Rescuers come to the aid of injured Appalachian Trail hiker - The Republic

[WhiteBlaze]

Rescuers come to the aid of injured Appalachian Trail hiker The Republic ARLINGTON, Vermont — Vermont rescue officials have come to the aid of an Appalachian Trail hiker who injured his knee. State police said a 911 call was received Sunday morning from 64-year-old Gary Nelson. Nelson was found at the Kid Gore Shelter on ... and more »

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[Wise Old Owl]

I doubt anyone can have a good response to this.. WB as he is 64 and as a group we were not there. I hate to say it but the guy should have sucked it up and hiked out the shortest distance... Been there and done that, with a twisted ankle - dunked it in the coldest nearest stream and wrapped it and hobbled back to the car.. not 911 worthy. That's my take from the information... otherwise call family.

[bamboo bob]

i was near there last week. I don't really know how banged up he was but I would probably crawl out before calling Rescue. I would be too embarrassed.

[Tuckahoe]

Meh, as usual article is lacking any real details to be able to have an informed opinion.

[July]

Meh, as usual article is lacking any real details to be able to have an informed opinion.

Exactly Spot On.

[Gambit McCrae]

I have a hard time beliving that someone, anyone in any condition could not have made it the 1.8 miles to stratton arlington road. I have to agree with the above

[Gambit McCrae]

With knee related injuries* now if it were a heart attack or snakebight ect i understand..but knee injury seems a little extreme to call 911

[Rain Man]

Meh, as usual article is lacking any real details to be able to have an informed opinion.

And yet ........

.

[12TH Man]

i was near there last week. I don't really know how banged up he was but I would probably crawl out before calling Rescue. I would be too embarrassed.

My thought exactly. Does he get the bill?

[Dahoyt]

No service really and Kelly stand road is washed out, only accessible from one side, so not much traffic. I agree though, he should of sucked it up. Unless it was worse than reported.

[WingedMonkey]

The hikers trail name is "Camperman" ,. He has been trying to finish the AT for several years now.

He now praises the value of carrying a SPOT tracking device.

His Facebook page has more information than the news reports.

https://www.facebook.com/Campermanat2012

I suppose the Good Lord is testing me again!
Saturday night after walking 13.3 miles with another 3 to go, I finally got my stride back, feet feeling great, the Vermont weather was beautiful, a smile on my face, looking forward to hiking North on my last 575 miles. The hike up from Hwy 9 North Trailhead was a very steep 2 mile climb with rest of the trail a gradually climbing up with very few downs. As I was hiking up a very steep climb my left boot got wedged between two rocks in which I wrenched my left knee. No problem at the time but as I keep walking the more pressure put on my downward stride the knee really started to hurt so I stopped and setup my tent for the night thinking it not hurting unless I put pressure on it and thought it would be OK in the morning. "wrong". The next morning when I got out of tent I knew then there was no way I was going to hike out of this area. I was exactly 15 miles North and 15 miles South from the next road crossing. This section is very very remote. As bad as wanted not to accept the facts there was no way I could hike out. I had a very steep climb up and I was going to chance this SO MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO HIT MY SPOT WITH A SOS.
Long story short 9 hrs later Search and rescue appeared with 9 folks. 1 registered Nurse, Fire Dept SR folks, Vermont SR State troopers, fish and game, and Vermont SR. The problem getting to me was hurricane Irene washed out all of the bridge in the area. They did't fly in because they knew it wasn't a life or death issue only because for one fraction of time I got a cell long enough to call home to say it was my knee. It took SR a 4 hour planning session to get to me. When they arrived my knee was feeling better and with my trekking poles I was able to hike out with them with one of the SR carting my pack. Hiked one and a half mile through the boonies where there were 4 wheelers we were on the four wheelers for a long time where we had to cross a large stream because it was one of the bridges that got washed out, then into another set of four wheelers and finally all the SR 4 wheel drive trucks. I rode with the fish and wildlife to a waiting ambulance where they took me to Bennington VT hospital. There my knee was X-rayed and they came to the conclusion I just hyperextended knee. Told me to rest it a couple of days and get back on the trail.
Walk out of the ER with my backpack to a Motel 1 mile-away. Slept hard and my knee was very tender this morning very slow walking so after a shower and a walk across the street for breakfast I decided I could sit in this motel for 93 dollars a night or catch a flight back to North Carolina for $196.00 one way. So I'm flying home to rehab the knee and make a decision to come back this year or next (again)!
All I can say is the only way I will not finish the AT is DEATH!
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Flying from Albany NY to Charlotte NC tomorrow.
For now Camperman out!! Again. — at Downtown Bennington Vermont

I'm not going to give my opinion one way or the other.

[ChinMusic]

Sounds like he def made the call too soon since he was able to "walk out with them" that afternoon.

[Pedaling Fool]

I didn't want to say anything with such little info in the news article, but after reading the FB entry... Pathetic, simply pathetic.

[Gambit McCrae]

His age is in 2 ways deflecting my true opinion.

If I a 26 year old had done this, I would be shamed and headshakes for doing so. Although giving my young age and lack of long term experience I would have been scathed for calling help.

Although this older gentlemen has hiked 1500 miles of the trail, and is 63...People seem to somewhat respect his decision or at least turn the cheek...

[Pedaling Fool]

60 is the new 40. Actually, there is talk of 80 could be the new 40 http://cms.bsu.edu/news/articles/201...-be-the-new-40

[Alligator]

I have a hard time beliving that someone, anyone in any condition could not have made it the 1.8 miles to stratton arlington road. I have to agree with the above

I do not have that VT map handy but my Companion is listing the distance between Stratton Arlington (Kelley Stand Rd) and Kid Gore Shelter as 8.2 miles.

[Slo-go'en]

I do not have that VT map handy but my Companion is listing the distance between Stratton Arlington (Kelley Stand Rd) and Kid Gore Shelter as 8.2 miles.

That is correct, 8.2 miles to the road, which I saw traffic on when I passed there two years ago, well after Irene. I'm guessing they used some other route to get closer to the shelter. The trail between Kid Gore and the Arlington - West Wardsboro Rd is actually pretty easy. Of course, if he did get himself to the road, getting a ride out would have been difficult without calling for help as there is likely very little traffic there this time of year, but it would not have involved an elaborate rescue operation.

All in all, these things are easy to second guess from the comfort of our homes. If your out in the woods and think you can't walk out and have a SPOT, it's all too easy to push that button for help.

[bamboo bob]

Actually there is a FS road maybe three miles sooner than Kelly-stand Rd. So it's more like 5 miles to a road. I've hiked it a dozen times and snowshoed it too. Anyway 63! is not an excuse. He should have waited, I like to think I would have. But who knows anyone might have gotten a bit panicky.

[Lone Wolf]

cell phones and SPOTS wimpify a man

[forrest!]

As I get older and my joints get rustier, I have thought about things like this happening to me. As long as I have food, water, and shelter, I'm willing to wait it out or hike extra slow. When I run out of food and still can't make it out I'll make another plan...