Husband and wife get trapped in premier hiking destination; only one of them makes it out alive
A sudden and powerful storm over Washington state's Cascade Mountains quickly turned a challenging hike into a fight for survival for an Oklahoma couple.
The pair was navigating the rugged "core zone" of the remote Enchantments wilderness when they were engulfed by heavy, deep snow.
By late afternoon, the freezing, high-elevation conditions brought their trek to a desperate halt.
2 MYSTERY DEATHS AT ZION NATIONAL PARK PROMPT URGENT QUESTIONS ABOUT VISITOR SAFETY At 5:26 p.m., the husband sent an urgent text to 911.
He reported to dispatchers that their clothes were soaked through from the storm, and his wife was physically unable to continue moving, according to FOX 13 Seattle .
Help could not reach them in time.
The stranded hiker, identified as 45-year-old Sybil Claborn of Oklahoma City, succumbed to the extreme elements and died in the snow Sunday.
Before the rescue team reached them, Claborn's husband tried to carry her out but was unable to do so.
They were stranded at an elevation of roughly 7,000 to 8,000 feet, about 8 to 10 miles from the nearest trailheads.
TEEN HIKER'S DISAPPEARANCE ENDS IN TRAGEDY AT NATIONAL PARK WITH KEY QUESTION REMAINING The situation prompted a frantic rescue effort involving multiple agencies, but the severe weather repeatedly thwarted attempts to reach the couple by air.
The sheriff's office requested a hoist-equipped helicopter at 6:51 p.m., and an Army helicopter launched from Yakima shortly after 8 p.m.
Stormy conditions forced the helicopter to turn back as the husband remained in contact with 911 and reported that Claborn's condition was deteriorating.
A second Army helicopter attempt around 10:50 p.m. was also unsuccessful, while Chelan County Mountain Rescue crews continued toward the couple on foot.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Ground crews finally reached the stranded hikers around 3:30 a.m., finding Claborn dead and her husband suffering from severe hypothermia.
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