24yr Old Washington Man Dies Hiking in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains

Hiking in Montana's backcountry wilderness can be an immense experience.  It can also turn deadly in seconds.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office are now releasing details on a fatal accident on September 27th, 2026, near the city of Libby, Montana in the northwest corner of the state.

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24yr Old Washington Man Dies Hiking in Montana's Cabinet Mountains

Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said through a press release on social media that in the late afternoon of Sunday September 27th, a 911 call was received through dispatch indicating that a hiker had fallen from a cliff and was not moving near Leigh Lake in the Cabinet Mountains.

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The lake, located south of Libby, rests below the tallest peak in the Cabinet Mountains named Snowshoe Peak.  The peak climbs to nearly 8800ft, and the group of climbers were descending the peak when the accident occurred.

Air Rescue from Spokane, WA Called in for Aid; Search and Rescue Help Recovery

Members of the David Thompson Search and Rescue and the Spokane Regional Air Support were called for assistance with the accident.  Members were unable to reach the hiker's body due to lack of light late in the day on Sunday.

Groups returned to the mountain on Monday and located the body about 500ft below the hiking trail where the 24-year-old Spokane, Washington man had fallen.  Search and Rescue workers were able to repel to the man's body for retrieval.  The hiker's name has not been released.