Date: 2010-09-20
From: Andover, ME

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Wow lots happened since my last entry. Read below the story of Cahoda's rescue and also Wild Poodle recount of their last week on the trail. Wild Poodle and Croft will continue northward while Cahoda stays in Andover. Cahoda is recooping and I am certain wishing she were still out there (like we are).On another note, Attroll is collecting people that attempted a thru hike this year on his facebook. Friend him and let him know you were out there. We have a facebook account under Cindy Arnold Porter. You can friend me and/or look under my friends for his exact name. He has lots of awesome trail photos of many people we hiked with. It is uplifting to see the photos.We all wish Cahoda well and by the way she made it over the toughest terrain on the trail, the Whites. Get better and move on Wild Poodle and Croft.This is from the local newspaper and the link for the rescue teams site.Thanks as always for continuing to follow:Injured woman rescued after fall in Maine A first-response team hiked the mountain on the Appalachian trail to the woman and treated her injuries before walking slowly back down Bemis MountainBy Donna M. PerryLink to rescue teamhttp://www.firerescue1.com/search-rescue/articles/881955-Maine-firefighters-rescue-hurt-woman-on-Appalachian-Trail/Sun JournalTOWNSHIP D, Maine ¢ Rescuers helped an injured Florida woman down a wet, steep section of the Appalachian Trail on Wednesday, Maine Warden Kris MacCabe said.Carol Hammet Kirk, 69, of Jacksonville had been hiking with two other women about the same age when Hammet Kirk slipped and fell and broke her wrist Tuesday, Rangeley Fire and Rescue Chief Rudy Davis said.The women began the nearly 2,200-mile trek in Georgia and planned to hike it through to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine, MacCabe said.The women left Andover in Oxford County on Tuesday and were able to make it to the Bemis Mountain lean-to in Township D near Rangeley on Tuesday night, Davis said. Hammet Kirk spent the night with a broken wrist, he said.The hikers left that lean-to at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and were making their way slowly down the trail, he said.Another hiking party called 911 to report Hammet Kirk's injury when they could access cell service, Davis said.The Rangeley department received the call at about 11:45 a.m. and firefighters and NorthStar Emergency Medical Service responders went into action.A first-response team, including medic Steve Smith, hiked up the mountain from the trail head, which is west of the Height of Land off Route 17, to meet the woman about 2 to 3 miles up the trail, Davis said. They reached her at about 1 p.m. and treated her before walking slowly down Bemis Mountain toward the dirt Bemis Track Road, he said.In the meantime, Rangeley Fire and Rescue Captain Clyde Chapman was assembling a second team, including firefighters and those trained in back-country rescue who would go up with ropes that were used to help the woman get down the steep, wet trail.The last mile to mile and a half is a very steep descent, Davis said.As soon as rescuers received the coordinates of the location, the second team was sent up. The ropes were set up to be used as a railing for the injured woman to hold onto, MacCabe said.About 20 rescuers responded, including four wardens and a state forest ranger, he said. It was raining, sleeting and spitting snow, and it was one of the toughest sections of the trail between Andover and Route 17, he said.Once Hammet Kirk made it down the mountain, she was taken by ambulance to a Rumford hospital, Davis said.The Rangeley Fire Ladies' Auxiliary had food and coffee ready back at the fire station when rescuers arrived.hi everyone, in stratton, maine waiting for croth to arrive. we will hike out together tomorrow heading north without cahoda. so sad. she broke her right wrist last tuesday night at bemis shelter...slipped on a wet rock. it had rained all day. i had an ace wrap and splinted her wrist with the cardboard back of the shelter journal. a fellow hiker had some pain pills. had 4 miles down to hiwy 17 the next day. she made all but 1 1/2 miles on her own. she's hardcore! then rescue grp met us. several hikers had volunteered to take part of her gear as well as croth and I to lighten cahoda's load. one of the hikers when seeing how steep the last 1 1/2 miles were down the mtn called 911. what an experience. i think they all wanted to practice a rescue! it even made the local paper! 20 people came including paramedics who did an appropriate job on c's wrist, as well as firemen, maine ranger wardens (woods police), etc. there were 9 vehicles waiting at the road. took 2 ambulance rides to get the wrist set. it's so isolated up here. 1st hospital performed the xray. 2nd one had the orthopedic physician. c will have repeat xray this coming wed. to determine whether she will require surgery. hopefully she will rejoin us in monson. so..........that's all i can say. croft & i will continue to katahdin. georganna is sending my long underware bottoms. didn't think i'd need them! it's getting chilly at night now. the pictures show us staying at the last hut (carter hut) in the whites. we actually got to stay in one of the bunk houses. very exciting as usually thru hikers who do work for stay sleep in the dining room on the tables after the guests go to bed! there are pictures of us reuniting with hikers we met down south on the trail - sam & hat trick and maybe puma. also a picture of bulldog (blind thru hiker) & hitchcock (his cinematographer). hitchcock took the picture of us having lunch at muhoosuc arm summit. it was raining. we ended up in the coed room with them at pine ellis hostel in andover. hitchcock was fascinated with the hair dying job that cahoda did in our room to touch up her roots. she received the dye in her resupply box! he filmed and interviewed us for about an hour in our bedroom - so much fun. next stop will be caratunk. hope to get out a msg to you then. i am well. will continue north but will miss cahoda. love, barbara/wp