05/25/2021
We do these posts to inform, not to embarrass, therefore we never use any personally identifiable information. We do think it’s important that potential visitors understand and prepare for the risks involved with venturing into difficult to access areas, such as the Breaks gorge. Ultimately, we want our guests to be absolutely blown away by the park’s magnificent scenery and to provide them access to that scenery via a system of trails, but we also want them to be safe.
At approximately 10pm on May 23rd, our park rangers received a call from the Buchanan County, VA dispatch center, alerting them that there was a male and female hiker lost in the gorge. Dispatch told our rangers that the female was in her first trimester of pregnancy, the male had an ambulatory injury to his ankle, and both were dehydrated. Through the excellent work of the dispatcher the individuals were kept calm, instructed to stay put, and enough information was gathered to pinpoint their location. By utilizing a shortcut, rangers made their way through poison ivy, and a surprise copperhead, to access the couple in just over an hour. After they were rehydrated, the entire party were able to safely make their way back out of the gorge.
This is the third trail rescue for 2021, so it’s time to repeat our frequent reminder. The trails in the park are unforgiving if you venture onto them unprepared for the conditions you will meet. A mile in the gorge is unlike a mile in your neighborhood or on a treadmill, due to the difficulty of the terrain. At a minimum, hikers need a flashlight, sturdy shoes, cell phone, extra water, trail snacks, a map, and someone who will call authorities if they don’t show back up at an expected time. Every year our rangers hear people say that they didn’t bring a map because they were intending to use the trail signs for navigation. This doesn’t work without the map. Others don’t give themselves enough time to be off the trail before dark and find themselves stuck in a dark gorge with no flashlight (it gets dark down there faster than on top.) Still others haven’t let anyone know where they are going and our only clue that they may be lost is a vehicle left unattended at a trailhead (some of these folks have experienced a sleepless night in the gorge before we could find them.)
Again, this post is not meant to be abrasive or mean, but we really, really, don’t want you to get lost or injured this season. It is not a fun experience and can be avoided with some advance planning. Our rangers are always standing by to assist whenever they are needed.
