[at-l] Hiker Death on VA AT

[TRich at FDIC.gov (Rich, Timothy D.)]

Good Morning,

Sad news, a 15 year old girl from metro Atlanta passed away yesterday while
she was hiking a VA section with a youth group.  Link and article below.

Take Care,

Tim

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/0703/03hiker.html 

Gwinnett hiker, 15, dies on Appalachian Trail 

The Associated Press 
 
SNICKERS GAP, Va. -- A 15-year-old girl from Georgia died after becoming ill
in a remote area of the Appalachian Trail on Wednesday, authorities said.

Danita Ritchie of Gwinnett County was hiking with a group of young people
from Georgia near the Clarke-Loudoun county line when she became ill, state
police said.

The group was on a section of the trail known as "The Roller Coaster"
because of its steep rocky climbs and sharp descents, officials said. By the
time rescuers reached the rugged area, there was nothing they could do,
Trooper Richard McClanahan said.

"There's no indication of foul play," McClanahan said. "It appears to be a
medical thing. At this point we have no idea what kind of medical problem it
was."

Richie's body was taken to Fairfax for an autopsy to be performed Thursday.

By late afternoon, a heavy fog and mist had settled in on portions of the
mountain, and Red Cross volunteers waited in a steady rain for the stunned
hikers in the group to emerge from the trail. The group was taken to the
Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue Squad.

"They were pretty upset, but they calmed down, and the Red Cross and the
fire department auxiliary got them something to eat," McClanahan said.

It was the second time within a week that a 15-year-old required assistance
on the same stretch of trail, Clarke County Sheriff Dale Gardner said. Last
week, a boy took ill while hiking and was helped from the trail, but he is
expected to recover.

"It's one of the roughest parts of the trail," Gardner said.