Woman Crosses Paths With A Strange Hiker And Immediately Radios 911
Nancy Abell had always loved navigating the nature trails in her home state of Washington. She often passed locals and strangers alike out in the woods, but one encounter left her filled with worry. The hiker she met didn't seem to be doing anything out of the ordinary until Abell noticed a minor detail. The stranger's life was in danger — unless Nancy could intervene.
Local Walk
In October of 2018, Nancy Abell was walking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail. The long-distance hike extended all along the U.S. Pacific Coast, with notable spots in California up to Washington. She was just enjoying a short route in her home state, and although it started out like any other hike, she soon found she wasn't alone.
Feeling Off
There really wasn't anything particularly remarkable about the young hiker Abell met that day. As usual, she'd bumped into many fellow hikers along the trail. But for some reason, something about this passerby gave Abell a gut suspicion — one that didn't go away after they parted ways.
Other Face
The hiker was a young woman named Katharina Groene. She was from Germany, having traveled over to the U.S. to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail. The 34-year-old had met Nancy while on her last leg and was preparing to finish up her personal odyssey. At first, everything went smoothly between the two women.
Plenty of Worries
When Groene revealed she was finishing up the last leg of the PCT, Nancy Abell gave her a once-over. As a veteran of many treks herself, Abell noticed something wrong. While Groene may have successfully made her way along the Pacific Crest Trail to this point, Abell knew what the finishing line had in store — and it could be life-threatening.
