Mysterious Stories Blog
Strange, disturbing and mysterious stories from the outdoors
The puzzling disappearance of Shirley Baumann near Lake Blethen
Shirley Baumann, disappeared July 20, 2020, Quartz Creek Trail from Middle Fork Road in North Bend, Washington
Revised April 2024
Shirley Baumann, 61, was hiking to Lake Blethen in Washington on Monday, July 20, 2020, using the Quartz Creek Trail from Middle Fork Road in North Bend. She was meant to return on Wednesday, July 22, but failed to show up.
Shirley was an experienced hiker who walked in the wilderness at least once a week. She was 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and weighed about 145 pounds, with hazel eyes and blonde hair. On the day she disappeared, she was likely to have brown sunglasses, reading glasses, and a cellphone (not a smartphone) with her.
The area is described as treacherous with many large cliffs, making it hard to search on foot.
According to King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ryan Abbott, Search and Rescue volunteers spent over 3,000 hours searching in the Snoqualmie River Middle Fork area of North Bend. Abbott said crews found Baumann’s car at an area trailhead and a friend said dogs were able to pick up her scent on the trail and near her campsite.
Lake Blethen, Washington
On July 28, the ground search was suspended, with a helicopter search continuing. Her hiking and camping gear was found but no sign of Shirley.
The case is ongoing, and it is strange that Shirley’s gear has turned up, but no sign of her or any remains.
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Read more strange stories from Washington
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The strange disappearance of Chet Hanson from Mount Rainier
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The strange disappearance of Stefan Bissert from Olympic National Park
The bizarre disappearance of Bryan Lee Johnston from the Olympic National Park
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The puzzling disappearance of Shirley Baumann near Lake Blethen
The strange death of the cyclist Jacob Gray in the Olympic National Park
Kris Fowler (The disturbing Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) disappearances)
Gavin Johnston - An overview of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) Deaths
Lake Quinault's mysterious tree fall
The baffling disappearance of the anthropologist Sam Dubal on Mt. Rainier
The bizarre disappearance of Maureen Leianuhea Kelly in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest
The strange disappearance of the landscape painter Alexander Pisch
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Sources
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/search-underway-missing-hiker-snoqualmie-area/XAAOPF56VZBEDM7Q7WGSTAC3QY/
https://livingsnoqualmie.com/hiker-still-missing-in-middle-fork-area-of-north-bend-search-and-rescue-plans-to-head-into-area-again/
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