Thru-hiker death reported

[jlb2012]

from "Mudflap & Daisy"'s 2006 Appalachian Trail Journal

Sunday, April 02, 2006
Destination: Tricorner Knob Shelter

" SAD NEWS

We found out this morning via a trail register that fellow thru-hiker Phoenix passed away at Mt.Collins shelter a couple of days ago. We are shocked and saddened by this news. We only met him a couple of times, once at the trail magic site with Gatorade and Fishin' Fred and another time on the trail. He was an older guy, but a very strong hiker, with grey hair and beard out for his third thru-hike. Last we saw him, he was leading a pack of 20 year olds up the trail on the way to Franklin. Our sympathy goes out to his family. "
--------------------

If anyone knows anything more about this please respectfully share the information.

[neighbor dave]

R.I.P. pheonix

chickety knows someone who's hiking the trail this year who woke up next to him.
i'm wondering, is this the same pheonix who was hiking last year but had to take a break due to an injury near erwin?? he was middle aged wearing a kilt,and doing alot of magic till he got better??

[MacGyver2005]

R.I.P. pheonix

chickety knows someone who's hiking the trail this year who woke up next to him.
i'm wondering, is this the same pheonix who was hiking last year but had to take a break due to an injury near erwin?? he was middle aged wearing a kilt,and doing alot of magic till he got better??

If it's the same Pheonix you have truly broken my heart. Although that Pheonix is not a 3-time Thru-Hiker; last year was his first attempt. He was a real estate agent from Arizona.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

[joel137]

Any news as to the cause?

[mindlessmariachi]

so this wasn't the phoenix who thru-hiked in 02?

[weary]

All deaths are sad. But some of us who are well past the traditional "three score and ten" and who can read obituaries, sort of hope for sudden deaths, not prolonged deaths.

Dick Brown, a former chair of the Maine Chapter AMC and an active volunteer who helped recover 400,000 acres of public land in Maine, and who was a long term volunteer for MATC, died a few winters ago cross country skiing.

I increasingly envy him as I struggle with mal-practice-induced fibrosis of the lungs, and probably related diabetes and cataracts. I suspect few wise old folks lament the possibility of sudden exists from this earth -- especially those of us who have watched inlaws, parents and neighbors struggle with mental deterioration, blindness and prolonged deaths.

Anyway, if I can get my lungs to approve, my plan is to climb Katahdin at least once more this summer or fall -- and hope for the best -- whatever that may prove to be.

Weary

[Cookerhiker]

.....
Anyway, if I can get my lungs to approve, my plan is to climb Katahdin at least once more this summer or fall -- and hope for the best -- whatever that may prove to be.

Weary

And I hope and pray that you can!

[DawnTreader]

Rip Phoenix...

We are ALL pulling for you Weary. My thoughts and prayers..

[hikerjohnd]

R.I.P. pheonix

chickety knows someone who's hiking the trail this year who woke up next to him.
i'm wondering, is this the same pheonix who was hiking last year but had to take a break due to an injury near erwin?? he was middle aged wearing a kilt,and doing alot of magic till he got better??

I am sorry to hear this tragic news. At least he was doing something he loved... I assume it isn't the Phoenix you mention above - we spent time together in Erwin and Damascus last year.

[Tin Man]

There is never a good time to go, but there is a lot to be said about going when you are doing what you love and dieing with your boots on.

Weary, hang in there man, you have a lot of friends pulling for you.

[roxy33x]

There is never a good time to go, but there is a lot to be said about going when you are doing what you love and dieing with your boots on.

Weary, hang in there man, you have a lot of friends pulling for you.

Amen and well said

[Local]

Several of you have spoken of Phoenix, who had to get off the trail last year due to injuries. His name is Curtis Hall and he works in real estate in Phoenix. He wore a kilt a lot, was a stocky guy, very friendly. It is unclear from my reading of this thread that the Phoenix who died is the same person. The Phoenix I knew was not a three-time thruhiker.

I've phoned Curtis and left a message, and also e-mailed him. He and I corresponded last year after he stopped by Damascus, where he would usually stay at the Hikers Inn.

Hopefully I will hear from him and will post any information I have here.

[Jaybird]

Several of you have spoken of Phoenix, who had to get off the trail last year due to injuries. His name is Curtis Hall and he works in real estate in Phoenix. He wore a kilt a lot, was a stocky guy, very friendly. It is unclear from my reading of this thread that the Phoenix who died is the same person. The Phoenix I knew was not a three-time thruhiker.
I've phoned Curtis and left a message, and also e-mailed him. He and I corresponded last year after he stopped by Damascus, where he would usually stay at the Hikers Inn.
Hopefully I will hear from him and will post any information I have here.

LOCAL:

PLEASE let us folks here @ WHITEBLAZE know when/if you hear from CURTIS/"PHOENIX"...

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/show...&imageuser=656

"Phoenix" gave me a shuttled from Erwin to Hot Springs & ate lunch with "the Model T crew" before we headed out on our section-hike. At that time he was helping out Miss Janet with shuttles, etc., while he was recuperating from his injuries...

[crutch]

There was a man named "Phoenix" that passed by me when I was doing trail magic at Rock Gap on 3/21/06. His name is Paul Nix and he is from Huntington,TN. Judging from the location that the man in question was found it's quite possible that it is the same man. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

[Newb]

From Huntington Tennessee:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...s&ct=clnk&cd=1

[Newb]

A better link to the article

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v...esttimeout=100

[hikerjohnd]

From Huntington Tennessee:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...s&ct=clnk&cd=1

Is there a link to the rest of the story? I keep getting a dead end...

[Local]

The "other" Phoenix, Curtis Hall, who works with RE/MAX Anasazi Realty in Tempe, is being paged as I write this. For those who remember him his website is www.curtishall.com, with basic contact information. The secretary I spoke with had talked to him earlier this morning (it's just after nine a.m. in Arizona).

[Tin Man]

The "other" Phoenix, Curtis Hall, who works with RE/MAX Anasazi Realty in Tempe, is being paged as I write this. For those who remember him his website is www.curtishall.com, with basic contact information. The secretary I spoke with had talked to him earlier this morning (it's just after nine a.m. in Arizona).

Then maybe this is not the Phoenix who died.

[icemanat95]

Looks like it is Paul Nix.