OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA – Two longtime friends who loved the outdoors were killed when a dead fir tree suddenly snapped and crashed down on a popular hiking trail in Washington’s Olympic National Forest, while a third woman narrowly escaped with her life.
Christine Mutchler, 70, and Kathy Pickard, 76, died in the freak accident Thursday on the Lena Lake trail. Their friend and hiking companion Kathy Todd, 74, survived by running the moment she heard the tree begin to crack.
The three women were active outdoor enthusiasts who frequently hiked together and took group ski trips. Friends described them as happy, energetic, and always up for an adventure.
Todd told investigators she heard “a big crack” and immediately started running as fast as she could. When she turned around, both of her friends were lying unconscious on the ground, surrounded by broken branches. The tree had fallen from approximately ten feet above the trail.
Two emergency room doctors who happened to be hiking behind the group rushed to help. They found Mutchler still breathing and began providing emergency medical care, but Pickard had been killed instantly by the impact.
A rescue helicopter from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island arrived within an hour and airlifted Mutchler to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Tragically, she died just minutes before the helicopter landed.
The deadly incident serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable dangers that can lurk even on well-maintained trails. Dead trees, known as “widow makers” in logging circles, can fall without warning, especially during wet or windy conditions.
Forest officials have not announced any trail closures following the accident.
