Watia – Two hikers that became lost after a hike from the Nantahala Gorge area on Labor Day were located later that night.
A man and woman, whose names and ages were not available, had hiked up Ledbetter Creek from the Gorge, then up the Bartram Trail to Cheoah Bald, elevation 5,062 feet and on to the Sassafras Gap shelter on the Appalachian Trail. From there, they called 911, stating that they were lost and didn’t know how to get back to their vehicle.
Tory Lynnes of the Graham County Rescue Squad advised the couple to remain at the shelter and the squad would pick them up. Lynnes further advised the couple that it would take about 1 ½ hours to get to them.
When Lynnes and Jeff Millsaps got to the shelter, the couple had left. Another hiker at the shelter said he had given the couple some food and water, and that they left going south toward the Nantahala Outdoor Center.
The couple was located in the Watia section of Swain County by the Swain County Rescue Squad, which had also joined the search. The couple had walked about six more miles than if they would have been picked up at the shelter by an ATV squad vehicle and transported out of the woods.