Man Lost on Appalachian Trail - WRCB-TV

[WhiteBlaze]

Man Lost on Appalachian Trail WRCB-TV CLAY COUNTY, NC (WRCB) Search and Rescue teams are searching for a 23 year old male, who is lost on the Appalachian Trail. Rescuers set out Tuesday night ...

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[Spokes]

Silly,

How can you be "lost ON the Appalachian Trail"?

He's lost OFF the trail!!!!!!!!!!

[mountain squid]

nothing silly about it

I go out in these conditions all the time. For the most part to places I've hiked before and am reasonably familiar with the direction of the trail. But when you can't see the footpath and if the blazes are covered in snow it is very easy to get disoriented. I have 'found' myself at a point when I know I am no longer on the 'trail'. Fortunately, I've realized that after just a few moments and I quickly find the next blaze (and again I am reasonably familiar with the direction of the trail to begin with).


Some of my observations:

** On the AT, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE NEXT BLAZE. Turn around often to see the blazes going in the other direction. Literally, CONCENTRATE on finding the next blaze. Under normal conditions it is too easy to go for 20 minutes without noticing a blaze. Under these conditions, if you haven't seen a blaze in that long, you will likely be lost.
** Carry a map. You might have to find a shelter from the wind to read it.
** You can't rely on following your foot steps out. The snow and wind cover your traces quickly.
** Be extra cautious if following someone else's foot prints (or animal tracks). They might be getting lost as well.
** Make good mental notes of where you have been.
** On the AT, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE NEXT BLAZE.


Just a few of my thoughts while out there...BE SAFE!!! (especially all the NOBOs about to be hitting the trail).

I hope they find the missing hiker soon.

See you on the trail,
mt squid


nothing silly about it

[JJJ]

He's probably overdue, but it is easy to stray from the trail in places especially if if you're breaking trail and tired.

They should have just said "...will bring you more fear as it becomes available."

[Mango]

Anyone know about where he is? On the NC / TN border? Where did he start? Where is he supposed to finish? The news story has no details yet.

[JustaTouron]

In addition to what squid said, I would add....

Have a general exit plan. Once as a kid we got hoplessly lost. Didn't have a map or compass, but one person in the group had remembered looking at the road map and knew that a N-S road was about 3 miles from the trail in the East direction. So we headed eastish until we hit the road.

[climber2377]

how do they even know that he is lost? the article says absolutely nothing. did he not check in? did he make a distress call? when was he last seen or heard from? bad news coverage in my opinion. if it were me, (and i very well could be in the coming months) i think there will be more info in the story than that.

[K2]

He's found; no other info, but here's the link: http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11996841
~K2~

[Tennessee Viking]

Anyone know about where he is? On the NC / TN border? Where did he start? Where is he supposed to finish? The news story has no details yet.

The story was out of Clay County so I would guess he was somewhere around the Standing Indian area.

[horicon]

Lost is only a state of mind.

[lost234]

Hello all,
this is my first post on white blaze however I was the man reportedly 'lost' on the AT. The story goes as such. Was finishing up my day attempting to reach muskrat shelter from a campsite .7 miles fom Cowart gap. I made it to Bly gap by 4 pm and decided to try and make it all the way to muskrat creek. While attempting to go from Bly to sassafras gap I encounter two hikers who said they had lost the trail and were returning to plumorchard gap about 5 miles back. Not wanting to hike thru dark and being a bit arrogant I decided to foot it anyways. At this point in the trail the snow had gone from just under a foot to waist deep and higher at some points. I had made it about a quarter mile beyond the other two's turnaround point when I lost the white blazes. It was around 530 so I knew I had an hour to try and relocate. After about 30 min of this I decided to trek back up into a thick laurel patch on the ridgeline that could provide protection from both wind and snow. My bag was still wet/frozen from an ugly two nights prior and this was of cocern to me. It is a zero eyed bag and worked amazingly though soaked. I knew I could not make it any further on the trail not even in the morning however I decided to stay put for the night and to seek town today. I decided to call my parents and ask them for some general guidance as to where the trail went which was helpful and we planned a hike down Bly gap road to 64. I told my parents that I was a little wet and that I would undoubtedly be a bit cold until I could dry my bag,etc. When I got off the phone I told them I would be turning my phone off to conserve the battery. Big mistake. Worried and panicked, my mother at some point decided to call cook county search and rescue. I woke up early around 6 and was just about to pack my final item onto my bag when a team of 7 rescuers reached where I was camped from the north (sobo) they had been hiking since 10pm from 3 miles the other side of muskrat creek shelter. Apparently another team of two younger hikers quit and turned back at muskrat. The snow according to a shorter rescuer was up to shoulder deep in some drifts. They ran both an f250 and an atv into the ground before setting off on foot. I thought the rescuers had the wrong person and image them recite all the details. I felt terrible that these guys had to put in such a deep effort to help me. I was not lost and had a good plan to get off the trail. I made it through the night just fine. I would tell anyone thinking about starting soon to delay it atleast 10 days more like 2 weeks minimum. The snow is oft knee deep and some drifts go much deeper. The search and rescue team got lost multiple times trying to keep up with the trail using gps to keep themselves on trail or to get back to it. These guys knew these woods like the back of their hands also. Needless to say I'll be getting off the trail for a few days. My name is Andrew and I still need a trail name cuz ain't many souls out here right now. I'll hopefully see some of y'all out there and I look forward to it.

I was not carrying a map but do not think I wouldve been able to make it today regardless. Maps may be a good idea when entering wintery conditions. It sucked walking south on the trail after these guys had found and put a path into the section I was scared of. Oh well I am safe happy an looking forward to getting back out there soon.

[Jack Tarlin]

Glad you're OK.

And your story is instructive for all sorts of reasons. And maps are a good idea in ANY conditions, not just wintery ones. And by the way, what would've happened if you had phone trouble and hadn't reached your mom, gotten hurt or lost, or if the resuers couldn't have found you?

Lessons here:

*Safeguard and protect your gear so it remains useful to you
*Don't continue travelling in unsafe conditions
*Don't rely on electronics to save your bacon
*Carry maps and know how to use them; always try and have a good idea
where you are.......calling your mom for "general guidance" on where the
Trail is located is not always an option

[Slo-go'en]

Moral of the story: Don't call mom until after the fact!

Sounds like quite the adventure though. If its that bad around Muskrat, it must be a real trip going up Albert right about now!

[FritztheCat]

Lost,

Sounds like you've had quite the adventure already and have learned a valuable lesson. Hope you have a great hike and am glad to see you were "found."

[Tinker]

Glad you're OK.

And your story is instructive for all sorts of reasons. And maps are a good idea in ANY conditions, not just wintery ones. And by the way, what would've happened if you had phone trouble and hadn't reached your mom, gotten hurt or lost, or if the resuers couldn't have found you?

Lessons here:

*Safeguard and protect your gear so it remains useful to you
*Don't continue travelling in unsafe conditions
*Don't rely on electronics to save your bacon
*Carry maps and know how to use them; always try and have a good idea
where you are.......calling your mom for "general guidance" on where the
Trail is located is not always an option

Ditto. I've been through some (as Bill Bryson might say) "Frightfully horrid" weather and have not gotten a sleeping bag wet (no more than damp) in over 30 years. Of course I'm curious as to how exactly that happened.
Andy, I have a trail name suggestion:
"NOTlost", or maybe UNlost.

[lost234]

Jack,
you're completley right on maps and u don't know why I said oherwise. I have done sections of the trail before without maps an with maps and decided to go sin map this time. In my 2020 hindsight I wouldve carried maps.

From your experience do you hav any suggestions for getting a bag dry/de iced when it is freezing cold and snowy. I prob shouldve stopped in plenty of time to let my Bag air out and dry but given the conditions I deicided to rough it thinking the bag wouldn't benefit. I used a rag to wipe up the condensation that built up on the outside of my bag after I got in it. Any other ideas. Thanks

[SGT Rock]

Glad you made it. Snakes, bears, rabid hillbillies, etc are not the big things to be worried about on the trail.

Weather is.

[ChinMusic]

Glad you made it. Snakes, bears, rabid hillbillies, etc are not the big things to be worried about on the trail.

Weather is.

I've taken a zero before due to weather and then felt a bit like a weenie when I found out it wasn't so bad. I'm def on the conservative side.

[JJJ]

Glad you OK, Lost.
Thanks for filling us in.
Your predicament can be instructive to many.

[Tinker]

Lost 234, Let me apologize for not extending you a "Thank God you're safe" in my first post.
You're safe and that's the most important thing! Enjoy the rest of your hike.