missing hiker - body found

CNN story I hope this has a good ending.

Oh man, that story gave me the shivers . . . I hope they find her safe and sound.

sli74

sli74 said:

Oh man, that story gave me the shivers . . . I hope they find her safe and sound.

sli74

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Me too. Vibes for the family and the searchers, I hope they find her well, and soon.

I just watched the local news station's report on this. She a blue belt in a type of karate that specializes in self defense as well as an experienced hiker. Here's to her safety.

I cant stand it when this stuff happens.
I hope she is going to walk out soon

Just what every hiker needs. A large sheath attached to one leg! Is this the latest in winter gear???
In one article it described the "sheath" as a police "baton" and they mentioned that a hiker had seen the "person of interest" hiking with a baton.
One of the original articles stated that said "baton" was found on the ground near her car, along with her dog's leash.
The problem is the media never seems to get the story straight. Depending on what report you are reading the facts keep changing.
The police are not confirming the finding of the baton and
"no foul play is suspected." ??? I really feel for those parents.
I sure hope someone in that area knows who this character is and they have an APB out on that minivan.
For her sake, I pray she and Ella are lost in the woods and will be found very soon. I wonder if the black lab would have the nose and skill to lead her back out. Sounds like they were both avid hikers.

It's weird

In September we were on Mount Mansfield on the LT and there was this grizzled old guy with no teeth, an old pack and a yellow rain slicker who got up and leashed his dog when we approached. When we got near, I noticed he had a big hunting knife on his belt. I gave him the usual
"G' mornin." and he growled at us. The guy, not the dog.

I know it's very far-fetched, but I can't get him out of my mind now. I don't really remember the dog, but I don't think it would have matched the description at all. More huskie-ish, but I can't really picture it, just him.

I hate this stuff, too. It never ends well. They never caught anyone when that woman was murdered in Pinkham Notch a few years back. Please be careful out there. There are a lot of creeps out there.

KDT

carole - thanks for the post. Be sure to post more if you see it.

These type of stories are so hard to read. And you're right, there are a lot of creeps out there. I just wonder what makes these low-life's brains work the way they do? I pray for the young lady and her family, that she is only lost and comes out of the woods soon.

I'm praying for the best here but judging from the story and what they've found so far, things do not sound good. It sounds like she is athletic and an experienced hiker. If she graduated from UGA she might very well be familiar with the trail; if that's the case, then there could be a very slim chance that she's lost.

Has anybody here ever hiked that trail? How's the terrain?

I pray that she somehow got lost and will soon be found.

WhiteMTHike said:

Has anybody here ever hiked that trail? How's the terrain?

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I just read a comment on another forum by someone who claims he has hiked that trail many times and his comment was that is a pretty heavily used trail and not a trail you can get "lost" on.

Hoping this turns out well but it doesn't look good.


FWIW,
Keith

Scary info in this Georga news link

“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has entered the search and is exploring a possible link to the disappearance of two hikers in North Carolina….
Cagle also confirmed GBI agents are talking to investigators handling the presumed murder of two hikers in North Carolina.
John and Irene Bryant disappeared Oct. 20 while hiking in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest. Her body was found three weeks later; she had been beaten to death. Her husband is still missing.
Someone wearing a yellow jacket used the couple's ATM card at a bank about an hour north of where Emerson was hiking.
Police say Hilton was wearing a yellow jacket when he was seen talking to Emerson.”

Scary...

As someone who is trying to get out there on some solo adventures, this puts a major damper on such hopes. It is not the outdoors and animals and elements that are scary it is people such as those in question. Ohhhh dear - I must say a prayer...

HapyHkngSmile said:

Scary...

As someone who is trying to get out there on some solo adventures, this puts a major damper on such hopes. It is not the outdoors and animals and elements that are scary it is people such as those in question. Ohhhh dear - I must say a prayer...

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Do you own a BIG dog? If not, get one if you solo hike and take a RAD course. It can't hurt.
When someone I don't know asks me if my Akita is friendly, (which she is), I reply..."let's put is this way, she can rise to the occasion". I also keep my distance from anyone I do not know on a trail and I keep my dog between us.I walk backwards away from them chatting until I reach a certain distance and then move on. I turn and check back again several times to make sure they are not stopped, or coming back toward me. None of this is fool proof but every little bit helps to give you some peace of mind.
You would like trust everyone out there on a trail but the sad truth is, you just cannot.
Someone analyzing crimes last evening mentioned that a big problem occurs when women become overconfident in their own strength and skills and let their guard down believing there isn't anything they cannot handle.
They pointed out that it only takes one second if you turn your back to someone for them to hit you over the head and render you unconscious. The rest is history. You are completely defenseless.
It can work to your advantage to exercise a certain amount of caution and be prepared. Keep your bag of tricks open and ready to use at a moments notice.
I got away from a violent drugged/drunk in VT in the middle of the night. Quick thinking and my Akita deserve full credit for that one. He could never grab me because I kept her between us every step of the way. He also had not a clue that she was with me. I kept the light off so what a nice surprise that was for him when he rounded the corner in the dark and there she was!

First, I'd like to say I hope this woman gets home safely and is reunited with her family and friends.

Second, I'd like to point out that dozens of people are murdered every day in this country, and the loss of any one of them is sad. The potential victim in this situation may have been a hiker, but we need to keep things in perspective. Lots of people get murdered in and around grocery stores. Does this mean you'll never buy a head of lettuce again, or get gasoline at a convenience store? No, but it does mean we (and that extends to men as well) need to pay some attention to our personal safety as we go about life. Not get hysterical, just pay attention.

My hunch is that, from a statistical point of view, we're in FAR more danger of dying during the drive to/from the trailhead than we ever are on the trail.

Don't loose your heads, people.

Kevin Rooney said:

No, but it does mean we (and that extends to men as well) need to pay some attention to our personal safety as we go about life. Not get hysterical, just pay attention.
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Agreed! And I think anything we can share here about "how better to pay attention" is a big plus. It very much the same as learning to drive defensively.
I really believe that if we think these things out ahead of time and have a reasonable plan, we will be much less likely to react in a hysterical way should we have an undesirable encounter.

Kevin, you are absolutely correct in what you have said. But, I think this is giving me the "creeps" because it hits so close to home. Dozens of people get killed each year, 'tis true but when it happens in your backyard, it is certainly much more unnerving. For instance, people are shot every day in Boston but when my friend had a severed head found in her neighbor's backyard, she went and got herself some pepper spray because it really threw her for a loop. It is all about proximity.

I don't hike solo very often anymore, but many times my hiking partner is well out of ear shot and I think this particular case has got me a little freaked just as it has probably done to other solo female hikers . . . just a little close to home.

I don't much think about being alone in the woods anymore, I used to be a lot more cautious when hiking alone was something new to me, but after years of hiking alone, I have certainly become relaxed and trust and talk to most people on the trail, something I might have to consider the next time I am alone in the woods.

sli74

Missing Hiker

I hope this woman is found safely though 3 days later is not a good sign. I think Kevin raises a good point, though. I thru hiked the AT, including this spot, solo in 1995. 2158 miles over the course of 5 months- and never had anything but positive people experiences. So many people thought- "oh, my- you're a woman hiking alone?! Aren't you scared?" Same thing on the John Muir Trail, the Long Trail, the Wind River Wilderness....The facts and statistics will emphasize that you are far safer hiking the AT, the Whites and probably all the wilderness areas than you are just carrying on your life in "safe" cities like Manchester, NH. Since 1984, nearly 90% of my hikes have been solo- but (and I am knocking on wood)- never a bad incident. I'm not saying there is no risk but sometimes these incidents mislead people into thinking there is more risk than the reality. We all need to measure it and use prudence, deciding what we are comfortable with.
Lucky Laura

Kevin Rooney said:

No, but it does mean we (and that extends to men as well) need to pay some attention to our personal safety as we go about life. Not get hysterical, just pay attention.

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While prison rosters show that men are more likely than women to be perpetrators of violence, they are also more likely to be victims if all violent crimes are summed. Being a guy does not protect you - the perps can be multiple, tougher, better armed. So as Kevin says, pay attention but don't go nuts about it.

I find it all unnerving..I feel a certain extra sense of security hiking with a dog..but admit that when I meet another hiker with a dog I tend to let my guard down...and meeting a bearded backpacker on the AT is nothing out of the norm and not something that in the past I would give pause too, but today I am much more conservative especially with describing my route/plans on the internet prehike...ditto on everything that's been said here...and adding another plug for RAD courses for women...we had a mini-RAD course at my college a few years ago and I learned ALOT, all of it very useful, some of it new to me and eyeopening.

Here's hoping that these two cases are not related and that all parties are found soon so that the families can be at peace. So tragic about the husband and wife, hopefully the mystery will be solved soon.