Two hikers followed a trail of blood at sunset — it led them to a desperate discovery at the bottom of a slope
During a crisis, even unfamiliar faces can become lifesavers. As the sun began to set over Bridal Veil Falls, two hikers noticed something unusual along the trail. What first looked like dark marks on the ground slowly formed a troubling path of blood that led them off the main route and down a steep slope. At the bottom, they found Jacque Tietjen of Saratoga Springs lying unconscious. The accident happened on February 3, 2026, around 5 p.m., during what was meant to be a solo hike in the area near Provo Canyon. As reported by KSL, her family believes the quick actions of those strangers may have made all the difference in the critical moments that followed.
Jacque was no stranger to risk. According to her sister-in-law, Katherine Tietjen, she had completed thousands of hikes and even taken part in mountaineering trips to places like Mount Everest. “This isn't new to her. She's been in dangerous conditions,” Katherine commented, adding that this time “something went wrong.” The family believes Jacque may have slipped and struck her head or possibly been hit by falling rocks while moving along the trail. She fell down what rescuers later described as a 45-degree slope. About an hour to an hour and a half after the fall, the two hikers came across a trail of blood and chose to follow it, leading them to her motionless body.
The men did not hesitate. “They took care of her, wrapped their coats around her, tried to get her body temperature up,” Katherine said. Emergency crews from the North Forks Fire Department and Utah County Search and Rescue responded Tuesday evening after receiving reports of an unresponsive woman off the side of the trail. When they arrived, they found Jacque in critical condition. Rescuers provided immediate care and secured her for a difficult hoist up the steep terrain to a waiting Intermountain Life Flight helicopter, as per ABC4. She was flown to Utah Valley Hospital, where doctors found multiple brain bleeds, a major skull fracture, facial fractures, and other injuries. She remains intubated and sedated as doctors monitor swelling in her brain.
“It will take a few days for the brain to show what it's going to do,” Katherine said. Doctors are watching closely, she explained, because “If it starts to swell too much, they will have to do emergency surgery and take a piece out of her skull to give the brain space to expand.” The family has shared updates through a GoFundMe page to help with medical costs. They have expressed their gratitude to the strangers who saved her. “The fact that they not just noticed that, but had the inclination to follow it and to investigate, that potentially has saved her life,” Katherine said of the two hikers. She added that there are no words to express how thankful they are. The family also hopes the incident reminds others to avoid hiking alone, share their plans, and take simple safety steps, because even the most experienced adventurers face real risks in nature.
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