All articles tagged with #hiking
Purdon Crossing in California's Gold Country offers a less crowded alternative to the popular South Yuba River swimming spots, providing access to scenic trails and clear water during the summer months.
A 64-year-old California man, Bert Peter Goris, died after an injury while descending Katahdin in Baxter State Park. He was airlifted from York Valley by a Maine Army National Guard Black Hawk crew after severe weather with winds over 35 mph and a wind chill near 20°F; he was pronounced dead at Millinocket Municipal Airport. The cause of death is being determined by the medical examiner, and park officials caution hikers to be prepared for rapid weather changes and to carry proper winter gear.
Neil Gehring, a 26-year-old hiker who disappeared Aug. 31 while backpacking in Olympic National Park, was found on the northwest slope of Mount Appleton nearly two weeks later after investigators analyzed new cellphone location data; search teams had shifted tactics to pursue fresh clues, using drones and dogs before Gehring's body was recovered Sunday evening and taken to the Clallam County Coroner’s Office. He had left the Madison Falls Trailhead for a cross-country trek from Boulder Lake to Appleton Pass, planning to return Sept. 1; authorities have not released details about the cellphone data or the circumstances of his death.
Craig Berg, a 70-year-old hiker who had been missing for about a week on Isle Royale National Park near the Michigan-Canada border, was found alive and alert by backpackers on Sept. 12. Berg had vanished after planning to take a ferry back to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Sept. 5, prompting land- and air-searches that continued since Sept. 6. Isle Royale is remote, without roads, and measures 45 miles long by nine miles wide. Park officials said more information will be shared as investigators review the case.
Three amateur hikers from Roseville used Google Gemini and other AI tools to plan a Mount Shasta ascent, including food and water needs, but the AI underestimated what was needed. After descending in the dark, they became lost at high elevation and spent a night in Mud Creek Canyon before forest service rangers and Siskiyou Search and Rescue recovered them. Authorities warned climbers not to rely on AI alone and to consult the local Mount Shasta Ranger Station before attempting a climb.
Stretching about 750 miles across eight countries, the Alps offer a diverse mix of landscapes and cultures, from Switzerland’s scenic Swiss Alps to Italy’s Dolomites and France’s Chamonix region. Rick Steves highlights accessible hiking, unique regional cultures, and budget-friendly French Alps options, underscoring why the Alps appeal to nature lovers and travelers seeking history and local flavor.
Hikers in Sinks Canyon, Wyoming should watch their step as the area is loaded with prairie rattlesnakes, prompting caution while exploring the popular outdoor destination.
Colorado’s Englewood mayor pro tem Joe Anderson, 45, collapsed and died while hiking Quandary Peak; CPR was unsuccessful and the cause of death will be determined by the coroner. Anderson, a pastor and longtime council member since 2019 (mayor pro tem since 2023), helped rebuild the city’s infrastructure after the 2018 floods and co-founded Change the Trend to address homelessness.
Shaun Mackelprang, 55, Missouri Deputy Attorney General, vanished Aug. 20 during a solo hike on Wyoming’s Gannett Peak. After a six-day search, he was found near Scott Lake in the Wind River Range at 9:45 a.m., dehydrated and disoriented but alive, and airlifted to safety. He had reached the summit two days into the trek and has served in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office since May 2021.
A 24-year-old Roseville hiker, Ian Roberts, who went missing Aug. 21 after being last seen at Overlook Park in the Auburn State Recreation Area, was found dead. Authorities believe he slipped and fell down a steep embankment, with no indications of foul play. The search—assisted by hundreds of volunteers and drone teams—took place under difficult conditions, and Auburn police will continue to investigate the circumstances of Roberts’ death.
A 48-year-old Nagoya father left his 7-year-old son alone at the sixth station on Mount Fuji while continuing the climb with his older son. A mountain hut worker found the younger boy around 7:40 a.m. in foggy, rainy conditions; police ordered the father to return. The child was unharmed and reunited with his father, and authorities said leaving a child behind is unacceptable even if it means delaying the climb, with no charges announced as of the report.
Two Belgian hikers who vanished in 1992 in the Weissmies region were found on the Trift Glacier after retreating ice exposed their bodies; DNA confirmed their identities and a recovery followed, as authorities note glacier melting linked to climate change is increasingly revealing long-buried remains.
A 29-year-old Kansas man was killed by a lightning strike while hiking Mount Etna in Sicily amid ongoing volcanic activity. He was found around 1,400 meters in the Rocca Capra area and airlifted to medical staff, but he died. Authorities closed portions of Etna’s slopes; historically, lightning has caused more fatalities on Etna than eruptions, with the last eruption-related deaths in 1987.
An American tourist from Kansas was killed by a lightning strike while hiking on Sicily’s Mount Etna in an area closed to visitors because of volcanic activity. He was rescued by helicopter after the strike but died later. Authorities note that more Etna fatalities have come from lightning than eruptions in recent decades, with the last eruption-related deaths in 1987.
An Anchorage runner was hospitalized after using bear spray to deter a brown bear on the Wolverine Bowl trail; she survived with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover. Wildlife officials advise hikers to carry deterrents, travel in groups, stay alert, avoid surprising bears, and report aggressive wildlife, while noting visibility can be poor in dense vegetation.