Hiker's Call After Bite May Have Saved Her

A woman hiking in California's Sierra Nevada mountains managed a potentially life-saving call for help before her phone died, reports USA Today. The hiker was coming off the John Muir Trail near Kings Canyon National Park last week when she stopped for water at a creek about two miles from the trailhead, per KTLA. While at the creek, she was bitten by what she believes was a spider and soon could not feel the skin on her legs, according to a release from the Inyo County Search and Rescue unit.

Unable to complete the rest of the hike, she phoned in her coordinates in the early evening before her phone battery died, and rescuers were able to find her—just before midnight, per CBS News. She was brought down safely, though no updates were provided about her condition or the bite she received. KTLA notes that a black widow spider would be the most likely culprit in California. Also of note: The hiker had turned back on the trail earlier not because of heat, but because of deep snow. (More hikers stories.)