| |
The state of Washington is blessed with 15 national park units. These include the stunning Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainer National Parks, several national recreation areas, and multiple national historic sites. In addition, the state boasts hundreds of thousands of acres of spectacular national and state forest lands and scenic islands and coastlines.
Washingtonians treasure our public lands, and in much of the state, hiking is a popular activity for residents of all ages. Our beautiful landscapes and hiking trails are also tourist attractions, and outdoor recreation is an important source of income for many businesses.
I choose to call this state home because I love the natural environment here. I am an avid hiker and kayaker. Despite the many hazards present in the wild, deaths are rare in the backcountry, and for this reason, every death that occurs here affects the entire outdoor community. Accidental deaths due to avalanches and falls and drownings are tragic, but the deaths that occur at the hands of other humans are unforgettable.
The murder scenario presented in Backcountry is fictional, a creation entirely of the author’s imagination. The story, however, was inspired by two very real, very tragic events in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. I have combined aspects of these two tragedies for my novel.
In August of 2008, Pamela Almli, 54, a resident of Oso, a small town near Arlington, was on a day hike up the popular Sauk Mountain trail in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, when she was shot by a 14-year-old hunter who mistook her for a bear. The 14-year-old who killed her was accompanied only by a 16-year-old hunter, which, unfortunately, continues to be a perfectly legal situation in Washington State as well as in many others. The teenage killer was convicted of second degree manslaughter.
On July 11, 2006, on the Pinnacle Lake Trail off the Mountain Loop Highway, just outside Granite Falls, Mary Cooper, 56, and her daughter Susanna Stodden, 27, were murdered, each shot in the head with a single bullet from a small-caliber handgun. Although their clothing was in disarray, the women were not raped or robbed. Their bodies and packs were left in plain sight alongside the trail.
Mary and Susanna had no enemies. The murders appear to be completely random, and to date, this case remains unsolved. Someone, most likely a local man who happened to be on the trail with a gun in his pocket, is getting away with murder. If you have seen or heard anything that might offer a clue, please call the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 425-388-3845.
