THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 11, 1995 TAG: 9509110061
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: PORT ANGELES, WASH. LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Crews searching for two missing hikers in the southwest corner of Olympic National Park on Sunday spotted a large ``SOS'' built of snow and rocks in a meadow near Lake Sundown, park officials said.
One of the women is from Richmond, Va.
Rescuers were not sure who wrote the message, but considered it an important clue in their search for the two women who were reported overdue Friday, the National Park Service said.
Shari Rubin, 31, of Seattle, and Karen Starke, 30, of Richmond, had planned a six-day hiking trip in the park, rangers said.
Ground searchers were hiking toward the SOS while others, including search-dog teams, were being flown to the area Sunday.
About 70 searchers and two helicopters were looking for the pair. On Saturday, more than 20 rangers searched for clues along camp areas and interviewed other hikers.
The two women began their hike Sept. 2 at Graves Creek in the Quinault Valley.
It's thought they had planned a 50-mile hike through Enchanted Valley, along the Six Ridge Trail and over several high passes before returning to Graves Creek on Thursday.
KEYWORDS: MISSING PERSONS by CNB