An overdue hiker remained missing Wednesday on Mount Rainier. The search for Edwin Birch, 64, of Tacoma continued with ground crews scouring the Ohanapacosh, Cowlitz Park and Nickel Creek areas of the Wonderland Trail. An air search focused on a one-mile radius from the last known location of Birch. At about 3:30 p.m. July 12, Birch and his son met midway on the trail about a mile and a half north of Indian Bar at around the 6,600 feet level of the mountain. The son reported Birch as missing to Mount Rainier National Park officials at 1:30 a.m. on July 13. The section of the trail where Birch was last seen is snow-covered above 6,300 feet and has patchy snow in other locations. Park officials advise that all hikers should comeprepared for difficult hiking when snow can obscure park trails.
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