Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Friday, Oct. 1, 1999

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

The weather was perfect and the trail is near perfect, what with just a few windfalls. Unfortunately, this was not one of the more enjoyable hikes. As I was finishing a patrol around the Melakwa Lakes, I got a call at about 1230 to respond to a reported accident near Keekwulee falls and arrived as first uniform-on-scene at 1325. A hiker had fallen from near the top of the 120-foot falls. A MAST helicopter arrived at 1335 and medics were dropped down to assist the victim. The helicopter initially attempted a drop near the waterslides and I had to run down the trail to flag it upriver to the accident site. Many hikers contributed to the effort and all rescue and Army personnel who participated are to be commended. But I can't believe that one woman was very irate because the helicopter (at its initial station at the waterslides) sprayed water and scared her kids. I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to hear the complaint.