Meredith’s body was found last night in a wildlife management area about an hour away from where she was abducted. There is nothing more I can say even though I wish I could say something to make it better. Meredith had her entire life ahead of her and a waste of a person destroyed that. I wish the best for Meredith’s friends and family.
The “person of interest” Gary Hilton was picked up by police last night at a convenience store where he was cleaning out his van. Meredith’s dog, Ella, was found yesterday many miles away from Blood Mountain. Read the complete story at AJC.com
We send our prayers and best wishes to Meredith and her family at this time. For more detailed information you can view the site set up by her family: HelpFindMeredith.com
Update: GaryHilton was captured. May he burn in hell!
There is a person of interest in the missing North Georgia hiker case. The man is Gary Michael Hilton of DeKalb County (near Atlanta). This guy could be anywhere and may know something about the disappearance of Meredith Emerson. If you know where to find Gary Michael Hilton please call the Union County Sheriff’s Office at 706-439-6066.
Read updates at AJC.com
We must keep our trails safe from predators. If someone was involved in the disappearance of Meredith Emerson they may be headed to your local trail. If we watch each other’s backs we can keep our trails safe. Spread the word to your local hiking friends and family.
Hiker Meredith Emerson was hiking North Georgia’s Blood Mountain New Years day when she went missing. The 24-year old and her black lab, Ella, have not been seen since. More information at ABC news.
I’ve hiked Blood Mountain about a dozen times. It’s one of my favorite North Georgia hikes, but it is also a tough trail for the short distance. Emerson, however, is an experience hiker so this trail shouldn’t have posed much of a challenge to her. There are some indications of foul play. Read the story from ABC and if you no anything please help. We need to keep our trails safe for everyone.
If you know anything please contact the Union County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office
Sorry I havn’t posted in a while but my wife had our son on December 11th and things have been freaking crazy. When I do have free time to write I’m so wiped out that I just want to veg-out and stare at the wall. I don’t want to complain though because life is good and everything I’ve ever worked for has happened. I have a good life and a wonderful family and all is in balance.
Just before the baby was born I did get a new site concept launched I’ve been working on with some family. It’s a site for those that want to visit Georgia and tour my home state. I hope you enjoy it and I appreciate any links to my Georgia site you can spare.
Thanks for all your prayers and positive thoughts for my family. I wish you the best for 2008.
Scott
My wife is due with our first child any day now. You can bet that he’s going to be exposed to some great hikes and adventures during his life. Since my mind is on the new baby I’ve decided to share some articles on hiking with children. Don’t forget to share your tips for hiking with kids. Today’s article about hiking with children comes from Melissa Barton.
Hiking with your children can be great experience for all of you, but it can also be miserable if you don’t prepare well. Stave off grouchy kids with this checklist:Choose the trail carefully. Not all trails are appropriate for all ages, or all kids. A flat three-mile hike may be challenging but fun for your best friend’s six-year-old and too much for yours. Guidebooks will often provide some idea of a trail’s difficulty level, and park rangers are also a great source of information.
Bring extra water. Dehydrated children are grouchy children, and dehydration can be dangerous. Kids have a tendency to spill their water bottles, so be sure you have backups and remind them to drink water regularly.
Bring healthy snacks. Hungry children are also grouchy children, and kids (and adults) may not be able to make it all the way to lunch without food. Healthy snacks like dried fruit, granola bars, apples, little wax-wrapped cheeses and nuts will help keep kids going without complaint until lunchtime.
Make sure their boots are broken in. Blisters are a major cause of misery and whining on hiking trips. Ideally, your kid’s shoes or boots should be broken in before you leave. Tying boot laces either too loosely or too tightly can cause blisters, so ask the clerk at the outdoor store how to tie the laces when you buy the boots.
Prepare for the weather. Weather can be unpredictable, so bring rain gear, sweaters, hats and sunscreen. You don’t want cold or sunburned kids.
Don’t forget the First Aid kit. Despite your best efforts, blisters, scrapes, and bug bites will inevitably happen. A small First Aid kit with items like moleskin, athletic tape, antibacterial ointment, bug bite lotion, band-aids and tweezers will help you deal with most problems.
Know what to do in an emergency. Find out before you leave: will your cell phone work? How close is the nearest ranger station if you’re hiking in a park? What should you do if your child has a severe allergic reaction? Talk to your child’s doctor if your child has special medical concerns.
Hiking with your kids can create unforgettable memories for everyone. Make sure those memories are the good kind of “unforgettable” and prepare well.
Melissa Barton is a freelance writer and editor, specializing in science and travel writing. Her credits include Geotimes, Transitions Abroad, Student Health 101 and other publications. Visit her online at Rosetta Stones Freelancing
Below is an article by outdoor enthusiast Michael Oksa. Mr. Oksa not only offers tips for a successful backpacking trip but also ask the reader questions of themselves so that they can get a better understanding of their planned trip.
The ability to get away from the crowd, see things very few others will ever see, and being at one with nature are all good reasons why backpacking is so alluring. National parks attract millions of visitors every year, yet those visitors hardly ever go more than fifty yards from their cars (if they get out of them at all). Backpacking gives you the ability to venture further and longer.
You will need to get a backpack to carry all of your gear. Buying a pack off the rack at a discount store is not a good idea if you plan on doing even moderate backpacking. The quality and fit will not be sufficient.
Go to a professional outfitter for the best selection and most knowledgeable staff. To select a backpack that is right for you, you need to know what kind of hiking you plan on doing. Discuss this with the salesperson to narrow down your choices. After selecting the right pack for you take the time to get it fitted properly.
Now that you have your backpack you need to do some planning. There are lots of things to consider before your first backpacking excursion. Asking yourself, and honestly answering, the following questions will give you a good start.
- Where do you plan on going?
- How long will you be gone?
- What is the weather forecast?
- Will anything be available at your destination?
- What type of clothing will you need?
- What other equipment will be necessary?
- How much and what kind of food will you eat?
- How much does it all weigh?
As you will be carrying most of what you need on your back you will want to buy the highest quality and lightest items you can. Keep it light. When you first start out, and your excitement is high, you may not think your backpack seems all that heavy but after a mile or two an overloaded pack becomes torture.
This does not necessarily mean you will have to spend a lot of money on food and gear. Removing all non-essential packaging from dry, grocery store bought food will reduce a lot of weight. There are even backpackers who trim the plastic handles of their toothbrushes to economize on weight.
Be careful when paring down the weight of your backpack. There is many-a-tale of hapless backpackers who left gear behind to save weight, only to learn (while in the wilderness) how essential that gear really was.
If you are new, see if you can find a backpacking partner with more skill to give you advice or even go with the first few times. Subscribe to hiking and backpacking publications to keep up with the newest products, advances and discoveries. These are helpful for novices and pros alike.
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is on my list of must do hikes. I hope to get there in the next two to three years. I read this story the other day from the Detroit Free Press by Erin Chan about her experience hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Read it here
In the last few years there has been a lot of debate about whether or not cell phones should be used in the wild. I love my cell phone and enjoy tricking it out with ringback tones, video, mp3’s, and anything else I can find. But I don’t use it on the trail. I do, however, turn it off and stow it away deep in my pack. I do this because a cell phone can be one of the best pieces of emergency equipment you can carry.
There are some obvious downsides to having a cell phone as your emergency device. One is that you might be more careless because you believe you have an easy connection to emergency services. Another is that you may actually use it call friends and family thus degrading the outdoor experience for those around you and yourself – didn’t you come out here to disconnect and relax?
If you take your phone into the wild as an emergency device you need to keep in mind that it may not work in most wilderness locations. Even if you find a high mountain to call from you may not get a signal. This is why you may want to consider a personal locator beacon.
Many personal locator beacons costs around $500 to $600 but there are alternatives like the Spot Satellite Personal Messenger
Take your phone into the wild but turn it off. Don’t rely too much on it because it might not work. If you really want a lifeline get a personal locator beacon, but whatever you do don’t disturb the peace of the wild with your cell phone. Turn it off and hike!
If you’ve ever stepped in dog crap on the trail you might be against dogs on the trail. If you’ve ever spent a cold tent night snuggled with your best dog friend then you are probably for dogs on the trail. I love dogs and don’t mind them on the trail if they are leashed when needed, cleaned up after, and kept out of my food area. Dogs provide excellent security, don’t get tired as quickly as your human hiking partner, and rarely complain when the trail gets too steep.
If you like hiking with your dog you will love the new book by Karen Chavez about hiking with dogs in North Carolina, Best Hikes With Dogs: North Carolina
My friend, Homer, and I hit the trail as often as possible. Sometimes it’s just the local greenway and sometimes it’s the Appalachian Trail. No matter where we go he is happy while hiking. He loves to explore and will hit the hardest of trails with enthusiasm. Of course he does sleep for two days after a hard hike…
The picture above is of Homer and Rhonda on the Appalachian Trail.