Sybil Claborn, 45, and her husband were trapped in 7,000-foot alpine terrain in Washington’s Cascade Mountain Range when severe weather rolled in.
Two people in the Enchantments at the summit of Asgard Pass in the Cascade Mountains (Photo: Tegra Stone Nuess/Getty Images)
Published September 17, 2026 05:11PM
An Oklahoma woman died of hypothermia while attempting a thru-hike of the Enchantments, a renowned high-alpine region in Washington state’s Cascade Mountain Range.
Sybil Claborn, 45, was hiking with her husband on September 13 when an early-season snowstorm struck the trail, according to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Several feet of snow buried the couple, both of whom suffered severe hypothermia. Claborn succumbed to the cold.
“The area the couple was at is approximately 7,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, with either trailhead approximately eight to ten miles away,” CCSO Chief Ryan Moody said in a statement sent to Outside. “Storms had persisted throughout the day, producing significant snowfall in the area. The male reported that both individuals’ clothing was soaked and that they did not have overnight gear.”
Authorities have not released the man’s name, age, or condition.
The Illusion of Day Hiking the Enchantments
The Enchantments is a coveted alpine hiking area known for mountain goats, turquoise lakes, and jagged peaks. The Washington Trail Association (WTA) categorizes the 18-mile one-way hike as being “hard,” with 4,500 feet of elevation gain and a high point of 7,800 feet. The couple was in the so-called “core zone” of the Enchantments, which is a high plateau filled with lakes, authorities say. A high-alpine basin forms the centerpiece of the Enchantments traverse.
Camping along the Enchantments traverse is only allowed by securing a competitive permit. Some hikers will attempt the entire trek in a day to avoid one, but weather conditions can turn violent quickly, especially at high elevations, putting unprepared mountaineers at an extreme risk of rapid hypothermia. Although large amounts of snow don’t typically accumulate until November, variable weather is common through these alpine peaks.
“Those undertaking the Enchantments thru-traverse in September should be aware of variable conditions brought by the onset of autumn in the alpine,” WTA writes on its website. “Conditions can vary greatly this time of year—it is not uncommon for 30-plus degree temperature swings to occur in a single day.”
The Timeline
September 13, 5:30 P.M. The husband placed the initial SOS call, reporting his wife was unable to move.
5:50 P.M. A second call confirmed the couple was buried in one to two feet of snow under an emergency blanket. Air rescue was grounded due to severe weather.
8:00 to 10:50 P.M. Army helicopter pilots make multiple attempts from Yakima, Washington, to reach the couple but fail due to storm conditions.
September 14, 3:30 A.M. Ground rescuers from Chelan County Mountain Rescue reach the site on foot, finding Claborn deceased and her husband suffering from severe hypothermia.
9:00 A.M. Air evacuation clears, transporting the surviving hiker to Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth.
A Ground Team Was the Only Option
CCSO provided Outside with a detailed timeline of the rescue. Just before 5:30 P.M. on September 13, authorities say they received an initial emergency call from a man who reported his wife was unable to move, and that he couldn’t carry her out on the trail.
Twenty minutes later, the man called again to say the woman was under an emergency blanket and the couple was buried between one and two feet of snow. Weather conditions were quickly deteriorating, and responders determined that it wasn’t safe to fly a helicopter in to evacuate the couple.
“At that point, the only other option was to get a ground team in as quickly as possible to try to warm her up,” Moody said. “A ground rescue team was requested from Chelan County Mountain Rescue (CCMR). They provide the quickest ground response possible.”
CCSO requested a hoist-capable helicopter before 7 P.M. if weather conditions improved. An hour later, an Army helicopter launched from Yakima, Washington, located about 100 miles away. Weather again prevented responders from reaching the pair.
Throughout the evening, CCSO said that the man continued to communicate about his wife’s condition and the possibility that she may die. The Army again tried to fly a helicopter into the area at 10:50 P.M., but the weather was still too dangerous.
At 3:30 A.M. on September 14, two CCMR personnel reached the couple on foot. At this point, the woman had died, and the man was suffering from severe hypothermia. Responders warmed the man in a tent rescuers brought, the Sheriff’s office said.
Later that morning, a helicopter arrived to transport the man and two CCMR rescuers. They landed at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, about ten miles from the trailhead, around 9:00 A.M. Officials transported the man by ambulance to Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth for treatment.
By 10 A.M., the sheriff’s office sent in a recovery flight to recover the deceased woman. She was transported to the Chelan County Coroner’s office
Additional information regarding the cause and manner of her death is under investigation, authorities say.
