A fallen hiker was carried from Linville Gorge to North Carolina in the dark
On October 15, Burke Search and Rescue rescued a seriously injured hiker from Hawksbill Mountain in Linville Gorge, North Carolina.
Burke County Search and Rescue Photo
A hiker who fell from a mountain in North Carolina had to be transported out of the Linville Gorge Wilderness area after weather conditions prevented a helicopter from reaching the site, reports Burke County Search and Rescue.
The hiker survived, despite losing blood that led to blood transfusion attempts on the trail, according to a news release.
Burke County officials said they learned around 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 that a hiker “fallen about 45 (feet) from the top of Hawksbill Mountain.” The mountain is about 105 miles northwest of Charlotte.
When Burke County Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene, “it was determined that due to the nature of the injuries, the patient would require whole blood before exiting the woods.”
High winds prevented rescuers from airlifting the hiker from the summit of Hawksbill Mountain. Arrangements were therefore made to transport the nurses by helicopter to a parking area near the mountain, officials said.
“The flight nurses then went on a whole blood hike through the woods where they met our crews on the runway. Although blood reached our patient, the flight crew determined it was not necessary,” officials said.
“All crews and the patient safely exited the woods at around 1 a.m. The patient was transported to a local trauma center.”
The hiker’s identity and status in hospital have not been released.
Hawksbill Mountan (elevation 4,009 feet) rises above Linville Gorge and the surrounding trail is considered a “strenuous hike,” according to Romanticasheville.com.
“The terrain is steep and rugged with many rock formations,” says the US Department of Agriculture. “It is covered in dense deciduous/pine forest and a wide variety of smaller trees.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2022 7:27 a.m.