A hiker stranded deep on a remote part of the Appalachian Trail in western Maine was brought to safety after an overnight rescue Saturday and Sunday.
Franklin Search and Rescue received a call on Saturday to assist state wardens with a stranded, cold hiker, about an hour north of where they were working, on the Appalachian Trail in Bigelow Preserve, the organization said in a Facebook post.
The search and rescue team met wardens from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at the East Flagstaff Road Appalachian Trail junction at about 11 p.m. Saturday and started a “long, arduous hike” to find the stranded person.
“Freezing temperatures, gusty winds and soft deep snow faced rescuers in the race against time to reach and warm the stranded hiker before life-threatening hypothermia set in,” Franklin Search and Rescue said.
The rescuers found the stranded man on an exposed ridge beyond the summit of Little Bigelow Mountain and quickly started trying to warm him up with dry clothing, food, water and a fire. The hiker eventually regained enough strength to walk down the mountains with the rescuers using a spare set of snowshoes provided by the wardens, according to the search and rescue group.
The party reached the trailhead at 7 a.m. Sunday.
“Springtime in Maine can often be deceiving,” Franklin Search and Rescue said. “Warmer day temperatures are often accompanied by freezing nighttime temps. Snow lingers at elevations until late May/early June in places. Always consider your gear, your outdoor adventure plan and your level of preparation before heading into Maine’s wilderness, and always have some means of communicating even in areas with spotty or no cell service.”
Anyone interested in volunteering with Franklin Search and Rescue is invited to attend one of the organization’s monthly training sessions the second Wednesday of each month at the Kingfield Fire Department, 18 Commercial Road, Kingfield.