A California man hiking the Appalachian Trail died after summiting the trail’s northern terminus at Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine.
Kevin Adam, the park’s director, said Monday that another hiker called 911 on Sept. 14 to report that the man was lying on the trail showing signs of a leg injury, a general inability to move and difficulty speaking, according to the Portland Press Herald.
The first hiker and a second hiker who also called 911 wrapped the man, identified as Bert Peter Goris, in sleeping bags and left him to be rescued while continuing down Mount Katahdin due to the risk of hypothermia caused by gusts of up to 35 mph and a wind chill temperature near 20 degrees, according to hiking website The Trek.
A Maine Army National Guard helicopter and Baxter State Park rangers deployed to Mount Katahdin to try and rescue Mr. Goris, 64, according to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.
Mr. Goris, a resident of Colton, California, 50 miles east of Los Angeles, was ultimately declared dead upon landing at Millinocket Municipal Airport, 300 miles north of Boston, Mr. Adam said, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Mr. Goris first entered Baxter State Park on Sept. 13 as a registered northbound thru-hiker, a term referring to people who hike a trail from end to end.
Witnesses reported that Mr. Goris successfully reached the summit of Mount Katahdin before descending, Mr. Adam said.
The Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner is still working to determine what caused the death of Mr. Goris, according to Maine Public Broadcasting.
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