Rescuers converged at the Pocket Wilderness (Mowbray Mountain) late Sunday afternoon after a 26-year-old woman fell. She was brought out after a lengthy operation that took until after dark.
Around 5:45 p.m., a 911 call was made of the woman having a possible leg fracture at the "Green Hole." It is about 1.5 miles from the entrance of the trails.
Several agencies responded to the scene to assist Mowbray Volunteer Fire Department. They included Sequoyah Volunteer Fire Department, Sale Creek VFD, Chattanooga - Hamilton County Rescue for rehab and Walden's Ridge Emergency Services for rope rescue and ATV's. Dallas Bay VFD was on stand-by for additional manpower.
Rescue personnel hiked into the woods to make contact with the injured woman. Due to the rough terrain, the rescue took four hours to complete. The woman was carried out around 10:10 p.m. Over 60 personnel were on the scene for several agencies.
Assistant Chief Dusten Woodard from Mowbray Volunteer Fire Department reported the woman, who is from Lincoln, Neb., was visiting her boyfriend from Ringgold. On Sunday, they went to visit the Pocket Wilderness to hike and swim. The woman was swinging from a rope when she let go too early and struck large rocks before she hit the water. She sustained a leg fracture from the fall.
There were several creek crossings involved in the rescue.
Tennessee State Parks personnel were scheduled to enter the woods Monday morning to dispose of the ropes civilians continue to hang on the trees near the “Blue and Green Hole” swimming areas.