[at-l] Official Release

[kevin umberger <kevinumberger@juno.com>]

Along with the other stories I posted about the rescued hikers, here's
the official release from Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Public
Affairs Office------

Media Briefing------GSMNP     Feb. 3, 2000  @3:30pm

Rescue of Three Backpackers

	Approximately 25 National Park Service Employees and cooperators were
mobilized last night and this morning to rescue 3 backpackers who were
stranded overnight near Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National
Park.
	At about 10:30 pm Wednesday night the Park's Dispatch Center received a
cell phone call from three backpackers who reported that they were wet,
exhausted and needed help.  The three hikers, Ronald Cooper, 18,
Knoxville TN, and Kelly Hall, 19, and Michael Hall, 21, Powell, TN, had
parked at the Sugarlands Mountain Trailhead along Little River Road
intending to hike up the trail to stay overnight at the Mt. Collins
Shelter.  Their planned itinerary called for an approximately 12
mile-long hike through snow up to a foot deep and involved 3,000 feet of
elevation gain.
	During the night two teams of Rangers set out to locate the group.  One
team set off up Sugarlands Mountain Trail from Huskey Gap Trail about
2:00 am.  The other team set out at 4:00 am and walked up the unplowed
Clingmans Dome Road 4.3 miles to turn off down Sugarlands Mountain Trail
towards the first team. In addition an Army National Guard HummV from
Pigeon Forge attempted to transport searchers along the Clingmans Dome
Road, but was quickly halted by a dense mixture of snow and layers of
ice.  A Blackhawk helicopter with hoisting capability was also called in
from Ft. Campbell, KY and was staged at the Sevierville Airport, but its
services was not needed.
	The two ground teams located the party at the same time on the
Sugarlands Mountain Trail about 2 miles south of the Clingmans Dome Road
at about 8:30 am Thursday and found them alert and conscious.  After
evaluating their condition, Rangers hiked out with the two men to
Clingmans Dome Road.  Kelly Hall also started to hike out, but was unable
to continue and was carried out by a litter team through a foot of snow
to the Road.  The men made it to the Clingmans Dome Road about 12:15 pm
and the litter team reached the road at around 2pm.  
	Once at Clingmans Dome Road all three hikers were picked up by Park
vehicles which were able to reach the Sugarlands Mountain Trailhead after
Park snowplow operators had opened a single lane from Newfound Gap.  The
plow drivers had been called in at midnight to open that access. 
	Both the young men came through the ordeal in good condition.  Kelly
Hall was driven to Newfound Gap and was examined by paramedics with
Gatlinburg ambulance and was released to her parents with advice to see
her personal physician.





Kevin Umberger

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