Body of missing Orting hiker found on trail

Updated story: The body of the 60-year-old Orting man who he had gone hiking a week ago in the wooded hills near the Carbon River has been found, the man’s family told KIRO 7.

Mark Miller was found on one of his favorite hiking trails.

Miller was an experienced camper and hiker who had been several days overdue to return from a camping trip which began on Jan. 21.

Searchers suspended their search for Miller Friday night due to darkness and severe wind.

On Friday, Sgt. Gary Sanders with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said, “He does have health issues after having a stroke, and he needs medication.”

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine his cause and manner of death.

Original story: The search and rescue effort for a 60-year-old Orting man in the wooded hills near the Carbon River entrance to the Mount Rainier National Park was suspended Friday night because of darkness and severe winds.

Mark Miller, an experienced camper and hiker who’s familiar with the area, was reported several days overdue to return from a camping trip which began Friday, Jan. 21. His family and friends located his locked van and campsite Thursday morning along the Carbon River, a few miles from the Carbon River Ranger Station.

“He does have health issues after having a stroke, and he needs medication,” said Sgt. Gary Sanders with the Pierce Co. Sheriff’s Office.

“If he’s hiking, we think about food, water things like that and we start getting concerned,” Sanders said. “And the weather’s changing, it’s going to drop in temperature which is going to make it harder for survival through the night and like that if he is out in the woods."

Search and rescue teams fanned the hills with tracking dogs Friday, but found no trace of Miller.

“He’s knows this area really well, which is a good thing and gives us hope,” Sanders said. “But darkness is not our friend. Our friend’s going to be light, being able to see being able to search, looking for what we can find."

Sanders said the search will expand Saturday morning.

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