And They Say This is Fun?
The last few days have been very difficult for Lyle and the other hikers. The trail has been steep and the nights cold. Lyle has the right sleeping bag and has been warm enough but several other hikers are cold during the night. The saving grace is that the days have been sunny and pleasant. Last night (Tuesday 4/4) he thought he had the ridge to himself but as we were saying goodnight he saw three other hikers heading his way. He was disappointed that he would have company but I have to say I was relieved! I think there is safety in numbers when considering the local wildlife! The scenery has been terrific so that helps them look beyone the difficult hiking. Lyle says he understands why so many people drop out after the first week...it is definitely a challenge. He sounds so tired every night.
This evening the call was filled with sadness. He was sitting by the side of a fellow hiker who had collapsed on the trail of a heart attack. He has been talking about this particular hiker alot because they have been keeping the same pace for the past 4-5 days. Lyle had told me Ken had gone into town Tuesday night to celebrate his 58th birthday and Lyle decided to keep going to cross over the NC border. When he didn't show up in camp tonight Lyle started to backtrack to find him. About 1/2 hour back on the trail on the last incline he found Ken with two other hikers. Ken was too weak to take back to camp so they had to administer first aid there on the trail. They tried several attempts to call search and rescue before they were successful. There was some confusion on the part of the 911 operator about the exact location on the trail and which state they were actually in--GA or NC--and who should be sent. It took the EMT's one and 1/2 hours after the call to reach them by 4-wheelers. The EMT's were able to stabilize him and were transporting him to a hospital in a nearby NC community. The EMT's said they had never been that deep into the trail and had no idea it went so far. They credit Lyle and the others for saving Ken's life because they gave him aspirin and kept him warm during the wait. Thank God Ken was in the habit of taking an aspirin each day so they were in his pack. It appears that Ken will pull through, but we won't really know until we hear from him again.
Needless to say it is going to be difficult for Lyle and others in camp to get to sleep tonight (and me too). I'm not sure what makes people attempt this hike in the first place or what keeps them going. I think it's the Buettner in Lyle :) but I'm not sure about the others. I would ask that you keep Ken and his family in your prayers.
Here is a link to an AT map if you want to see the trail. Based on what Lyle told me tonight, I think he is somewhere near Standing Indian (5,499 ft). He said he would be in a town in the next 3-4 days, and I think that he means Wesser, NC.
http://www.rhodesmill.org/thefox/maps/at5.jpg
This evening the call was filled with sadness. He was sitting by the side of a fellow hiker who had collapsed on the trail of a heart attack. He has been talking about this particular hiker alot because they have been keeping the same pace for the past 4-5 days. Lyle had told me Ken had gone into town Tuesday night to celebrate his 58th birthday and Lyle decided to keep going to cross over the NC border. When he didn't show up in camp tonight Lyle started to backtrack to find him. About 1/2 hour back on the trail on the last incline he found Ken with two other hikers. Ken was too weak to take back to camp so they had to administer first aid there on the trail. They tried several attempts to call search and rescue before they were successful. There was some confusion on the part of the 911 operator about the exact location on the trail and which state they were actually in--GA or NC--and who should be sent. It took the EMT's one and 1/2 hours after the call to reach them by 4-wheelers. The EMT's were able to stabilize him and were transporting him to a hospital in a nearby NC community. The EMT's said they had never been that deep into the trail and had no idea it went so far. They credit Lyle and the others for saving Ken's life because they gave him aspirin and kept him warm during the wait. Thank God Ken was in the habit of taking an aspirin each day so they were in his pack. It appears that Ken will pull through, but we won't really know until we hear from him again.
Needless to say it is going to be difficult for Lyle and others in camp to get to sleep tonight (and me too). I'm not sure what makes people attempt this hike in the first place or what keeps them going. I think it's the Buettner in Lyle :) but I'm not sure about the others. I would ask that you keep Ken and his family in your prayers.
Here is a link to an AT map if you want to see the trail. Based on what Lyle told me tonight, I think he is somewhere near Standing Indian (5,499 ft). He said he would be in a town in the next 3-4 days, and I think that he means Wesser, NC.
http://www.rhodesmill.org/thefox/maps/at5.jpg
posted by Trail Widow | 6:45 PM
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