A mom and daughter are hiking in Sierra Nevada, CA, and it’s obvious the daughter, Kayla, is feeling uneasy as CBS’s Tracker season four, episode two opens. She confesses she thinks there’s someone else around, but her mom, Leanne, hasn’t noticed anyone. Kayla spots a camera on a rock, and they’re shocked to see photos of themselves hiking, taken by an unknown person.
Kayla’s more convinced someone’s following them.
(The following is a recap of season four, episode two – “Switchback” – and there are spoilers.)
Colton (Justin Hartley) leaves a voicemail for his brother Russell, saying he’s just checking in since they haven’t talked in a while.
Randy (Chris Lee) calls and after a discussion about Reenie’s temporary office space in Maxine’s building – and how his chair is actually a ball – he fills Colter in on the missing women hikers, Leanne and Kayla Riley. They were supposed to meet with Kayla’s sister, Anya, for a supply stop yesterday but never showed up. Their cell phones are out of service, and the last ping was yesterday.
Colter meets with Anya and learns that none of the other hikers coming in off the trail saw them. Anya says a woman named Becca, who calls herself a “trail angel,” is now out looking for them. Colter explains that trail angels are volunteers who help find hikers before Search & Rescue responds.
Anya points out the last spot they reported in from, and Colter takes a photo of her map. He wonders if they got turned around, but Anya reveals that Kayla told her she thought someone was following them. Anya blames herself because Kayla sounded really worried.
Colter makes it to the waystation and spots two other female hikers. Neither recognizes Leanne nor Kayla but tells Colter there’s a logbook nearby that everyone signs. He checks it out but they’re not in it.
Not long after, he runs into Becca (Erica Hernandez) and she confirms Leanne and Kayla signed the logbook five miles back. If they left the main trail, it happened sometime between where they are now and the logbook they signed. They should have stayed on the main trail, but Becca suggests a spot they may have gotten off it – if that’s what happened.
Back at Reenie’s, Mel (Cassady McClincy Zhang) asks Reenie (Fiona Rene) if she can talk to her about her mom. She gets text alerts when her mom’s name is brought up online and just discovered a military officer her mom worked with right before her murder retired early. Mel did more research and found that his record has been blocked. Reenie asks for his name (Eric Jeffries) and promises to look into it.
Becca’s been doing this volunteer work on the Pacific Divide trail for six years after getting a divorce and deciding to tackle the hike. They make it to a lookout and Colter notices someone’s been there recently. Becca describes the area as what the locals call a “thin place.” It’s very dangerous and there have been lots of accidents in the area.
Colter checks out the area with binoculars and points out a makeshift camp. They head down to it, and there’s no one around but there’s a lot assorted stuff that might have been stolen. Colter finds an ID and meds with the name Jonah Gammon. He also finds Leanne’s backpack with blood on it.
Suddenly, they hear a noise in the trees and Colter approaches it with his gun out. Leanne, face bloody, comes out of the woods, mistaking Colter for her daughter’s kidnapper. Colter explains why he’s there and Leanne says she got knocked out. When she came to, Kayla was gone.
Colter tends to her injuries, while Leanne says she and Kayla got separated in a dry creek bed. It was getting dark and Kayla was frantic to get away from whoever was out there. Kayla twisted her ankle and Leanne went for help, thinking the trail was only 100 yards away. They never saw whoever it was that was pursuing them.
As Leanne was walking away, she was hit in the head and knocked unconscious. She didn’t wake up until this morning. She found this camp and her backpack, but there was no sign of Kayla.
Colter has Becca stay with Leanne, and Becca calls in first responders and the county sheriff. Colter heads out to the dry creek bed where Leanne last saw Kayla and finds the spot where Leanne was attacked. Becca calls with good news that help arrived and Leanne will be okay. However, the deputy won’t be there to help with the search for at least an hour.
Colter tells Becca he’s found drag marks and shoeprints. He hangs up and almost immediately sees movement. Colter chases after a man and nearly gets hit by a boulder and rocks the man pushes down the hill.
The man climbs a tree, but Colter hears him and orders him to get down. It’s Jonah, and Colter demands to know where he took Kayla. Jonah insists he found the backpack with blood on it. He takes stuff but doesn’t hurt anyone and definitely didn’t take photos of them.
Colter threatens him with arrest and finally Jonah admits he saw Kayla with a big guy wearing a baseball cap. She was limping and he assumed they were just having an argument. The man took Kayla down to an access road near where Jonah stashes his car. The man put Kayla in an old brown truck and Jonah recalls seeing that truck before at Sierra Junction. There are a lot of people living in vans there.
Jonah begs Colter not to call the cops, and Colter agrees because he believes his story. Colter takes a photo of Jonah’s ID before letting him leave. He suggests that Jonah go somewhere and get some help before he winds up dead.
Colter calls Randy with an update and for help locating the kidnapper’s truck. Randy zooms in on Sierra Junction and tells Colter there are a few houses, a trailer park, rental cabins, and an RV mechanic there. Also, a Rise and Shine Cafe there gets some traffic. Kayla and Leanne’s phone records confirm they were at Rise and Shine two days ago, and that’s probably where the kidnapper first saw them. He’s been following them since then.
Becca joins Colter to check out Rise and Shine, and it’s definitely popular with hikers. Becca focuses on finding info on the truck while Colter asks around about Leanne and Kayla. Colter asks Diana at the Rise and Shine about Kayla, but she doesn’t remember her. And unfortunately, the café doesn’t have security cameras, but Diana volunteers to show Kayla’s photo to the regulars who come in.
Colter’s walking toward Becca when a brown truck runs into her, tossing her into the air. Colter shoots out the back tire as it drives away. Becca’s in tremendous pain and Colter calls over a bystander to hold her head and keep her talking while he calls an ambulance.
Colter takes off in his truck after the brown truck, which is now swerving because of a flat back tire. It pulls off onto a dirt road and Colter’s not far behind. The driver’s door is open but there’s no one inside when Colter approaches it.
Colter searches the area and sees a man enter a barn. The man starts shooting the second Colter comes through the door. Colter hides for a minute and then tosses a rake as a diversion. When the man reveals his position, Colter shoots him once and demands to know where Kayla is.
Instead of giving up her location, the man commits suicide.
Colter finds a hiker registration card in the man’s pocket indicating his name is Jack Owens. He checks out Jack’s truck and sees a blood spot in the back. Colter calls Randy for info on Jack Owens and learns he’s a local guy who works at Rise and Shine. Randy gives Colter Jack’s address and Colter heads there quickly. He breaks down the door, searches the house, and discovers Jack’s desktop wallpaper is a photo of him and Diana.
Meanwhile, Diana walks into the room where Kayla’s tied up, carrying a rifle. She says, “I’m sorry it’s going to end this way, sweetie.”
Colter calls Randy for info on Jack’s mom, Diana. Her name is Diana Sanders, and she was in a psych ward 30 years ago. (Jack’s father was also in the psych ward.) She was released to have the baby. Randy pings her phone and sends Colter the location. It’s just 200 yards from where Colter’s standing!
Randy sends a pin and Colter runs in that direction as Kayla begs for her life. Diana confesses that she tried to keep Jack from acting on his urges, but he really wanted Kayla. Kayla screams and Diana responds by hitting her in the face with the butt of the rifle.
Diana unties Kayla and Kayla continues to beg for her life. She orders Kayla to go out the door and into the back of a truck. Kayla knows that means she’s about to die and fights back, knocking the rifle out of Diana’s hands. She hurries away as best she can on a sprained ankle as Diana retrieves the rifle and fires. Diana shoots again but Kayla manages to hide. Unfortunately, she makes a noise and Diana takes aim. Colter arrives just then and orders her to put her weapon down. She refuses and tells Colter to shoot her. Kayla knocks her out and Colter grabs the rifle.
Elsewhere, Reenie’s contact sends her Eric Jeffries’ file, and he wasn’t honorably discharged. The file has multiple redacted areas, but it does show he went AWOL.
Colter joins Leanne, Kayla, and Anya as they’re packing up to leave. He’s going to stick around for a few days and see the sights. They’re heading to Bishop Lake to spread their dad’s ashes. Colter thinks their dad would be proud of them. Anya hands over a check and thanks Colter for everything.
Becca’s arm is broken but she’s recovering. Colter tells her people are lucky to have her around. She tosses back the same compliment to him.
Russell finally texts back and says he’s been busy. When Colter asks if he’s okay, Russell starts to type but then changes his mind.
This post was last modified on October 11, 2026 10:01 pm