Two hikers were rescued from Roan Mountain State Park on Tuesday evening, February 2nd. According to Deputy Emergency Management Agency Director Billy Harrell, the two hikers were hiking on the Appalachian Trail when they ventured off of the trail and became lost. Despite being in the woods, one of the hikers was able to call 911, which allowed emergency response crews to locate the lost outdoorsmen. Rescue crews walked the hikers back to Carvers Gap. They were checked out by medical personnel and given warming blankets. They were not transported to a hospital. Roan Mountain State Park rangers on the scene reported “extreme weather conditions” with high winds and wind chill values below zero degrees. According to reports, the hikers got caught in a snow drift and the winter conditions caused them to lose the trail.
