On July 6, 2010, at approximately 5:30 PM, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office received a telephone call from Marrowstone Island resident Dallas Fowser who reported that he had just received a radio transmission on his FRS radio from a hiker in distress. The radio caller, 21 year old Nathaniel Middleton, reported that he and his hiking partner, 21 year old Ryan Shephard, were east of Mount Townsend, above Silver Lake, and that Shephard, was suffering from heat stroke and blurred vision. Middleton was requesting assistance.

Middleton also activated his "Spot" emergency satellite transmitter and JeffCom 911 Communications received a telephone call from the transmitter company which gave the hiker's GPS coordinates as 47.51.03N / 123.04.428W, in the Tull Canyon area of the Olympic National Forest.

Due to the serious nature of the hiker's medical condition the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue coordinator requested helicopter assistance from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The helicopter pilot was given the GPS coordinates and located the hikers at 8:20 PM. The helicopter deployed a line and basket and recovered both hikers. The hikers were flown directly to Jefferson Health Care Hospital.

Shephard and Middleton were contacted by law enforcement at the hospital emergency room. Shephard was dehydrated and dizzy, but otherwise in good health. He was given an IV bag of fluids and advised that he would be released from the hospital. Middleton was not treated.

Middleton told law enforcement that he and Shephard were experienced hikers and that they began their hike at the Lower Mt. Townsend trailhead at about 9:30 AM on July 5, 2010 en route to Silver Lake. They hiked for the day and ended up in the Tull Canyon area, spending the night near Copper Creek.

As they hiked out, off trail, the following day they ran out of water. Shephard became dizzy, had blurred vision, and was unable to continue, suffering from heat stroke and dehydration. Middleton said he packed Shephard with snow to cool him down and was able to get him to drink some water, which he made by melting snow.

When Middleton realized that Shephard was in no condition to continue the hike he activated his emergency transmitter and started calling on his Garmin GPS/radio for help, at which time he communicated with Fowser.

Both Middleton and Shephard are from the Redmond/Woodinville area of King County, Washington.