Slickrock – Graham County Rescue Squad members were dispatched around 8:25 p.m., Saturday, in response to a 911 call about a hiker having difficulties.
A group of seven individuals – who were members of the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club, from the Knoxville area – had left Big Fat Gap around 10:30 a.m., for a hike into Upper Slickrock Creek to Naked Ground, out to the Hangover and then back down to Big Fat Gap.
While on the trail that leads to Naked Ground, they encountered a large timber rattlesnake in the trail that didn’t want to move. At this point, 68-year-old Tim Bigelow, began experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. Fearing he might be having a heart attack, one of the hikers used his walking stick to flip the snake out of the trail.
Bigelow attempted to continue on, but could only go about 30 feet at a time without stopping and lying on the ground to rest for a lengthy period of time.
Part of the group went on ahead to the Naked Ground where they could get a cell phone signal and called 911, telling them Bigelow was about 1 ½ miles down the trail from Naked Ground. With this information, squad members were considering calling for a helicopter to lift the victim out.
Sometime later, another call was placed stating that Bigelow had reached Naked Ground. At this point, plans changed to going in at the Wolf Laurel trailhead to reach the victim. Rescue squad members Brent Eller, Larry Crisp and Hamilton Boxberger reached Bigelow at 11:20 p.m.
By this time, Bigelow had improved somewhat and was able to walk slowly – which enabled rescuers to get him to the trailhead at 12:50 a.m., Sunday.
It was thought that Bigelow had a panic attack over the snake encounter, was dehydrated and was exhausted from the steep climb up the trail.
John Odom and Eller transported the group back to their vehicles at Big Fat Gap, with some squad members not getting back home until 4 a.m.