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View Full Version : Hike Rescued/tried to go out today



evansprater
11-02-2012, 19:34
As some of you may know I've been stuck near Gatlinburg for a week waiting out Sandy and her gratuitous amounts of snow. I started getting antsy today so my cousin agreed to take me to newfound Gap and let me attempt to continue my journey, on the way up we stopped at the welcome center and talked to a ranger who said there was still quite a bit of snow and a hiker who was stranded deep in the backcountry. I decided I'd check it out anyways, what's te worst that could happen? On the way in most of the snow was well packed and I saw quite a few people who kept warning me about the waist high drifts after a mile or so. I got to these drifts and after trudging about 30 minutes (maybe .2 miles?) past the farthest anyone else had walked since the snow storm (it was like 1 foot deep, next step 3 feet deep, next step 6 inches, next step 4 feet, just terribly unpredictable and honestly a bit scary) I got to a huge fallen pine tree that I couldn't get over without going up or down off the trail in the unpredictably deep snow, and decided to turn back. It was just too sketchy for my Florida ass. And with this guy in the back of my head, http://www.breakingnews.com/item/ahZzfmJyZWFraW5nbmV3cy13d3ctaHJkcg0LEgRTZWVkGKXttQ sM/2012/11/02/stranded-appalachian-trail-hiker-rescued-in-great-smoky-mountains-nati, Sunday or Monday became very nice options to try again. Just thought I'd let y'all know!

Snowleopard
11-02-2012, 19:44
Smart man! I'm glad to hear you're OK. Learning to turn back is the most important survival skill.

evansprater
11-02-2012, 19:49
If you check that article link, that guy was airlifted out this afternoon... Meant to mention that in the original post.

rmitchell
11-02-2012, 20:47
Smart man! I'm glad to hear you're OK. Learning to turn back is the most important survival skill.

+1. Wise choice to turn back. Kudo's to the rescue from THP.

I just hope no one else is stranded. Cell phone coverage in the park is spotty at best.

Mountain Mike
11-02-2012, 20:50
Better to be smart & turn around. Good luck on the next try.

HikerMom58
11-02-2012, 21:00
Glad you are safe. Great link to the story and video of the rescued hiker... I love happy endings! :)

Train Wreck
11-02-2012, 21:01
If you're tired of hanging out in Gatlinburg by now, you can always head up to Dollywood :D

rmitchell
11-02-2012, 21:16
Ripley's Aquarium is on the south end of town and is actually very nice, if you are looking for something to pass the time.

joshuasdad
11-02-2012, 21:27
Or just resume your hike at Fontana Dam (a shuttle would be about $100, or less from a trail angel). You can always hike the rest later.

jakedatc
11-02-2012, 21:29
haha good effort. at least if gave you something to do for the day.

SawnieRobertson
11-03-2012, 12:18
Turning back is so wise, but we have within us that belief that it is "weak" to do so. Your attempt hints that you are not sure that authorities are always right, but your decision to turn back states that you without question hike with your brains as well as your feet. Thanks for the video link. It too speaks in a big voice: Be smart enough never to have to be the reason for SAR to have to face daunting conditions to get you out when a simple decision on your part could have avoided the whole episode. This is all different from having a terrible accident that requires rescue.

Wise Old Owl
11-03-2012, 13:32
You made a good decision. - I wondered why some 30 people tried to wait it out in the Smoky National Park decided to stick it out....

I got that from the local TV news.

Slo-go'en
11-03-2012, 16:39
You made a good decision. - I wondered why some 30 people tried to wait it out in the Smoky National Park decided to stick it out....

I got that from the local TV news.

Anyone who started out the day or two before can be excused as there was no clear indication it would get that bad up there, although there were warnings something might happen. Anyone who headed up after the storm started was just an idiot.

Prime Time
11-04-2012, 08:10
Ummm, risk freezing or hang out a couple of days in Gatlinburg. Tough choice. How bad can freezing be?

Rain Man
11-04-2012, 09:35
I got to these drifts and after trudging about 30 minutes (maybe .2 miles?) past the farthest anyone else had walked since the snow storm (it was like 1 foot deep, next step 3 feet deep, next step 6 inches, next step 4 feet, just terribly unpredictable and honestly a bit scary) I got to a huge fallen pine tree that I couldn't get over without going up or down off the trail in the unpredictably deep snow, and decided to turn back.

Am glad to know you have both a backbone and a head on your shoulders. Good for you.

Rain Man

.

evansprater
11-04-2012, 10:30
Thanks guys. I will be goin back out tomorrow so if you dont hear from me the trail is good and im on my way to Hot Springs! Has anyone heard anything else about the rescued hiker?

DrRichardCranium
11-04-2012, 10:33
Good rule of thumb: Try to stay out of the newspapers.

Blissful
11-04-2012, 20:54
Snow stopped some Soboers in 2010, they skipped ahead then went back later to do the Smokies to finish. It's all good no matter where you finish your dream.

Tipi Walter
11-05-2012, 09:21
Smart man! I'm glad to hear you're OK. Learning to turn back is the most important survival skill.

I was out during the Halloween storm on a short 7 day trip into the Citico wilderness in TN which is a few miles south of the Park but only got hit with 5 inches of the white stuff with around 12-14 inches of ridge drifts at 5,300 feet. Here's a few fotogs of the festivities---


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/7-Days-in-a-Halloween/i-hmGCMBM/0/L/TRIP%20139%20008-L.jpg

Around midnight on Oct 28-29 I get the first taste of the storm in TN.



http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/7-Days-in-a-Halloween/i-cvT2MDf/0/L/TRIP%20139%20011-L.jpg

I decide to spend 3 days here in Cold Spring Gap (about 4,500 feet) and watch the storm pass by. I have a stomach virus anyway so I end up fasting a couple days to clear it up.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/7-Days-in-a-Halloween/i-S6Pb822/0/L/TRIP%20139%20012-L.jpg
If I was caught in the situation of the Park hiker I would've hunkered in for a week until the ridge drifts melted. It's easy to do in ample geese---this time in down pants and an overkill down parka.

evansprater
11-05-2012, 09:40
Whoa! Nice, man! That's what I was thinking, given that guy ha enough warm gear, he could've rationed his food and chilled for a few days, right? I guess he just g

evansprater
11-05-2012, 09:40
Stupid iPhone. I guess he just got scared. Heading back out today, snow should be nice and melted and slushayyy!

Tipi Walter
11-05-2012, 11:16
Whoa! Nice, man! That's what I was thinking, given that guy ha enough warm gear, he could've rationed his food and chilled for a few days, right? I guess he just g

Everybody panics in a sudden snowstorm, especially when the ridge drifts get over 3 feet. With a decent map most old hands will either find a side trail off the mountain and lose 2 or 3,000 feet or shovel/scrape out a campsite and hunker in for 4 or 5 days. During the Blizzard of '93 there was a group of Cranbrook school students on the North Fork of the Citico and they in my estimation panicked and had a hell of a time, necessitating Army rescue and the loss of feet and hand digits, etc. I think it could have all been avoided by hunkering down for the duration but most people Can't/Won't.

moytoy
11-05-2012, 17:27
Whoa! Nice, man! That's what I was thinking, given that guy ha enough warm gear, he could've rationed his food and chilled for a few days, right? I guess he just g
T Walter waits until a winter storm is coming and goes out to meet it head on. Most people are heading home when he heads out:)

HikerMom58
11-05-2012, 17:45
T Walter waits until a winter storm is coming and goes out to meet it head on. Most people are heading home when he heads out:)

Funny.... he's like the trail hiking version of the storm chasers:)

moytoy
11-05-2012, 17:53
Funny.... he's like the trail hiking version of the storm chasers:)
So true.....