View Full Version : Hikers Rescued in Maine
Apparently the East Branch of the Piscataquis got a little high and three thru-hikers needed a chopper ride out.
http://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/01/news/piscataquis/three-stranded-hikers-airlifted-from-appalachian-trail-in-maine/
peakbagger
10-01-2015, 17:04
Some parts of Maine got 4 to 6 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. The temps dropped after the front went through. Lot of small stream flooding and washouts.
Slo-go'en
10-01-2015, 17:11
Yep, figured it would get messy out there. It will be interesting to see what happens if the hurricane makes it way up here in a few days...
so did i miss something or can this story accurately be read as "through hikers find ford too high to pass, decide to camp and wait it out when suddenly a bunch of helicopters show up..."
i'm for some reason reminded about something i once read about the breed of dog the newfoundland. apparently they have a natural instinct to rescue drowning people, so much so, that they will frequently "rescue" people who are just trying to go swimming if you were to allow them to.
i mean seriously, that spot is how far from the nearest road? someone couldnt go for a walk real quick and confirm that they were in fact parked at the most obvious spot you would think?
Lone Wolf
10-01-2015, 17:34
they were a coupla miles north of a shelter. they coulda just walked back and spent the night
It's not clear who actually called for rescue -- it sounds like it was the Dad, not the hikers themselves.
It's not clear who actually called for rescue -- it sounds like it was the Dad, not the hikers themselves.
seems pretty obvious from my reading. i still think it was a massive overreaction. that and if i were those hikers i would told the helicopters to go away. going to be a major pain for them to try and hike that section now, unless they get airlifted back.
An almost literal helicopter parent??? :)
joshuasdad
10-01-2015, 22:36
They probably did not not have their full packs, as they were planning on doing it in two (relatively short for a thru-hiker) days. I remember that on one of the sections, my feet were wet for 13 of 16 miles -- the trail there had very poor drainage -- probably the worst I experienced on the whole AT. The ford was almost chest high a couple days after a big rain (but there was a rope for the pack). With the cold, it may have been a really good idea to at least check on them.
Doesn't look like they needed rescuing. Looked pretty happy they got a free helicopter ride.
I was once rescued from Roan Mountain in Tennessee during a 'blizzard'. We heard the weather reports went cross country sking. Helicopter landed asked if we needed rescuing, then they ask if we were willing to be rescued if they brought us back to the mountain after the rescue. A deal was sealed and the helicopter ride was super cool.
So would that be Rotor-Blazing?
Old Hillwalker
10-02-2015, 07:26
Local news here this AM said that they were stranded on a island in the Piscataquis.
Local news here this AM said that they were stranded on a island in the Piscataquis.
i remember an island, of sorts, being near the trail in the west branch. i also recall the west branch (which they would have crossed not very long before they got to the east branch) to have been a much harder crossing. was just there in august. this is an odd story.