Archive article Monstrum Athenaeum
Hiker’s Body Found – Werewolves Hunting in Mt. Rainier?
A 70 year old woman went missing a little more than a month ago (June 2014) in Mt. Rainier National Park. Karen Sykes, an outdoor journalist, was out on a hike with a friend when they decided to split up due to some concerns about hiking on…
Original article imageA 70 year old woman went missing a little more than a month ago (June 2014) in Mt. Rainier National Park. Karen Sykes, an outdoor journalist, was out on a hike with a friend when they decided to split up due to some concerns about hiking on the snow covered terrain; some of which was melting and causing a blockage on the path they had chosen. Sykes continued on, while her friend stayed behind. It was the last time Sykes was ever seen alive. Her body was found Saturday afternoon around 3pm, however, as of yet, no cause of death has been released. A commonly known fact, even with experienced hikers, is that they sometimes get lost and go missing. So, was this just a case of poor judgment on the part of Karen Sykes, or was there something else lurking in those woods? Possibly a werewolf or werewolves…?
Mt. Rainier National Park is a huge volcanic mountain hiking area located in Washington State. With its many miles of snow-covered, mountainous trails, its streams, lakes, and wildlife, it’s not hard to see how a person could be lured in by nature’s beauty. However, that beauty can betray and it often does, as Karen Sykes unfortunately discovered. There were many who stated that the location of her body was quite puzzling, as it didn’t coincide with the trail she was supposed to be on. Yet, but another mysterious circumstance in this puzzling ordeal…
The trails of Mt. Rainier are often hiked, although the location is quite remote. It is possible that Sykes’ body was dragged or carried to where it was found, as it was in question as to why she was there? Could there have possibly been a werewolf, which had targeted Sykes as an easy meal? A 70 year old woman hiking alone in the remote wilderness would be a werewolf’s dream meal. She would be easy pickings from a predator standpoint. With a lack of dismemberment or wounds found on her body, at least as of the writing of this news article, it could lead one to believe that the werewolf may have been spooked before dinner time; possibly by other hikers.
Just in May, a group of six hikers went missing while trying to reach the summit on Mt. Rainier. They disappeared without a trace and have been presumed dead by authorities. With these kind of mysterious disappearances happening in such a short period of time, speculations of something more sinister creeps into the imagination of all who keep up with this type of news. Six hikers in May and now Karen Sykes in June… The solitude of a wilderness setting the likes of Mt. Rainier National Park would be the ideal hunting grounds for a werewolf, or even a pack of werewolves. As authorities pass these occurrences off as unfortunate accidents, there are those who believe that it has happened too many times and too often for it to simply be a mere case of lost in the woods.
Originally published August 1, 2014. This is the original account, presented in our current reading format.
Article details & credits
The original article title is “Hiker’s Body Found – Werewolves Hunting in Mt. Rainier?”. Original artwork credits and source links remain with the text. Images are labeled individually; preserved source images and AI editorial illustrations remain distinct.
Header image: preserved original. Werewolves may be behind a group of six hikers gone missing while trying to reach the summit on Mt. Rainier; disappearing without a trace and presumed dead.
The text reflects the original author’s account and conclusions at the time of publication. It has not been rewritten as a newly verified encounter.

