Don’t Get Caught In The Dark
By Bonita Wilborn
Don’t get caught in the dark, without a flashlight, when hiking the Walls of Jericho, is the recommendation of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy, Rocky Harnen.
This
recommendation came after a hiker got lost in the dark at Jackson County’s
Walls of Jericho Trail on Sunday, October 27.
According
to Harnen, the hiker was a female from Huntsville who was hiking alone. The hiker underestimated the severity of the
hike that the Walls of Jericho provides to its visitors. Harnen warned, “The Walls of Jericho is not a
walking trail; it’s a rough hike in the mountains.”
When
darkness fell quicker than expected, the hiker was unable to see how to get
back out of the woods to safety because she had no flashlight with her. Alone
in the woods, on a rough mountain hike, turned around and lost, this scared
hiker waited for approximately an hour for rescuers to locate her, near the
Tennessee state line, and lead her safely out.
Her
rescue came after the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Top of Form
Bottom of Form
TScottsboro-Jackson County Rescue Squad, and the Hytop Fire
Department all responded to the call.
Harnen
reported that the hiker was unharmed, only scared. She and her family members were very thankful
that the agencies were able to find her so quickly. Although a full hour lost in the darkness, in
a place that is unfamiliar to you, it must surely seem like a long time to wait
for help to arrive.
Harnen
added that rescue efforts are a regular occurrence at the Walls of Jericho. “More times than not, people need rescuing.”
People
going on a mountain hike should go hiking in groups, never alone. They should be sure to have enough food and
water with them to last at least 24 hours, in case something like this should
happen. Always make sure that your
family knows where you are going to be hiking so they can help rescuers know
where to start their search.
The
Walls of Jericho is a 6.7-mile hike, round trip. It has two tree bridges that you must walk
across. In the middle of the hike is a
waterfall with a giant rock wall. The trail
is marked with red paint on the trees, but in the dark, it would be hard to
see. There are many trip hazards along
the trail, and it is a strenuous walk down the winding path. The hike back out is very challenging and
uphill. Additionally the trail has a
stream nearby as well as caves to explore.
Jackson County, Alabama has the highest concentration of caves of any
county in the United States.
