Re[2]: [at-l] Another death on the AT

[Bob C." <ellen@xxxxxxxxxx (Bob C.)]

This comes from secondary sources who report that according to Warden Don Annis
out of the Greenville office, who was the officer who responded to the incident,
the fatality was in "Gulf Hagas" about 3/4ths of a mile past the river crossing.
I think a mile and a quarter is more likely, which would put it just off the AT
in the vicinity of Screw Auger Falls. The steep part of Gulf Hagas is another
mile or so further in.

Apparently, the victim was with a companion and they went in to the Gulf area
via the Katahdin Ironworks gate under very icy conditions (both on the road and
on the trail).  They did not have crampons, creepers or an ice axe.  The man
slipped at the top of a cliff and fell down into the river. (more likely Gulf
Hagas Brook)

 There are some vertical drops near the falls, though I doubt if any are quite
100 feet. His companion went down to him realized he was very badly injured and
then climbed out to go for help. She found a forester working on the way out to
Brownville Junction and he called it in on a cell phone.  By the time they got
back to the scene the victim had died. Body recovery was by military helicopter.

Warden Annis reportedly said it was not a trail problem or a signage problem, it
was a common sense problem.  Conditions were icy enough that he thought they had
no business being there without crampons and an ice axe.  He described the roads
and trails in the area as a sheet of ice.

Weary