Interesting story..

Hiker Story

Happens every year in the Smoky Mountains seems like. This time of year will jump on you quickly if you are not careful. I woke up under about that much snow there one time sure didn’t expect it that night.

Well perfect example of weather changes was NYC yesterday. I got out of the house to drop my girl at work around 7 am: it was dry and in the high 40s. 2 hrs later it was raining at 40s. Temperatures kept dropping to 20s and rain changed into snow by noon. At 1400 we had low at 18 and 2 inches on the ground. I walked about 100 blocks in that weather becasue I enjoy snow and cold but there were very few people out on the street since all they had was some sweater assuming that morning temps are going to hold up. Not to mention wind that brought down the temps by another 10 degrees.

Matt

I would be real interested to know what gear they had with them. My first thought upon reading this story is that there is more to the story. I had questions..why no fire? They had a three sided shelter...what went wrong? Perhaps we will know more later.

I can understand lost hikers and even ill-equipped lost hikers. What I can't understand is the number of hikers who have to be extricated by helicopter from the side of a mountain. It seems like we are getting 5 or 6 of these stories a year. Somebody sets out for a day hike (not rock climbing.) It gets late and suddenly they are in a spot where they can't go up or down. A cell call goes out and the helicopter makes a retrieve after dark.

These people are not lost or injured, nor is the weather a factor. They are merely "stuck". They have not only forgotten to stay on the trail but also that the sun goes down every night!

Regards, Vince

Stories like this create almost a kneejerk response. I'm prepared, I'm smart, they weren't ( but hopefully will be next time.) Well, Like the muleskinner in DANCES WITH WOLVES "Why don't he write?" snicker, snicker and a few scenes later THWACK. We all get to shake hands with Mr Murphy someday. So I just give a small prayer of thanks when the gently bewildered souls of the world muddle through a wreck. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You may want to read it...they had set out to hike 71 miles of the AT trail...the article just says they were ill equipped..which to me means no rain gear, but could also mean no tent, no fire, no dry clothes. They were all young. I hope they all get out OK, but it sure is a stark reminder of how lack of planning can have severe consequences.

That's exactly why I have the desire to know more..perhaps they did try something and it didn't work. If so I would want to know what that something was. I guess I just don't understand how someone sets off to hike 71 miles "ill-equipped". If I just go on a three day I'm hauling 40 lbs of pack and gear. Maybe they will do a follow-up story with more information.

Incidently, that's probably my favorite part of DANCES WITH WOLVES...hahahaha "Why don't he write"..hahahaha I can hear him now. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have hiked a few sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the Smokies over the years.

The "3-sided shelter" is not a tarp or any other kind of portable shelter. It is a small roofed building with 3 solid walls, a corrugated metal or shingled roof, and a chain link fence "front" to keep the larger critters out. Many sections of the AT have these shelters sprinkled along them such that many of the AT hikers don't carry tents or tarps at all. It is a very common practice. That's not to say that this group of 4 didn't screw up.

The AT shelters merely keep the rain off of you, as long as you don't stay under a leaky part of the roof. The wind sails right through them. They often have a stone "hearth" where you can build a fire.

We hikes part of the Kettle Moraine North Unit in Wisconsin several years back and they have similar structures except the forth wall is partially built, about a 1/4 wall on each side with a large opening in the center. The first night was pleasent and the adults slept under the stars. The next night a huge thunderstorm moved in and we all slept in the shelter. But we brought a few plastic tarps and rigged them up as drapes in front of the opening to keep us dry from wind blown rain. It was early spring so the temp dropped too, but not freezing. After watching a fantastic lightning display from under the eaves, we all turned in for comfortable, safe evening.