GLACIER PEAK, WA – A phone call from a concerned woman saved the life of a German woman who was attempting to hike through the Cascade Mountains to the Canadian border without proper gear as snow and cold hit the region.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office says Nancy Abel of Sultan met Katharina Groene last week as she was hiking near Stevens Pass.
Groene told Abel she had started her hike along the Pacific Crest Trail at the Mexican border and was determined to reach the Canadian border.
Abel hiked with Groene for a while and tried unsuccessfully to talk her out of continuing. Abel later went home, but with snow and colder temperatures moving in, she called 911.
The Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team found Groene Tuesday near Glacier Peak.
Authorities say Groene’s shelter had blown away and that she wanted to call for help but had no cell service.