Appalachian Trail Information and Hiking Articles

Hiker found dead in Florida could be from New York.
Investigators said the body of the missing hiker was found on July 23.
The victim was found by other hikers in his tent at Nobel's Campground in Big Cypress National Preserve.
It's about five miles north of the I-75 rest stop at mile marker 63 in Ochopee, Florida.
No identification was found with the body or at the campsite.
Deputies believe he had been living in the park.
The man is believed to be between 35 and 50 years old.
He was 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 83 pounds at the time of his death.
The man had salt and pepper-colored hair and blue/gray eyes.
The coroner said his teeth were in excellent condition.
A cause of death was not released, but it was not considered suspicious.
Deputies said he had been dead a few days before his body was discovered.
He was wearing a beige shirt and green shorts and black hiking boots.
The man was found dead in a yellow brooks-range mountaineering two-person tent and had black and copper-colored hiking poles.
Based on several tips, investigators believe the victim may be Ben Bilemy.
A hiker used that name to check into various hostels along trails in Virginia, Georgia and Florida, deputies said.
He may have also used the trail names of "Denim" and/or "Mostly Harmless."
Deputies said searches for anyone by the name of Ben Bilemy returned no results.
They believe he had ties to New York and Louisiana and may have worked in the tech industry.
Investigators think his hike began somewhere in New York.
That information was given by other hikers who encountered the man on various trails this summer.

Anyone who recognizes the victim or may know anything about him was asked to call the Collier County Sheriff's Office at 239-252-9300.

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I just received an email from a family that just got hit with a scam that I wanted to make everyone aware of. Here is a portion of the email.

I am the father of a thru hiker that just completed the AT this month. Our family just got hit by a scam we believe involves AT hikers that anyone on the trail or planning to be on the trail should be aware of. There is a scam ring on social media watching those who complete the trail, and, if they can determine who their elderly relatives are (also through social media), they attempt to pull off the 'Grandma Scam'. They contact the grandparents posing as the hiker saying they've been in an accident, need money, not to tell their parents - and elderly grandparents fall for it, and send money to the scammers using numbers from untraceable Target or similar gift or bank cards - typically around $2,000-$4,000 worth. It is a masterful scam- they know their families and know their grand kid just completed the trail and are on the way back home etc. The scammers string of phone numbers are landlines from NY State. We think all hikers (current and future) should alert their families of this scam.

Recall on 3.88-oz. pouch of “MOUNTAIN HOUSE FREEZE DRIED SPICY SOUTHWEST BREAKFAST HASH,” with pouch code 3253174 and best by date of Dec. 2046.
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...0-2017-release