Tragedy struck in Washington state’s Olympic National Forest last week when two hikers lost their lives due to a fallen tree on a well-known trail, as reported by local sources.
Christine Mutchler, aged 70, Kathy Pickard, 76, and Kathy Todd, 74, were on a hike to Lena Lake last Thursday when a section of a dead fir tree unexpectedly snapped and crashed onto the path, according to an account given by Todd to the Kitsap Sun.
“The sound was unforgettable,” Todd recounted to the newspaper on Monday. “I ran as quickly as I could, and I believe they did the same.”
When Todd looked back, she found Mutchler and Pickard unconscious on the trail, surrounded by fragments of the tree that had broken approximately ten feet from the ground.
Fortunately, two emergency room doctors were hiking nearby and quickly came to assist. They attended to Mutchler, who was still breathing at the time, while Pickard had tragically died on the spot, according to Todd’s account.
Two emergency room doctors happened to come up the trail behind the women and attended to Mutchler, who was still breathing, according to Todd. Pickard had been killed instantly.
Todd, who was not injured, said she hiked to a nearby clearing and called 911 for help.
An aerial view of Lake Crescent and surrounding pine trees in Olympic National Park. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
A rescue helicopter from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island arrived just over an hour later and hoisted Mutchler up in a basket. She was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but died minutes before arriving, her sister, Paula Smith, told the newspaper.
Meanwhile, the ER doctors walked Todd to the parking lot and drove her back to Kitsap County. Other hikers on the trail waited with Pickard’s body until a rescue crew could hike up the trail, the paper reported.
An aerial view of snow-capped mountains and river leading to Olympic National Park in Washington State. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
Friends of the women told the paper that they were part of a group of friends who enjoyed the outdoors together, including hiking and taking trips on a bus to go skiing.
“They were the back-of-the-bus crowd,” Sarah Rogers told the paper. “Absolutely a light. Happy, active, energetic and fun. Always out for a good time, in the best way.”
