Slickrock – A dispatcher with Graham County 911 received a call about an injured hiker in the vicinity of Bob Bald – elevation 5,431 feet – shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Julie Martin, 39 of Evansville, Ind., was hiking with others when she fell, resulting in a severely-sprained ankle and leaving her unable to walk. The group had started their hike at Big Fat Gap, and had made their way between Bob Bald and Cherry Log Gap when the accident happened.
The group slowly started making their way back to Bob Bald, where they were met by Graham County Rescue Squad members Tory Lynnes and Jeff Millsaps shortly after 6 p.m.
Martin was then transported to the end of Cold Branch Road, where squad member Harold Sellers was waiting with a rescue-squad vehicle to take the group back to their vehicles at Big Fat Gap – arriving there shortly after 8 p.m.
This area is part of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Area, which has rugged terrain that has prompted numerous search and rescue missions over the years.