Man survives nearly 400-foot fall near High Steel Bridge

A 19-year-old escaped with only minor injuries after falling approximately 400 feet in Mason County.

The man slipped and fell Saturday near the High Steel Bridge, southwest of Hood Canal. Mason County Sheriff's Corporal Tim Ripp told KIRO Newsradio it is always dangerous when people explore the nearby canyon walls.

“The terrain on the side trails changes dramatically and you'll feel like you're walking on a trail with the brush and vegetation and everything, you'll be walking straight off the cliff,” he explained.

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The 19-year-old was with his family at the time when he ventured out alone and fell. The Mason County Sheriff's Office said rescue crews pulled the man to safety from below the bridge.

Ripp told KIRO Newsradio that when crews found the man, he was cold and wet because he had gone into the Skokomish River and then atop a rock.

“He was cold and wet but he was alive and that was lucky because many don’t end the same way,” he said.

Ripp shared that he was happy the man survived, because that's not the case for everyone.

“It was a relief to hear him screaming for help because it's a good sign that he's alive because we've had many over the years that unfortunately were fatal,” he said. -he declares.

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According to the Washington Trails Association, the High Steel Bridge is the tallest railroad bridge ever built in the United States. It was built by the Simpson Logging Company in 1929 and was upgraded to a road in the 1950s and 1960s.

“It's not much of a hike, but you can cross the bridge and take in the excellent, dizzying views of the canyon. There is a trail that goes down into the canyon but it is closed because it is too dangerous,” says the Washington Trails Association website.

Ripp explained that the area near the High Steel Bridge is a hot spot because the side trails are so unstable that people easily lose their footing. And even though there are signs in the area warning people to stay off side trails, crews respond to about five deaths each year under the bridge.

Contributor: Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and send him an email here.