U.S. Forest Service Alert: Stomach Virus Hits A.T. near Hot Springs, N.C

[Lauriep]

The U.S. Forest Service issued the following alert at 3:26 pm this afternoon:

Stomach Virus Hits Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs, N.C.

HOT SPRINGS, N.C. -- Hikers may want to avoid sections of the Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs, N.C., especially the stretch running north to the Tennessee border. A number of hikers have been sickened by a severe, 24-hour stomach virus that is being passed between hikers. Shelters to avoid include No Business Knob, Big Bald and Hogback Ridge. A section of the Appalachian Trail runs through the Appalachian Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest, to the north and south of Hot Springs.

Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[Lauriep]

The Asheville Citizen-Times just posted this on their blog at http://blogs2.citizen-times.com/outd...r-hot-springs/.


April 9, 2013
Stomach virus hits Appalachian Trail hikers near Hot Springs

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: Appalachian Trail — Karen Chavez @ 7:57 pm

The U.S. Forest Service just released a warning to hikers traveling on the Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs, especially the stretch running north to the Tennessee border.

“A number of hikers have been sickened by a severe, 24-hour stomach virus that is being passed between hikers. Shelters to avoid include No Business Knob, Big Bald and Hogback Ridge. A section of the Appalachian Trail runs through the Appalachian Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest, to the north and south of Hot Springs.”

They’re not sure how long this has been going on. Or what hikers should do if they are thru-hiking. I guess lay low in Hot Springs until the virus clears out.

At this time of year, about 2,500 hikers set out to attempt a “thru-hike” of the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail. Most hike northward, starting in Springer Mountain, Ga., and head north to the trail’s terminus at Mt. Katahdin, Maine. They start hitting the Hot Springs area of Madison County about now, and the town celebrates with the French Broad River Festival May 3-5.

Only about 500 people actually complete the entire hike in one shot, which can take four to six months.

Johnny Shores, owner of Uncle Johnny’s Nolichucky Hostel in Erwin, Tenn., has been seeing violently ill thru-hikers in his place for the past week and a half.

“We’re doing everything we can to prevent this, with sanitizing everything and using Clorox,” Shores told me this afternoon.

“They’ve been coming in here, sick, throwing up. They’re coming from the shelters No Business Shelter, Big Bald, Hogback Ridge Shelter. Someone gets sick there, and the hikers have all their supplies on their back – they don’t have a mop or Clorox and don’t have a way to clean it up.”

He said the hostel is 6.5 miles from the closest shelter, No Business, 16 miles from the next and 32 miles from the next. Shores said this happened about two years ago.

“By the time they get here, they’ve recovering. We’ve actually carried some people to urgent care here. We’ve had nobody get here physically sick here. But we remind them to sanitize everything, and remind them they’ve got to wash their hands and can’t go into community bags of candy, and touch their mouths.”

Erwin is about 69 miles from Hot Springs, and is the next big town northward from there.

Madison County Health Department said they have received any word of illness on the trail so far.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, based in Asheville, has also been trying to spread the word about the illness. John Odell, with the ATC, said so far the reports they have are that the viral illness seems to be concentrated in the 70-mile stretch between Hot Springs and Erwin, Tenn.

[yaduck9]

thank you for the timely information, Laurie P.

[HikerMom58]

We already had a heads up on this Laurie, thanks for the official word!

Now we know it's not BS. I never thought it was.....

[rickb]

thank you for the timely information, Laurie P.

Agreed.

I also have to say that I am genuinely impressed that the ATC has already posted this alert on their web page in the Trail updates section.

I think the web page is better than ever, and these kinds of updates really make it relevant.

[FatMan]

It's sad that a WB member could post to this effect and get hammered by other WB members. I am glad that the original thread has been closed but I am sorry that WB has once again shown it's colors.

Yeah, I suppose it is now time for me to get bashed for saying such a thing here on WB. Hammer away.

[yaduck9]

It's sad that a WB member could post to this effect and get hammered by other WB members. I am glad that the original thread has been closed but I am sorry that WB has once again shown it's colors.

Yeah, I suppose it is now time for me to get bashed for saying such a thing here on WB. Hammer away.

I left my hammer at home............but i do happen to have some wet noodles.....

[ChinMusic]

It's sad that a WB member could post to this effect and get hammered by other WB members. I am glad that the original thread has been closed but I am sorry that WB has once again shown it's colors.

I did find it distressing to be attacked for reporting what I was seeing with my own eyes. I would def extend that list of shelters back to Little Laurel.

[yaduck9]

hope you get over that virus and back on the trail soon

[HikerMom58]

I did find it distressing to be attacked for reporting what I was seeing with my own eyes. I would def extend that list of shelters back to Little Laurel.

I found it unbelievable that someone would question someone that was actually on the trail reporting these things. I had no problem posting the thread... I didn't believe Curtis could know more than you did. He wasn't on the trail, interviewing sick hikers, like you were. Ignorant was the right word to use to describe him and everyone else that didn't believe you. Gezzz!!

[yaduck9]

time for a short hike, and get away from cyber hiking

[vamelungeon]

I did find it distressing to be attacked for reporting what I was seeing with my own eyes. I would def extend that list of shelters back to Little Laurel.

For you and Hikermom- it is sad that you were so roundly abused for posting about the situation. I hope you recover from this illness quickly.

[johnnybgood]

I did find it distressing to be attacked for reporting what I was seeing with my own eyes. I would def extend that list of shelters back to Little Laurel.

Do you believe this to be a water borne pathogen since it's affect is so wipe spread ? I read your comments about using precautions and just struck me as a possible cause.

[vamelungeon]

Do you believe this to be a water borne pathogen since it's affecting it's so wipe spread ? I read your comments about using precautions and just struck me as a possible cause.

I know it's a typo but "wipe spread" is pretty funny!

[Alligator]

Let's not have a rehash of the disagreements on the other thread. Thanks.

[ChinMusic]

Speculating on how it's spread is not helpful here and would only lead to a distraction.

I haven't talked to too many folks today due to being so sick. I did see Miss Janet this morning. She did not seem inclined to post on WB.

[johnnybgood]

I know it's a typo but "wipe spread" is pretty funny!

I'm at my funniest when I don't try to be.


Get well fast ChinMusic.

[The Cleaner]

I did find it distressing to be attacked for reporting what I was seeing with my own eyes. I would def extend that list of shelters back to Little Laurel.

+1 for extending warning area.Probably started around/in Hot Springs went north with all the hikers.I was going to do Allen Gap to Erwin next week,avoiding shelters any way due to crowds.Might have to pack a gallon of bleach with spray bottle and spray LL & JC shelters.Then head into Rocky Fork area...

[coach lou]

Thankfully there are a few kind people in our community that take the time to give a rats petoot about the rest of us.

[Another Kevin]

+1 for extending warning area.Probably started around/in Hot Springs went north with all the hikers.I was going to do Allen Gap to Erwin next week,avoiding shelters any way due to crowds.Might have to pack a gallon of bleach with spray bottle and spray LL & JC shelters.Then head into Rocky Fork area...

If you're a local maintainer, do please change out the register books while you're there. The old ones should be safe to handle after a month or so in a dry place. That's one thing in the shelter that everyone's hands touch.

And rather than spraying straight bleach, bring a folding bucket and a floor sponge (and a pair of rubber gloves). 3/4 cup of bleach in a gallon of water, and soak every surface, walls, floors, bunks, privy seat, picnic table and benches, everything that someone is likely to handle. Wear safety glasses and a facemask.

If there's bearproof and rodentproof storage at the shelters, make some packets of oral rehydration salts (recipe in the other thread) and leave them with an instruction sheet.

Doing that will be make you a trail seraph. (The seraphim are angels of the highest order!) Decontamination will be the way to put a stop to this.

Thank you, thank you, whoever does decontamination work at the shelters! That will be the way that this outbreak gets contained.