Whatcom County Search and Rescue teams are asking for the public's help in locating a 34-year-old Canadian hiker who has now been missing for nearly a week in the backcountry near South Twin Sisters Mountain. Gursimran Singh, also known by the surname Randhawa, was expected to return to British Columbia on Sunday, June 28, but never arrived home. His Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was found parked on Middle Fork Road, also known as Forest Road 38, confirming he entered the wilderness but has not returned.
South Twin Sisters Mountain is part of the Twin Sisters Range, a geologically distinct massif located roughly 10 miles southwest of Mount Baker in the Mount Baker Wilderness area. The range is composed almost entirely of dunite, an unusually dense olivine-rich rock that makes it geologically unlike anything else in the North Cascades. South Twin, the highest peak in the group, rises to approximately 6,932 feet and is rated a basic alpine climb by The Mountaineers -- though conditions can change rapidly and route-finding in the upper reaches demands experience with off-trail travel.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office announced the search on July 1, deploying both Bellingham Mountain Rescue and the Whatcom County Search and Rescue 4x4 unit. Bellingham Mountain Rescue is an all-volunteer technical rescue team that responds to backcountry emergencies throughout Whatcom County, including glacier travel, cliff rescues, and high-angle terrain. The 4x4 unit handles road-accessible approaches and coordinates ground logistics for deeper searches.
As of the most recent update from the Sheriff's Office on July 3, the search was still ongoing. No new information about Singh's whereabouts had been released. The multi-day duration of the search, combined with the technical nature of the terrain and summer weather variability in the North Cascades, makes the situation serious. Temperatures in the high country can drop significantly overnight even in July, and afternoon thunderstorms are common.
Middle Fork Road, where Singh's vehicle was located, is a gravel forest road that provides access to several trail systems leading toward the Twin Sisters Range. Hikers using the road should be prepared for rough conditions and limited cell coverage. Trailheads in the area typically lack cell service, and GPS devices are strongly recommended for anyone venturing into the backcountry near Mount Baker.
Singh is described as a 34-year-old man. Anyone who may have seen him in the area -- at a trailhead, on the trail, or anywhere near Middle Fork Road -- is asked to call 911 immediately. Time-sensitive information about his last movements could be critical to the search effort. The Sheriff's Office has not released a physical description beyond his age; if you have any information, do not wait.
Rescue operations of this scale draw on significant volunteer resources from the Whatcom County community. The Whatcom County Search and Rescue Council coordinates multiple teams operating across the county's vast wilderness areas. For more information about Whatcom County search and rescue operations or to learn how to volunteer, visit the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office website.
This is an active, developing situation. Anyone with information on Gursimran Singh's whereabouts should call 911 without delay.
