One-Leg rescued from Katahdin; then Quits?

[SavageLlama]

Interesting journal entry on One-Leg's website. He was rescued off Katahdin by helicopter, then hiked 3.5 miles into the 100-mile wilderness, turned back around and flew home.

I hope he's not done.. but it looks as though he may be.
http://www.onelegwonder.com/page2.html

[Jaybird]

Interesting journal entry on One-Leg's website. He was rescued off Katahdin by helicopter, then hiked 3.5 miles into the 100-mile wilderness, turned back around and flew home.
I hope he's not done.. but it looks as though he may be.

S.L.

i talked to "OneLeg" Sunday...he is still determined to go back to Mt.K & hike SOBO to Harpers Ferry & finish his journey...it's HIS decision...although his leg is hurting, his hip is bruised,...& he's a bit frayed around the edges from his fall & rescue...

www.trailjournals.com/OneLeg


he needs our positve thoughts & prayers.

[TJ aka Teej]

He certainly did more AT miles this year than most WhiteBlaze and TrailJournal readers. I hope his critics will remember that before commenting.

[Lone Wolf]

Who pays for the chopper?

[smokymtnsteve]

I also suffer from a disability...one which limits conditions in which I should hike...i accept my limitations, it is foolish and morally wrong for me to overly tempt fate and put myself in situations where others may become endangered rescuing me because I tried something foolish that was beyond my physical abilities.

[peter2003]

A few comments:

I met One-Leg at Damascus at Trail Days and I was impressed with his drive to thru hike the AT with a severe disability. I am very sorry that he has had to leave the trail.

That said, I wonder if he underestimated the dificulity of hiking the big K; living in NE I have hiked Katahdin a few times and have always been impressed by the amount of effort needed to hike that mountain. One often looks at Mt. Washington as the most difficult hike in the east, however, if my book the big K is at least 1/3 more difficult. If he had a little support on the hike he could of hiked down the other side of the mountain which is much easier after going down the slide. When I did my thru hike in 03 it took me over 4 hours to climb the mountain.

Good luck One-Leg if the decide to continue.

vtpete

[smokymtnsteve]

Who pays for the chopper?

good question

[attroll]

Who pays for the chopper?

Yes this is a good question. I asked this in another post. Everyone that gets a chopper rescue at the K has to pay the bill I believe. TJ will probably know more about this.

[Jersey Bob]

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[Jersey Bob]

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[attroll]

The following is cut & paste from various web articles:

...in 1999 a law was passed in New Hampshire that states that hikers who recklessly cause themselves to become lost or injured, resulting in costly and dangerous rescues, may be billed for those rescue services.

[Maine: ] In December 1999, the state’s Fish and Game Department announced its new safety policy to charge careless hikers the cost of search and rescue missions. The department has posted signs at trailheads telling hikers that if they are not prepared they will pay the cost of any rescue.

I thought Maine had the same policy. Now will he get billed just like everyone else?

[Jersey Bob]

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[smokymtnsteve]

Yes, Maine has the same policy. The 2nd paragraph in my cut&paste above pertained to Maine.

My guess is that they may bill Scott which will be very prickly with all the publicity he's received so far. If he proves he was not careless, reckless and was well prepared he may get out of it. Could go to a legal battle depending on the motivation of those involved.

but he was careless reckless and not prepared.

[SavageLlama]

Time to double those fundraising efforts.. I bet a chopper ride off Katahdin has a pretty steep pricetag.

[Jersey Bob]

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[bearbait2k4]

Wow, do any of you guys even know him personally? He has a knack for drawing attention? Since when?

Talk to people that actually know him; that actually have run into him and have gotten to know him. You'll get a different picture than what some of these people here, who have never even talked to the guy, are trying to paint. He was wreckless and careless? How much more so than any other hiker that's trying to climb it? Seriously, were you there? So you know for a fact that he was?

I honestly don't understand why some people have to come to this site and meticulously judge others on a daily basis. What is the point of it? So you're proving that you know more about something than another person, in your opinion? Big deal. Get over it, and stop judging people you don't even know.

[Pencil Pusher]

My gut feeling is they won't charge him for the ride. I think this is one of those situations that fall more under a varying shade of gray than black and white.

[smokymtnsteve]

I also suffer from a disability...one which limits conditions in which I should hike...i accept my limitations, it is foolish and morally wrong for me to overly tempt fate and put myself in situations where others may become endangered rescuing me because I tried something foolish that was beyond my physical abilities.

I also Love my family and know that my first obligation to my family is to take care of myself and not take unnecessary risks so that I will continue to be able to be there and take care of my family.

[peter2003]

I guess we need Stg. Rock to educate you guys; the chopper in the picture looks like a Blackhawk chopper of the Maine National Guard. My guess is the guard will look at this rescue as just another training mission. Time will tell if I am right. What surprised me is One-Leg Wonder continuing his hike at the Abol Campground right after the accident. The first part of the 100 mile wilderness is not that difficult but it is still not like hiking down south.

vtpete

[Jersey Bob]

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