Mason County Search & Rescue

06/04/2026

JSAR rocking the water side!

Our swiftwater capability is growing! We just wrapped up a 3-day Swiftwater Rescue (SWR) Technician course on the Elwha River, adding 6 new certified JSAR personnel to our SWR roster. Olympic National Park Rangers and Mason County Search and Rescue also had members get certified through this course.

SWR is a dynamic and challenging rescue environment, and JSAR has very carefully developed our team's swiftwater capability over the past three years. From very generous donations from our community that allowed us to purchase the inflatable rescue boat pictured, to a structured and purposeful training program, our team's ability to operate on the Olympic Peninsula's many waterways has noticeably grown.

Great job SWR technicians!

06/03/2026

Meet Peder.

Peder joined MCSAR in 2020, bringing with him a lifetime spent chasing adventure and learning how to move through the wild with respect and curiosity.

From skydiving and BASE jumping to speedflying, mountaineering, and free diving, he’s the kind of person who feels most alive immersed in the elements. If there’s an opportunity to explore the edge of human experience outdoors, chances are Peder has tried it—or is about to.

But his path into SAR came from something deeper than adrenaline.

Over the years, he witnessed serious accidents within the adventure sports community and found himself wanting to help, but feeling unprepared. After learning more about Search & Rescue through a fellow adventurer already involved in SAR, he realized he could use his existing skills to serve the community he calls home.

Outside of SAR, Peder also loves teaching and sharing knowledge. Whether mentoring others directly or through his YouTube channel focused on adventure sports, he’s passionate about helping people experience the outdoors more safely and fully.

Some of the biggest lessons he’s learned through SAR are simple—but powerful:

• Always check the weather. Always.
• Dress for success and bring the right gear.
• Serious accidents are rarely one bad decision—they’re usually a chain of cascading events. Don’t get tunnel vision.

And perhaps most importantly:

“There will be a final day on this planet for all of us, and we won’t know what day that is unless we create it. Do your best to enjoy every day to the fullest. Give huge hugs to all your people.”

That perspective—equal parts humility, preparation, and appreciation for life—is woven deeply into Search & Rescue.

Peder says one of the most meaningful parts of SAR has been working alongside people committed to the greater good, and he encourages everyone to find a way to volunteer using their own passions and skillsets.

Because it matters. And because people matter. We’re grateful he chose to bring his experience, heart, and adventurous spirit to the team. If you feel led to support our group through donation, please follow the link below - our volunteers and the people we rescue count on donations and grants almost entirely to support our work: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/mason-county-search-and-rescue

06/03/2026

Great response effort by all involved.
💙♥️🧡🚁

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) says two fishermen stranded near Holman Flats on the South Fork of the Skokomish River were rescued on Friday morning.

06/03/2026

We want to take a moment to highlight one of Mason County’s most critical emergency response resources — the Mason County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Rescue Team (SORT)!

SORT is a multi-jurisdictional team of highly trained law enforcement officers and fire district personnel dedicated to responding to the most challenging, high-risk rescue missions in our region. When incidents are too hazardous, complex, or technical for standard first responders, SORT steps up. Their capabilities include technical high-angle rope rescue, swift water rescue, and backcountry rescue operations… skills that require an incredible level of dedication and training to maintain.

Much of SORT’s work takes place right here in our backyard - in the Olympic National Forest, along the Skokomish River, and at locations like the High Steel Bridge - places many of us hike, explore, and enjoy. Having SORT as a resource is something every resident and visitor in Mason County should know about and be grateful for.

A huge thank you to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office and all the participating fire districts (you know who you are! 👇🏼) that make this team possible through their commitment, coordination, and resources.

So where does MCSAR fit in?

While our volunteers have been actively training in technical rope rescue skills, MCSAR is not currently authorized or operational for high-angle rescues. That responsibility belongs to SORT. However, we are sometimes called upon to support SORT on missions - and that’s exactly why our joint training together matters so much!

Training alongside SORT prepares our teams to operate seamlessly when it counts most. We put in the effort to understand each other’s capabilities, communication, and protocols so when we show up together on a mission, we function as one cohesive team rather than strangers on a hillside.

That kind of interoperability doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because teams like SORT invest the time to train with partners like us, and we’re grateful for it. 🙏

If you live, work, or play in Mason County, know that these dedicated professionals and volunteers are ready when you need them most. 💪

Mason County Sheriff's Office
West Mason Fire - WA
South Mason Fire & Rescue
The Mighty Mason 6
Hoodsport Fire and EMS
(Please let us know if we missed anyone!)
They are unsung heroes. They don't always get a mention. But that's not why they do what they do.

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

What an incredible outcome! This rescue is a testament to the power of true community partnership — from the ground teams who responded through the night, to Guardian One locating the fishermen in the dark, to the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria coming in with the aerial extraction when terrain made ground access impossible. The seamless coordination by Mason County Sheriff's Office & MCSO SORT, with the support of Mason County Search & Rescue, Washington Explorer Search and Rescue Kitsap Unit, Pacific County SORT, and all communications personnel is exactly what saves lives. So grateful for every person who played a role in bringing these two home safely.

05/29/2026

Last night, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a lost hiker in the area of N. Potlatch Rd. The hiker was last seen at approximately 2:30 p.m. and was reported missing several hours later after family members learned she was lost in the woods and her cell phone had died.

Deputies, along with emergency personnel from Hoodsport Fire and EMS, immediately began searching the area. As the search expanded, Mason County Search & Rescue was activated, with additional support from their K9 teams.

After nearly nine hours of searching through difficult conditions, responders successfully located the hiker cold, tired, but safe. She was escorted from the area to awaiting medical personnel for evaluation.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Mason County Search & Rescue, Hoodsport Fire, local Fire and EMS personnel, and all responding deputies and volunteers for their dedication and teamwork that helped bring this search to a successful conclusion.


~40

05/27/2026

Meet Roger. 🥾🌲

Roger joined Mason County Search & Rescue in September of 2024, but service and leadership have been part of his story for much longer than that.

A 22-year Army veteran and former Boy Scout leader for 13 years, Roger was looking for a way to reconnect with community after moving back to the Pacific Northwest. As fate would have it, his wife spotted an MCSAR Facebook post and told him, “I think I found your next thing.”

Turns out… she was right.

Outside of SAR, Roger enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and tackling the ongoing adventure of transforming a former vacation property into a full-time home. (A project that probably requires just as much grit as a winter training exercise.) He and his wife also enjoy keeping up with their two adult kids—and after a long mission or training day, he’s been known to celebrate with a well-earned cigar.

Like many people entering SAR, Roger came in with strong experience and a solid skillset. But one of the things he values most about the team is how much there still is to learn.

“I thought I knew lots of good SAR-ish type info coming into MCSAR. I learned how much I don’t know.”

That humility, willingness to learn, and drive to continue serving are exactly what make this team strong.

Roger also shared something we think captures the spirit of Search & Rescue perfectly:

“This is a group of volunteers willing to leave home at midnight, start hiking up a mountain at 1AM, and help someone they don’t know who is having a really rough night.”

That’s the heart of SAR.

And finally, perhaps his most important lesson learned so far:
Biscuits and gravy is the greatest breakfast on Earth after an all-night mission ending at sunrise. Full stop. ☕🥣

We’re proud to have Roger on the team. If you'd like to help support that Roger and the rest of our team do, please think about helping us reach our fundraising goals by following this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/mason-county-search-and-rescue

05/24/2026

Well done, all.

MASON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE – MEDIA RELEASE

Today, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Search and Rescue incident on Mt. Washington involving an injured hiker who had reportedly fallen from a cliff area.

After receiving additional information regarding the subject’s injuries, which included reported head and hip injuries, rescue efforts were coordinated to ensure the safest and most effective response due to the difficult terrain and nature of the injuries. Olympic Mountain Rescue responded and assisted with rescue operations on the mountain. Due to concerns regarding the subject’s condition and the terrain involved, a request was also made through State Emergency Operations for helicopter assistance. The subject was ultimately successfully rescued by the US Navy Whidbey Island helicopter crew and transported from the mountain for medical care.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Olympic Mountain Rescue, the US Navy Whidbey Island helicopter crew, State EOC personnel, and all responding resources involved in the successful rescue effort.

~P17