3 Hikers Rescued from Smokey Mountains

[gollwoods]

no they don't ask for anything for a backcountry reservation. if they were on the A T I guess they could have tried to stick it out at shuckstack if they even knew it was there. feel sorry for them it must have been awful.

[HooKooDooKu]

Many years ago ,you had to get an equipment inspection before you were given a winter permit. Is that still the case?

No.

I've been camping in GSMNP for almost 20 years and never had to get a gear inspection. In the past, the only reason you had to interact with a ranger was by phone to get a reservation IF your itinerary included a rationed campsite. Today, every site is treated like a rationed site, and it's all done online. So now that it's all computerized, you don't have to interact with a ranger at all.

[ladytaz]

I just saw two of the hikers on the Asheville news. They were talking to them at Mission hospital. They were young, looked like early to mid twenties. They will probably have the video of the interview up later but its not there as of now. http://www.wlos.com/

[WhiteBlaze]

Chattanooga Times Free Press

Appalachian Trail hikers stranded in snow rescued BlueRidgeNow.com (AP) — Three Appalachian Trail hikers who were stranded in the snow without shelter have been flown to a hospital by helicopter. According to Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials, Shawn Hood, Steven White and Jonathan Dobbins were taken to ... Smokies rangers reach 3 Gaffney hikers stranded in snow on Appalachian TrailGreenville News Hikers rescued from Appalachian TrailMaryville Daily Times Smokies rangers reach three Gaffney hikers stranded in snowSpartanburg Herald Journal all 34 news articles »

More...

[Toolshed]

I didn't get that they did not have a shelter. but why would they. The regulations require them to sleep in shelters, tenting is prohibited. On the AT I met many hikers, thru hikers, ill prepaired for cold weather, what saved them was the community of thru hikers, and really spooning. to say that they were contenders for the Darwin award does not speak kindly for the law and the people who serve the Smokies as rangers as it is obviously their responsibility to protect people who go there considering they make it illegal to tent. the people followed the rules and the rangers came though when they needed help, these people from what I read are very much alive and free to reproduce.

In other words I think you are a little harsh, these people could have been any one of us and I do believe most of us know it. We make mistakes, and thankfully due to human kindness, Darwin no longer applies.

Sounds like there should be a regulaiton in place that people carry some form of shelter between Dec 1 and March 15th (just tossing the days out). It is always colder to sleep in a leanto than in a tent.

[ladytaz]

I just saw two of the hikers on the Asheville news. They were talking to them at Mission hospital. They were young, looked like early to mid twenties. They will probably have the video of the interview up later but its not there as of now. http://www.wlos.com/

[RF_ace]

this seems to happen every year, people not realizing where they are at

[Hops53]

3 men rescued

Park rangers are looking for three people who went missing on the Fontana Trail of the Great Smoky Mountains

Read entire article at:
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=4302653

[78owl]

People. It is not illegal to tent camp in the park at certain back country camp sites. Not all sites have shelter. Don't assume they were just going to stay on the AT. But again, with these guys. Assume is a good word for them.

[FooFighter'12]

Man! Be prepared is right!

[The Cleaner]

If you are going to be hiking in the Smokies during the winter, you need to have insulating but breathable clothing, tents, a sleeping/liner rated 20degree or lower, and plenty of food and water.

It helps to have a functioning brain also...Which BTW begins to stop functioning when hypothermia sets in, making things only worse...

[HikerMom58]

I just saw two of the hikers on the Asheville news. They were talking to them at Mission hospital. They were young, looked like early to mid twenties. They will probably have the video of the interview up later but its not there as of now. http://www.wlos.com/

http://wlos.com/news/features/featur...ies-2231.shtml
Is this the video?

[hikerboy57]

Sounds like there should be a regulaiton in place that people carry some form of shelter between Dec 1 and March 15th (just tossing the days out). It is always colder to sleep in a leanto than in a tent.

you dont need any more regulations. you need common sense. you go backpacking, you always carry a shelter.in the winter, not bringing shelter is just plain stupid.you just cant regulate stupid

[ladytaz]

http://wlos.com/news/features/featur...ies-2231.shtml
Is this the video?

Yep, that's the one

[Son Driven]

Smart phones, contribute to the stupidity, and in the old day's they did not have Smart phones or 911.

[Malto]

Smart phones, contribute to the stupidity, and in the old day's they did not have Smart phones or 911.

And they would have walked out.

[jimmyjam]

like Forest's mama said .... "stupid is as stupid does"

My thoughts exactly. Why do people do this every year?

[Del Q]

Idiots!

Stupid people stay stupid................these are the kind of people that should be charged for this extraction

[WhiteBlaze]

Hikers rescued from Appalachian Trail Maryville Daily Times The North Carolina Helicopter and Aquatic Rescue Team has airlifted the three stranded South Carolina hikers trapped overnight on the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The three were taken to Asheville's Mission Hospital early ...

More...

[WILLIAM HAYES]

Had the same thing happen with a hiker when I hiked the smokies several years ago-virtual blizzard guy wearing cotton got hyporthermia and was airlifted out this was in march lot of snow see my gallery these guys were just good ole boys from upstate south carolina not to bright

hillbilly