Six kids lost in wilderness for hours after ‘disoriented’ group leaves NC trail

Simone Jasper
Updated ·2 min read
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Six children were lost in the mountain wilderness for hours after a group “got turned around” and wandered off a North Carolina trail, officials said.

Frigid temperatures and darkness crept in as crews raced to find the group, which also included four adults. After nightfall, all 10 people were found safe, with some suffering fatigue and injuries to their legs, according to Haywood County Search & Rescue.

The group left at about noon April 1 and got off-track in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area, which spans more than 18,000 acres in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The region, roughly 35 miles southwest of the popular tourist destination of Asheville, has opportunities for hiking, camping and horseback riding, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Officials believe the group of 10 people was “exploring waterfalls” and didn’t plan to be gone for more than an hour. But they went for a hike and “got disoriented,” Lt. Cody Parton of Haywood County Search & Rescue told The Mountaineer.

“After getting lost, they left the trail to find cell service and call 911 and were able to find it briefly which is rare in the wilderness but helped initiate the search,” the rescue group wrote on April 3 on Facebook. “When the rescue was initiated by Cruso Fire Department, the subjects had continued to move, making initial contact difficult.”

But eventually, crews passed over water and cut through foliage to get to the lost group. They were found “between Yellowstone Falls and Skinny Dip Falls in a steep ravine, below the Blue Ridge Parkway,” Haywood County Emergency Services told McClatchy News in an email.

The hikers were back to safety at about 3 a.m. April 2, about 15 hours after they started their trek, officials said.

What to do if you get lost while hiking

If you think you’re getting lost, experts say it’s best to stop where you are and not panic. You should go over how you got to that point and see if you’re able to spot any landmarks.

“Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step,” officials with the U.S. Forest Service said.

You should come up with a plan but stay put unless you are “very, very confident in the route.”

There are steps hikers can take to avoid getting lost and be better prepared for the unexpected:

  • Have more than enough food and water with you.

  • Take a compass that you know how to use, or have a GPS device on hand.

  • Don’t rely solely on your cellphone. It probably won’t work because of a lack of signal or a depleted battery.

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