his family he would call on his cell phone when he reached the 6,255-foot summit. When they didn't hear from him by Tuesday evening, they went to the trailhead, where they found his car, Whybark said. 

They hiked up the trail but didn't find him. They reported him missing about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday. Some family members searched through the night. 

Wednesday morning, Mason County Search and Rescue -- with eight volunteers from Bremerton-based Olympic Mountain Rescue, and a helicopter from King County -- launched a search for McLin. 

Low clouds and turbulence forced the helicopter to turn back, Whybark said. 

A Thurston County sheriff's helicopter also was called in and helped searchers find the missing hiker, Capt. Dan Kimball said. 

McLin's body was found at 3:30 p.m. 

McLin was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking Mount Washington while he was home on vacation from school at Wheaton College in Illinois, said his grandfather, Glen McLin. 

"I was not at all surprised he was up there, but I was surprised that something happened and he didn't come back," Glen McLin said. 

McLin was an intelligent, athletic and friendly person known as a real go-getter, his grandfather said. 

"He was known as 'Smiley' in high school, and that fit him to a T," Glen McLin said. 

McLin had an older brother. He liked to run and was full of vigor, Glen McLin said. 

"When he said he was going to run down to the grocery store and get something to eat, that's what he meant. He didn't drive," McLin said. "It's sad to see a lad with so many promises for success fade out and be destroyed." 

N.S. Nokkentved can be reached at 360-754-5445. Scott Gutierrez can be reached at 360-754-5465.

©2003 The Olympian