Graham County Rescue Squad and Stecoah Rescue Squad members were called out on yet another mission involving a hiker, one of several such missions in recent weeks.
Graham County 911 dispatchers received a message from a call center near 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, that a distress message had been sent by some hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Graham County.
Tory Lynnes and Brent Eller located Robert Case, 68, his 12-year-old grandson, and another individual from Crossville, Tenn. about ¾ of a mile below Cheoah Bald at 10:20 p.m. The group had left Stecoah Gap that day at 11 a.m. intending to hike to the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Nantahala Gorge.
Before they made it to Cheoah Bald, Case fell and could make it no further. Rescuers carried him to the top of Cheoah Bald – elevation 5,062 feet – around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday morning.
They met with Graham County EMS personnel about an hour later and it was determined that Case was dehydrated and had multiple other health issues.
Stecoah squad member Frank Cline transported the group back to their vehicle at Stecoah Gap and all units were clear of the mission by 3:30 a.m.