Missing Skagit County hiker found dead, sheriff's office says

The Skagit County Sheriff's Office said that a hiker who was reported missing in Skagit County on Thursday has been found dead.The sheriff's office said Friday it was conducting a search-and-rescue operation after receiving reports of a missing hiker on the Sauk Mountain Trail.Deputies say the hiker, Peter Kalapaca, was last seen on the trail around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.On Saturday, the sheriff's office said a helicopter crew found Kalapaca in steep terrain that wasn't accessible to search-and-rescue teams on the ground. "Sadly, he was not moving and was deceased when found," the sheriff's office said.

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Scoop News DeskSkagit County · Published Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 11:30 PM UTCUpdated Monday, September 21, 2026 at 11:56 PM UTC

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1 dead — in Beacon Hill shooting He was 78."We also extend our deepest condolences to the Kalapaca family and loved ones," the sheriff's office said. "While nothing can lessen the loss of a loved one, we are grateful for the extraordinary effort made by everyone involved, which allows some measure of closure for the family.""The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank each of the search and rescue teams, air resources, mountain rescue personnel, and partner agencies who assisted in this operation," the agency added.On the sheriff's office Facebook post, one of the comments came from Andy Kalapaca, who is believed to be Peter's son."Thank you SAR teams.

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