Foreign Visitor Fractures Leg on Chimney Tops Trail

Foreign Visitor Fractures Leg on Chimney Tops Trail

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

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Last week Kathy and I spent several days hiking in the Smokies. On Tuesday, our first day in the park, we decided to hike the Chimney Tops Trail. As we were putting our gear together I noticed three people standing near Newfound Gap Road trying to flag someone down. They were finally able to stop a road construction vehicle, and after a few seconds, the truck sped away. I had no idea what was going on, so I continued packing my backpack.

One of girls among this group noticed we were getting ready to take off, and approached us. She told us there was a woman on the trail who broke her leg and needed a rescue. She wanted us to tell the woman that emergency services had been contacted, and help was on the way.

As we climbed up the trail we found out from hikers coming down the mountain (the old information superhighway) that the woman was from Italy, and didn't speak a word of English. Finally, after hiking about a mile-and-a-half up the trail, on one of worst sections of trail in terms of rocks, uneven surfaces, mud and water, we finally reached the injured woman. She was sitting on a rock with her husband, who didn't speak any English either. Fortunately they were with a companion who spoke a little English, at least enough to get by. There was also a woman there that had some advanced first aid training. She told us the woman, likely in her 60s, suffered a compound fracture of her lower leg (tibia). Believe it or not, but the injured woman was hiking the trail in ladies flats!

After relaying our information that help was on the way, and making sure that she had enough clothes to keep herself warm, or seeing if she needed any Ibuprofin, we continued towards the summit. After about a half-hour or so we began our return trip back down the mountain. By that time emergency personnel had already arrived, and were just beginning to move her down the mountain on a stretcher. Interestingly, the stretcher had a mountain bike wheel attached to it, allowing the rescuers to move fairly rapidly down the mountain. In fact, they were moving almost as fast as we were.

We arrived back at the trailhead at almost the same time as the rescue party. Here they transported the woman to an ambulance. In addition to local emergency medical personnel, the Great Smoky Mountains Search and Rescue operations team played a major part in the rescue as well.

We couldn't help but think that this family had to be extremely disappointed in having to deal with a situation like this while traveling abroad. Hopefully the woman is doing much better now, and is already at home.

As a result of this hike we have updated the Chimney Tops Trail page on our website.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Two Kayakers Rescued on Obed Wild & Scenic River

Two Kayakers Rescued on Obed Wild & Scenic River

Monday, January 27, 2014

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The NPS is reporting this morning that on the evening of January 12th, rangers and Morgan County rescue squad members responded to a 911 call from a 28-year-old man who said that he and a 32-year-old companion had been kayaking from Obed Junction to Nemo on the Obed Wild & Scenic River when they experienced problems and became separated. The caller said that he was lost and cold and did not know where his friend was.

After locating the caller’s position with the help of Morgan County dispatch and the man’s cell phone, rangers paddled across the river at Canoe Hole and began looking for him, finding him around 10:30 p.m. Rangers escorted him back to the other side of the river, where the rescue squad was waiting to transport him to the ambulance.

Shortly after rangers began a ground search for the second man, a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter located him along the river downstream of Alley Ford. With the help of GPS coordinates and guidance provided by the crew onboard the helicopter, Obed and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area rangers found him just after midnight.

Both men were suffering from exposure when found, but were treated and released by Morgan County Ambulance service.



Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Three Hikers Rescued in Great Smoky Mountains

Three Hikers Rescued in Great Smoky Mountains

Thursday, January 9, 2014

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Although this story was widely covered in the local press, the following account from the NPS Morning Report provides several more details on the incident in which three hikers had to be rescued after suffering from various stages of hypothermia, while attempting to hike the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies:

On the evening of January 2nd, park dispatch began receiving reports of a three person hiking party in distress somewhere along the Appalachian Trail. The cell phone signal indicated that the group was between Mollies Shelter and Fontana Lake, approximately five to six miles from the nearest trailhead.

At the time, the park was experiencing heavy snowfall and single digit temperatures associated with a large storm affecting much of the East Coast.

Cell phone contact was established with the three men from South Carolina, who ranged in age from 21 to 32 years old. The three men indicated that they were ill prepared for the weather conditions, that they had no shelter, and that they were cold, wet, suffering from hypothermia and unable to move. Through a series of broken phone calls, they stated that one member of the group was shivering and had gone to sleep and could not be awakened and they were burning their clothes in an attempt to provide warmth.

Rangers Brad Griest, Kent Looney, and ranger/medic Phil Basak hiked throughout the night to locate the group. During the hike, the rangers experienced wind chill temperatures between -10 and -15 degrees. Due to the high winds and blowing snow, it was difficult at times for the rangers to locate the trail.

Early the following morning, rangers found the three men, all of them suffering from various stages of hypothermia and possible frostbite. While the rangers provided medical aid and attempted to re-warm them, a Blackhawk helicopter from the North Carolina National Guard with hoisting capabilities responded.

By early afternoon, all three men had been safely hoisted aboard and flown to Mission (Memorial) Hospital in Ashville, North Carolina, for treatment. The rangers hiked back out with assistance from a second rescue team utilizing UTVs on portions of the trail.

The three hikers had planned to hike across the Appalachian Trail on a ten-day backpacking trip. Intending to stay in shelters, they didn't bring a tent. They also didn’t bring proper clothing that was warm enough for the extreme cold temperatures they would encounter.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Heart Attack Victim Saved in Shenandoah

Heart Attack Victim Saved in Shenandoah

Monday, July 29, 2013

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NPS Digest is reporting this morning that on July 10th, Shenandoah National Park employees responded to a report of a 71-year-old man experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain on Dark Hollow Falls Trail, one of the most popular and steepest trails in the park.

A ranger/medic provided patient care until a litter team arrived and transported the man by wheeled litter to the park’s ambulance. An air evacuation was delayed by weather, but a ground ambulance with a cardiac monitor responded from Rockingham County Fire and Rescue.

The man went into cardiac arrest in the park ambulance while en route to the rendezvous with the county ambulance. The ranger/medic and another park employee began CPR and shocked the patient twice with an AED. Rockingham County Fire and Rescue took over patient care upon their arrival.

Due to a break in the weather, the helicopter was soon able to land. The team was able to reestablish a pulse and the man was conscious when he was flown to a cardiac cath lab. Later that day, the park received a report that he was sitting up and talking.

The responding flight nurse congratulated park staff for doing a “fabulous job” in keeping the man going until the helicopter could arrive. The early intervention provided by Shenandoah staff indisputably saved the man’s life.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Rangers In Swiftwater Rescue Course Rescue Several Boaters

Rangers In Swiftwater Rescue Course Rescue Several Boaters

Saturday, July 27, 2013

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While participating in a 40-hour swiftwater rescue technician certification training course on the Chattahoochee River on Friday, July 12th, rangers Jay Kolodzinski and James Psillis, supervisory ranger Sean Perchalski, and members of two local fire departments performed four rescues involving seven visitors.

Due to heavy rains over the last several weeks, the training was conducted in extreme conditions with water flow rates of up to 10,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on a river where normal flow rates hover around 1,200 cfs. Water temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit also made hypothermia a risk.

On Friday, the fifth and final day of the training, course participants were scheduled to perform a search and rescue exercise. As the exercise got underway, they encountered several visitors whose canoes and kayaks had overturned and been swept away in the current. In cooperation with their classmates, the three Chattahoochee River NRA rangers rescued all seven visitors before regrouping to successfully complete a staged night exercise utilizing the incident command system and operational leadership.

A total of sixteen participants completed the swiftwater rescue training course, practicing rescue techniques and tactics on both the Chattahoochee River and the Amicalola River in north Georgia.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Injured Hiker Rescued From Old Rag Mountain

Injured Hiker Rescued From Old Rag Mountain

Friday, July 5, 2013

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NPS Digest is reporting this morning that Shenandoah National Park rangers responded to a report on June 3rd that a man had fallen on Old Rag Mountain in the park’s Central District. Initial reports were that he’d broken a leg and was unable to move.

Ascending Old Rag Mountain requires a three-and-a-half mile hike up Ridge Trail, followed by a mile-long rock scramble to the summit. The rock scramble contains numerous technical areas that create a more challenging experience for hikers. Once at the summit, visitors are back on a trail which leads to a fire road back to the park’s boundary.

Shortly after the report came in, a Shenandoah trail crew arrived on scene and confirmed the initial report of the man’s condition. Rangers determined he had a broken tibia-fibula and prepared him for a litter carryout. He was extricated via litter through the remainder of the rock scramble to the Ridge Trail, where he was put on a wheeled litter and transported to the trailhead. He refused further care and was taken to a hospital by someone in his party.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Man Injured by Falling Tree on Low Gap Trail Airlifted

Man Injured by Falling Tree on Low Gap Trail Airlifted

Monday, June 17, 2013

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Rangers were involved in the rescue of a 53-year-old male who had been struck by a falling tree during the storm event of Thursday, June 13th. Nathan Lipsom, from Cambridge, MA, was hiking along Low Gap Trail when the storm hit around 4:00 pm and sustained multiple injuries.

A Park Backcountry Ranger was patrolling the trails around Cosby and Big Creek on Friday morning to check on hikers, and trail conditions in the area, when he discovered the injured hiker at approximately 11:30 am. The ranger remained with Lipsom while the Park began organizing a rescue operation. A Park Medic was immediately dispatched to the site to further evaluate and stabilize the patient’s condition.

Due to the number of downed trees from the storm, the trails around the Cosby and Big Creek areas were impassable for the rescue team. The Park ordered a Blackhawk helicopter from the state of North Carolina with winching capabilities to extricate the patient. Lipsom was then flown to the airport in Asheville, NC, and transported by ground to Mission Hospital.

A National Weather Service crew has confirmed an EF-1 tornado in the Cosby area during the June 13th storm.

Right now the Gabes Mountain Trail and Snake Den Ridge Trail in Cosby, and the Baxter Creek Trail and the Big Creek Trail in Big Creek remain closed due to scores of downed trees. The trails are impassable by foot or horse.

In addition to trail closures, the Park has also closed “B” Loop of Cosby Campground. Backcountry Campsites 29, 34, 36, 37 and 38 are all closed as well. There's no estimate for reopening the trails or the campgrounds at this time.


For the most up to date closure information, visit the Park’s website, or call our Backcountry Office at 865-436-1297.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Dangerous week in the national parks

Dangerous week in the national parks

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

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Several incidents over the last week highlight again how recreation in national parks can be dangerous. Although many people view parks as playgrounds, danger situations await visitors who don't pay the proper respect to Mother Nature. Here are a few of the incidents that have been reported by NPS Digest in the past week:

* A 26-year-old hiker was descending from the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park last Sunday when she fell 600 feet to her death from the Half Dome cables. A severe lightning, thunder, and rainstorm was present in the area for several hours that morning and afternoon, which likely made the granite slopes of Half Dome slick.

* A 23-year-old climber fell 50 feet on the evening of July 27th in the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. Responding park and local rescuers treated his injuries and began a carryout up to the rim of Sunset Rock in the park’s Lookout Mountain area. He was air-lifted that evening with non-life-threatening injuries – a dislocated shoulder and a shattered left foot.

* Rangers in Grand Teton National Park rescued a 20-year-old hiker who fell 1,200 feet last Friday morning and sustained critical injuries. Ryan Haymaker of Houston, Texas, was glissading down the Ellingwood Couloir on the south side of the Middle Teton when he lost control and hit a rock, causing him to flip over and continue head first down the couloir. A bystander who witnessed the fall called 911 to report the incident. Haymaker was loaded into a helicopter and flown to the Lupine Meadows rescue cache, where he was met by a team of emergency medical providers. Haymaker was stabilized at the rescue cache and then flown directly on an Air Idaho life flight to Idaho Falls. Haymaker and his companion had glissaded about a third of the way down the couloir when the incident occurred. Haymaker was glissading behind his companion when he picked up speed and passed him; shortly thereafter, he hit the first series of rocks. Haymaker was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. Although he was carrying an ice axe and wearing crampons, he was unable to right himself or self arrest.

* On Sunday, July 24th, Mt. Rainier National Park dispatch received an emergency PLB (personal locator beacon) signal from a party climbing high on the Kautz Glacier route on Mt. Rainier. After determining the location of the signal, climbing rangers from Camp Muir responded on foot to find a visitor with a probable fractured tibia/fibula. The climber was injured after hitting a rock while “glissading” down a steep snow slope. A team of ten rescuers worked throughout the night to evacuate the injured climber across three miles of steep and glaciated terrain. The rescue required complex rigging techniques to complete nearly 2000 feet of roped lowering. After reaching the lower Nisqually Glacier, the team was met by seven additional rangers from Paradise who assisted with a technical hauling system and the remainder of the evacuation to the trailhead.

* A 15-year-old Boy Scout was killed in a boating accident on Lake Powell in Glen Canyon last Thursday night, and a second Boy Scout and an adult were injured. A group of scouts and adults were riding in a boat back to camp after dinner on Antelope Island. The boat, which was being operated in darkness, apparently struck a rock outcropping, throwing the boy out of the boat and fatally injuring him. The second Scout and the adult sustained injuries in the impact but were not thrown from the vessel. The Scout was flown out by Classic Lifeguard helicopter for medical attention. The adult was transported by ambulance to Page Hospital.

* Several drownings have occurred in the last several days, including one at the Sinks in the Great Smoky Mountains, one in the Curecanti National Recreation Area, as well as two separate incidents on the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreation River.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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A.T. Ridgerunner Report on 4 Hikers Rescued in Smokies

A.T. Ridgerunner Report on 4 Hikers Rescued in Smokies

Saturday, April 30, 2011

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You may or may not recall this story from early last month, as it was not widely reported, but four hikers suffering from hypothermia had to be rescued in the Smokies by a couple of Appalachian Trail Ridgerunners.

The report (below) comes courtesy of the latest Friends of the Smokies email newsletter. The report was written by Doug McFalls, a name you might recall associated with the LeConte Lodge. Doug was the winter caretaker for the lodge during the 2009/2010 winter. He gained some notoriety by blogging about his experiences atop the mountain. He's since launched another blog, called Reflections Of The Smokies, and volunteers as a ridgerunner.

Here's Doug's report, dated Monday, March 7th:

"We were involved in the rescue of 4 hikers on their Spring Break from FSU at the Double Springs Shelter. Caleb and I turned them over to Park Rangers at Clingmans Dome Parking lot. The hikers were all dehydrated and from mild-moderate to moderate-severe Hypothermia. One had an injured knee. The weather conditions were severe with high winds and heavy rains Friday and Saturday turning to snow, ice and high cold winds on Sunday."

The report continues, "March 4, 2011 Ridgerunner Caleb Gray and I arrived at Mt. Colins Shelter in rain and high winds at aprox. 1830. At 0530 the next morning (yes, that's 5:30am) 4 hikers (to be rescued the next day) arrived. As Caleb and I prepared to hike out to The Double Springs shelter we both agreed that the 4 hikers would most likely hike out to Newfound Gap when they awoke later in the day. We arrived at Double Springs Shelter at 1525 in cold temperatures, heavy rain and high winds. At 2030 the 4 hikers from Mt. Colins Shelter arrived at Double Springs. The hikers were all soaked and cold. They all got in their bags and tried to sleep...

March 6, 2011 0700 Caleb and I awoke to 4" of snow on the ground and heavy snow falling, 20-25 degrees. High winds. Caleb and I decided to assess the 4 hikers. All of their clothing and gear appeared saturated. They all seemed unprepared for the snow and severe cold...

Hiker #1 6'2" 180 lbs. 21 year old white male. Mild to Moderate Hypothermia. Dehydrated. Complained of a hurt knee but could walk ok. All his clothing was wet and cotton. He was wearing leather loafers (boat shoes).

Hiker #2 6'3" 200lbs. 24 year old white male. Moderate to Severe Hypothermia. Vomiting due to Hypothermia. We found out that at one point in the night (Hiker #1) had got in [friend's] sleeping bag with him to help warm him up. Hiker #2 was Dehydrated as well. His clothing was wet and all cotton. We immediately got him out of his wet clothing and into some of our dry cloths including wool socks and fleece hat. Caleb put him in his 0 degree sleeping bag. We started hydrating Hiker #2 with watered down gator aid to try and get fluids and electrolytes in him. At this point we decided that we had to evacuate these hikers.

Hiker #3 5'6" 160lbs. White male. Mild Hypothermia. Dehydrated. Wet clothing. Tennis shoes.

Hiker #4 5'6" 160lbs. White male. Mild Hypothermia, Dehydrated. Wet clothing. Tennis shoes.

We contacted dispatch and informed them of the situation. Gave all the information we had. Informed of our decision to evacuate the hikers.

We continued to hydrate the hikers. We got the hikers into as much of our dry clothing as we could without jeopardizing our own personal safety. We tried the best we could to get them into a dry base layer of clothes, wool socks, hat, gloves. While we were getting them hydrated and feeding them carbs Caleb fashioned Gaiter/Socks out of trash bags and duck tape to protect their feet.

After dispatch coordinated with law enforcement we got the go ahead to leave Double Springs Shelter en route to Clingmans Dome Parking lot. (aprox. 3 miles). We left at aprox. 1000. In about 8" of snow and 20 degree temps. I hiked lead and Caleb hiked sweep.

We stopped about every 10 to 20 minutes to make everyone drink-eat and evaluate conditions. [One individual] got weaker and complained of more knee pain so Caleb carried his pack the last 1.5 miles.

We arrived at Clingmans Dome Parking lot at aprox. 1330. We hiked through 8 to 12" of snow, 2-3' drifts 10-20 degree temps and high wind.

We tried to get out of the wind and await the Ranger's arrival at the Clingman's Dome Information Center. We turned our hikers over to the Rangers and rode down to Newfound Gap in 4 wheel drive trucks behind two snow plows. We debriefed at Newfound Gap and asked our hikers to pass on all that they had learned."

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I can't help but comment on how completely unprepared this group was. I realize accidents happen beyond the control of many situations, but these guys were literally asking for trouble.

Fortunately they had the two ridgerunners to help them get out of their predicament. Who knows what would've happened without those two volunteers.

Friends of the Smokies relayed this story because they wanted to point out that the ridgerunner program is one of the services they help to fund. It takes $38,700 to support the Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner in the Smokies. In fact, they provide more than $1.2 Million dollars to the park - money that goes towards programs and projects that help make the Smokies one of the premiere parks in the NPS system. Friends of the Smokies can always use your help by making a donation. If you would like to learn more about the projects Friends of the Smokies helps to fund, and to contribute, please visit their website for more information.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Friday's Video

Friday's Video

Friday, October 15, 2010

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Ever wonder what it is like to be rescued off of a big mountain like the Grand Teton because you are too injured to get down on your own? Well, it goes a little something like this:

Shattered from getungrounded on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Daring rescue on El Capitan in Yosemite

Daring rescue on El Capitan in Yosemite

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

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Check out this report from the NPS Digest from last week. A seriously injured climber, and his inexperienced team, were rescued off the 3000-foot face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Details from the rescue are in the NPS report below.


Park dispatch received a report of an injured climber on a climbing route known as The Nose on El Capitan on the evening of Tuesday, August 24th. He was a 47-year-old Korean national, part of a four-person Korean climbing team. Rangers were unable to communicate with the climbers due to a language barrier, so little information was available at the outset.

It was eventually determined that he’d dislodged a large rock just below the Camp 4 bivy site, that he was in stable condition, and that he was unable to climb further. A helicopter short-haul mission was planned to extricate him from the rock face, but had to be cancelled due to the shear vertical wall at the climbing party’s location. A small technical rescue team was sent to the top of El Capitan to lower an attendant to him, but that operation had to be suspended due to darkness.

A plan was formulated by IC Shannon Kupersmith to send supplemental personnel first thing the following morning to support the lowering operation.

On Wednesday, additional personnel were flown to the summit of El Capitan for the technical lowering operation. Prior to the start of the mission a spotter in El Capitan Meadow was able to communicate with the climbing party and determine that the man might be paralyzed in his lower extremities. Two medics who reached the scene stabilized the climber and packaged him in a litter.

An alternate plan to immediately evacuate him from the wall using the "bean bag/short-haul" technique was employed. This technique involves sending a line from the hovering helicopter to the attendant/medic. The attendant/medic then retrieves a tag line attached to the short-haul line from the helicopter while the helicopter maintains a safe rotor distance from the vertical rock face. One attendant then attached himself and the climber to the short-haul line, which was followed by immediate release from the wall anchor. He was then flown to El Capitan meadow and medevaced to a hospital.

The remaining members of the climbing team were unable to lower themselves off the route due to their lack of experience and also had to be rescued. Two additional lowering operations were conducted to evacuate the Korean climbers off El Capitan’s 3,000-foot face. These operations were conducted on the hottest day of the summer to date, with the temperature over 100 degrees.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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