Two Kitsap County women were killed when a tree fell on the trail to Lower Lena Lake in the Olympia National Forest on Jan. 15.
Three friends, Christine Mutchler, Kathy Pickard and Kathy Todd, had initially planned to ski at Crystal Mountain last Thursday, but changed plans due to the poor snow conditions of the mild early January in Washington. The three decided instead to hike to Lena Lake, a popular trail in the Olympics about 90 minutes from Kitsap County, and after morning fog burned off the weather was beautiful and sunny.
The hikers approached the lake just before noon, about a three-mile hike, with Todd in front, followed by Mutchler and then Pickard…