Two men died in separate incidents on Sauk Mountain in Skagit County, Washington, during the weekend of September 19, 2026. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office reported that Gary Idleburg, 66, fell between 800 and 1,000 feet on Saturday, September 19, one day after the remains of Peter Kalapaca, 78, were found. Kalapaca had been reported missing on the same mountain on Thursday, September 17.
These fatalities occurred on a trail that reaches a peak altitude of 5,500 feet and covers just over 4 miles roundtrip. The Washington Trails Association describes the Sauk Mountain Trail as steep and narrow, noting that some sections have eroded because hikers cut across switchbacks. The association stated that multiple people have fallen to their deaths on this trail in the past.
According to the sheriff's office, witnesses reported Gary Idleburg’s fall at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday after he went over the edge of a switchback. Other hikers located him and guided emergency responders to the site, where he was pronounced dead. The recovery operation concluded at 8 p.m. due to the difficult terrain. Earlier that weekend, on Friday, September 18, a helicopter flight crew located the body of Peter Kalapaca in a steep section of the mountain.
The two deaths within a 48-hour period occurred on a trail described by the Washington Trails Association as susceptible to erosion, particularly where hikers deviate from established switchbacks. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office stated that the recovery of the remains by helicopter and ground crews was intended to provide a measure of closure for the families. The operations involved ground search crews and two different helicopter flight crews to navigate terrain that was inaccessible to ground responders.
Hikers on Sauk Mountain continue to encounter the steep, narrow conditions described by the trails association. The sheriff's office has not reported any scheduled hearings or policy changes following the recovery operations.