'No words' Weekend search for missing Moses Lake hiker ends

MARBLEMOUNT, Skagit County — The search for a missing Moses Lake hiker who went missing nearly three weeks ago near Mount Vernon ended on Sunday with no sign of the missing woman.

Over a dozen search and rescue experts, along with a trained canine, searched Hidden Lake Peak near Mount Vernon on Sunday for Rachel Lakoduk (Tripp), who went missing nearly three weeks ago.

Lakoduk reportedly went hiking alone to a lookout spot near Mount Vernon on her birthday, Oct. 17, and never returned. For nearly three weeks, search and rescue teams have been searching the vicinity for Lakoduk during treacherous conditions.

On Sunday night, Rachel's mother Elizabeth 'Betsy' Tripp, confirmed that search-and-rescue teams did not locate her daughter during the search on Sunday. "No Rachel. No more SAR (search and rescue) teams. No words," Tripp stated. The Skagit County Sheriff's Office has not confirmed if search and rescue operations have been suspended indefinitely. It has been 18 days since Lakoduk went missing as of Monday.

Search and rescue teams began searching the rough terrain for Lakoduk again on Saturday. The search was announced by the Skagit County Sheriff's Office on Friday afternoon.

"Search efforts are resuming Saturday and Sunday for the missing hiker Rachel Lakaduk at Hidden Lake Lookout. An aerial search of the area was conducted on Wednesday. Ground searchers and Mountain Rescue teams from around the state will be searching this weekend in areas that have and have not been previously searched. We have also requested K-9 teams and drone operators that are with certified search and rescue teams.

"We ask people not associated with this official search to stay away from the area as interference from people we don't know are on the mountain will make things problematic," the Skagit County Sheriff's Office stated.