Whatcom County Search & Rescue Council

🚨 SHERIFF ACTIVITY – MISSING HIKER 🚨
⛰️ Sauk Mountain | Case #26-11395

The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search and rescue operation following a report of a missing hiker on the Sauk Mountain Trail on September 17, 2026.

Missing Hiker: Peter Kalapaca
• 78-year-old male
• Approximately 5’9”, 170 pounds
• Last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m. near the top of the Sauk Mountain Trail
• Wearing a yellow shirt, yellow hat (pictured below), and blue jeans
• Carrying limited food and water and was not prepared to remain in the area overnight

Despite extensive ground and air search efforts Thursday evening, the hiker has not been located.

🚁 Search efforts have resumed today, September 18, with assistance from the National Park Service, U.S. Border Patrol, and neighboring county search and rescue resources.

Anyone who may have seen the missing hiker or has information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office at 360-428-3211.

This is a recent photo of the missing hiker. He was wearing the same yellow hat at the time he went missing⬇️

Come see STS this Sunday at the Whatcom Humane Society!

Our annual Dog Days of Summer Festival is just a few days away - THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th on the field behind our Division Street shelter.

To Tie For is one of MANY pawsome pet themed vendors participating. Not only will their booth have some doggone fun ties for your dog (really, they are so cute and your dog totally wants/needs one!) but they also donate the PA system and generator used at the Contest Ring. TWO PAWS UP.

Vendors paw - ticipating at this year's festival:

Whatcom Humane Society
Whatcom Humane Society Thrift Shop - POP UP Shopping Area
Alternative Humane Society
Animal Emergency Care (AEC)
Bailey’s Neighborhood Pet
Blue's Chews
Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital
Brigadoon Service Dogs
Cascadia Daily News
City of Bellingham Public Works
Dewey Griffin Subaru
Doc D's Apothecary
Dog Eared Book Company
Doris Bizarro
Elementails Intuitive Animal Services
Evergreen Pug Rescue
Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital
Fido Physio
Happy Tails Happy Homes
Hyline Hotel for Dogs
Industrial Credit Union
KAFE 104.1 FM
K&S Injury Advocates
K9 Kindness Positive Reinforcement Trainers
Love2Hope
Mountain Veterinary Hospital
MustLuvBoxers Rescue
North Coast Credit Union
Northwest Boxer Rescue
Old Dog Haven
On Belay Dog Company
Pet Partners
petStop
Pine & Paws Pet Care
Poi Dog Rescue
Shadow's Forever Friends
Sierra Belleville State Farm Agency
Sweet Ps Mobile Grooming
Teresa Garten State Farm Insurance
Stellar Motion
Summit to Sound K9 Rescue
The Canine Aquatic Center
To Tie For
ValuPak/Specialty Feeds
Walton Law
Wee Bee Kind
Whatcom Co. Stormwater Pet Waste Program
Whispering X K9
Trifecta Training & Consulting LLC

And Vegetarian Food Trucks and Beverages . . .

Paws For A B**r B**r Garden (humans must be 21 - we don't card dogs)
Juicy J's Smoked Burgers
The Sweet Chum
Sammies Vegan Food Cart
Kona Ice
Taco's El Tule 2
Iconic Coffee
WHS Pup Cup Truck

For more info, visit our facebook events page or www.whatcomhumane.org. See you at Dog Days! It's going to be a fantastic day for dogs and the people who love them! WOOF!

Meet one of our incredible SAR Deputies!

A couple things about Deputy Jordan Andersen are easily apparent. He loves the outdoors. And he has a heart for service.

When he’s not at work, Jordan enjoys time with his young family swimming, boating, camping and “losing golf balls.” And what about work?

Jordan not only knew – from the young age of ten – that he wanted to be law enforcement, he also knew he wanted to work in Search and Rescue (SAR). That, along with a wife who grew up in Blaine, is what brought the Stevenson, Washington native to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).

In this state, each county’s sheriff’s office is legally responsible to provide Search and Rescue services.

At WCSO, Jordan is one of three deputies and a sergeant who oversee SAR. When search or rescue is needed, they call on units within Whatcom County Search & Rescue Council, ranging from Bellingham Mountain Rescue, Emergency Comms, Whatcom Dive Rescue and Whatcom Co Search & Rescue 4x4 Unit to Summit to Sound Search & Rescue. Each of those units is staffed by volunteers.

“Everyone in SAR who’s in the field is there on their own,” says Jordan. “They’re not getting paid.” In fact, SAR volunteers pay for all their own equipment and required training – and donate their time.

“I never take for granted the hours they put in,” says Jordan. “You don’t watch the clock if you’re with people who like what they do – and want to do it.”

Jordan says the commitment of SAR volunteers is a big part of what makes his job so special. But perhaps he also contributes his own “special sauce.”

He came to WCSO with experience in both corrections (as the state’s youngest corrections officer at the time) and 911 dispatch, followed by seven years in the Air Force, including service overseas in Kuwait. It all contributed to the man who has a heart not only to serve, but also for those who are served. Especially when SAR locates someone who has already passed away.

“We wish we could locate everybody alive,” he says. But that’s not always possible. “If I had a loved one who went into the woods and did not come out, I would worry.” Jordan says at least SAR can demonstrate effort and provide closure. And hopefully some peace of mind.

Thank you for your service, Deputy Andersen.

12:47 9/2/26 Update: the missing person has been found and is with EMS personnel. This concludes our updates on this incident.

12:15 p.m. 9/2/2026 Update: Coordinated Search and Rescue efforts continue with ground personnel and helicopters from Department of Homeland Security and the Navy overhead.

10:14 am Search Update — Helicopter Operations & Volunteer Info

Helicopter search operations will begin at approximately 10:45 AM with Border Patrol Air and Marine.

Drone Notice: Private drone piloting is illegal during search and rescue operations. It poses a significant threat of injury or death to both ground and air crews. Please do not fly drones in the area.

Community turnout at this morning's 9:00 AM briefing at Station 21 was excellent. Those volunteers have been embedded with operations command staged on Mt. Woolard and are actively assisting with the search.

If you'd like to join the search, come to Station 21, 45 Lavender Lane, first to receive your assignment and instructions.

If you have any information related to the search, please call the non-emergency line at 360-378-4151.

***

9:03 am Search Update — Mt. Woolard

Search operations are underway today with mutual aid from San Juan Island Fire, Lopez Island Fire, and Whatcom County Search and Rescue.

An air-scent search dog from Summit to Sound is working the Mt. Woolard area. The dog and handler are well marked.

A second search dog from Skagit County will be arriving this morning.

We'll continue to post updates as the search progresses.

Great article highlighting the skill and expertise of our Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council volunteers!

Unexpected storm, broken leg strand climbers on Mount Shuksan, leading to harrowing rescue | Cascadia Daily News Bellingham Mountain Rescue volunteer had taught, guided the man he came to save

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1L3L28SY5h/

Boater Safely Rescued After Boat Becomes Lodged on Log Jam in Nooksack River

A 33-year-old man was safely rescued Sunday evening after his boat became lodged on a log jam in the Nooksack River near the 5300 block of Ferndale Road, according to the Whatcom County Water Rescue Task Force.

The task force was dispatched after receiving a report of a stranded boater. Officials said the man was wearing a life jacket and was not injured but was unable to free his boat after it became stuck in the log jam.

Rescuers safely reached the boater, recovered both him and his vessel, and transported him back to the nearby boat launch without incident.

According to Officer Cody Barry, public information officer for the Everson Police Department, the Whatcom County Water Rescue Task Force is a multi-agency team made up of personnel from the Everson Police Department, Sumas Police Department, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Whatcom County Search and Rescue. The task force provides specialized water rescue and recovery services throughout Whatcom County and responds to incidents on rivers and other waterways across the county.

The successful rescue is as another reminder of the importance of wearing a life jacket while on the water. In this incident, officials said the boater was properly equipped, and the situation ended without injuries.

This is a Bellingham Metro News original report.

REG FLAG WARNING for most of Whatcom County.

Update* Red Flag Warning has now been lifted!

RED FLAG WARNING

The US National Weather Service Seattle Washington has issued a Red Flag Warning for Fire Weather Zone 658, covering the West Slopes of the North Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet which includes portions of Whatcom County – from 1AM to 11PM Thursday July 16th, for lightning and gusty outflow winds resulting in increased fire danger.

Key Conditions to Know:

-Thunderstorms are expected early Thursday morning and again in the afternoon and evening.
-Wind: Erratic outflow winds capable of gusts 35-50 miles per hour

Why This Matters:

Lightning strikes in combination with the existing dry conditions and extreme winds can lead to rapidly growing wildfires. Thunderstorms also bring unpredictable wind shifts that can cause even small contained fires to get out of control quickly.

*Outdoor burning is prohibited in areas under Red Flag Warning*

Avoid activities that can cause sparks (grinding, welding, target shooting, etc.)

Please stay alert, follow local fire restrictions, and report any signs of smoke or fire immediately.