Seattle hiker who disappeared from North Bend trail found alive

NORTH BEND, Wash. — A Seattle woman who disappeared with her dog nearly four days ago from a popular trail on Mount Teneriffe is alive, according to King County Sheriff's Office.

Search and rescue teams found 40-year-old Kimberly Haines on Thursday afternoon with only minor injuries, and a chopper took her to an ambulance.

>> See photo gallery of rescue here

The dog, who is safe, stayed with Haines the entire time she was lost.

Here's what we now know about the woman's disappearance and how she was found.

When did Haines disappear?

Haines was reported missing by her family at about 6 p.m. Monday after she didn't return home with her dog, Rainy. Haines is from the Greenwood neighborhood.

Where is Mount Teneriffe?

Located near North Bend in King County, Mount Teneriffe sits just to the west of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The eight-mile trail is a local favorite among hikers because it offers spectacular views at the summit, and the trailhead –which also leads to Little Si and Mount Si – is only about an hour drive from Seattle.

Below is a map of the trail system. See it below, and scroll down to keep reading. 

Is the trail known to be hard?

Considered a moderate and challenging hike, the trail has 3,800 feet elevation gain with switchbacks and steep inclines. It also includes the popular Teneriffe Falls, also known as Kamikaze Falls, which includes slippery rocks and steep drop-offs.

KIRO 7 News reported on a death in the area in 2016, when two people decided to go off-trail to the falls. A woman slipped and fell nearly 100 feet.

Hikers on the Washington Trail Association website say it can take between five and 10 hours to complete.

Haines hadn't been to Teneriffe before.

Is Haines a hiker?

During the search, Haines' family told investigators that she had never been to the mountain before and is not familiar with the trails.

Haines is an avid hiker and marathon runner.

How was she found? 

Search and rescue teams made "voice contact" with 40-year-old Kimberly Haines on early Thursday afternoon. Rescuers got data from her phone on Thursday morning.

They went to the area and heard a dog bark. They yelled out and Haines cried for help.

Around 2:30 p.m., Chopper 7 flew over Crater Lake, where crews prepared her for an airlift rescue. Guardian 2, the King County Sheriff Office’s chopper, took her to an ambulance in North Bend.

She had minor injuries.

Family was waiting near the ambulance, and they took the dog as Haines was brought to medics. The ambulance pulled over for a few minutes so family could greet Haines.

She was then taken to a hospital in Issaquah.

What were the search efforts?

Crews started the search Tuesday.

King County search and rescue teams set up a command post at the trailhead parking lot, where her car was found on Monday.

Searchers were concerned about the hot weather.

About 40 volunteers, some on ATVs, were searching for Haines, and items from inside her car were used to give search dogs a fresh scent to follow. Horses were also brought in so searchers could cover more ground.

On Thursday morning, a chopper dropped off a team near Rachor Lake, which is northwest of the peak.

As far as the phone data, rescuers said she may have been in an area without coverage for the first couple of days.

Cox Media Group