Someone told me that they have heard of 8 people dying on the A.T. trail this year due to all the rain and flooding we have been having. Has anyone else heard of this?
How does one manage when it rains for days non stop? I would like to hear others experience with this kind of situation.
Novaximus
I would seriously doubt this rumor. Except in Maine, the AT doesn’t cross any big streams, except by bridges. Most of the rain has been in the mid-Atlantic and more recently in the far south, and I don’t think Maine has been much affected by it. It may well be that there have been 8 people who died in the Appalachians - since newscasters tend to include just about anyone in the piedmont of Tennessee, Georgia, N. Carolina, West Virginia and Western Virginia and western Maryland in that geographic area. Every year there are a few people who die on the trail – mostly day hikers who have heart attacks, and occasional odd aneurisms, tumors or accidents. Call ATC if you want more information. They hear about most of these.
Spirit Walker
All the same, I’d definitely avoid the Wolf Creek area near Rt 615 just south of Bland VA – take the High Water Trail (aptly named) if there has been any significant rain in the area (and of course there has been recently). The area just north of Pearisburg had flood warnings posted this past weekend too. I think it was Craig County.
Sky Rider
It’s 28. Just last night, three thru-hikers were washed away like soap suds when the Tiwachahoochie River in Pennsylvania got out its banks. Fortunately ATC search and rescue SEALS found their tags so their families have been notifed. Grindstaf is stoking up his fireplace.
Scoop
Sooo they were camping on the river? Jeeze-o. Never camp near high water. In Boy Scouts we had a kid washed out of his tent when he slept near a ditch…not even near a lake or river, just a heavy rain. Funny, the next morning he was still asleep thirty feet down from the tent on his inflatable matress up against some bushes. Gotta watch where you pitch.
BW
I just looked on Yahoo! news for anything about hikers or the Appalachian Trail, I haven’t found anything. That leaves me with two questions:
a) can anybody point me to a story about this?
b) or is dying on the AT so commonplace that it isn’t news?
The Amazing Gavo
It’s (b), but these backwoods deaths don’t make the news for a reason. Many hikers’ bodies decompose or are eaten by bears before anyone realizes they’re missing, so they aren’t reported as a trail fatality. Others mysteriously disappear near mooshine stills without a trace. The real number is in the hundreds.
Scoop
Like the nasty New Jersey bears? Those things are real ankle chompers. About 50# and the size of a watermelon.
Bushwhack
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV)
Double Drowning
Two brothers drowned at the base of Billings Falls in a particularly remote and rugged area along the trail on Tuesday, June 17th. Despite a high flow due to recent rains, one brother entered the water at the base of the falls and was caught up in a hydraulic. His brother attempted to rescue him, but both drowned. The Maine Warden Service provides search and rescue services for federal lands under a cooperative agreement with the NPS and recovered both bodies, one on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday.
[Submitted by Robert Gray, Chief Ranger]
South Bound Hound
What youse guys got against our Joisey bears? I’ve seen some pretty big ones. And do remember, we have 3000 bear in Joisey now. (Actually, we had one walk through town on Sunday. Guess he was going to the flea market.)
:pimp
Harry Dolphin