• Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the national park.

    Great Smoky Mountains

    National Park NC,TN

Stranded Hiker Rescued from Backcountry

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Date: November 2, 2012
Contact: Public Affairs Office, (865) 436-1207

Steven Ainsworth, 56, of Washington, North Carolina was successfully airlifted from the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this afternoon. Ainsworth had become stranded on a remote section of the trail as a result of the snow storm that blanketed higher elevations of the park earlier this week.

At 2:54 pm, a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter that had been called in to assist rangers with search and rescue efforts was able to retrieve Ainsworth from the Park's backcountry and transport him to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville, Tennessee. From there, he was taken by ambulance to LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville for medical evaluation.

Did You Know?

Visitors can often spot bears in trees at the edges of forests.

Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the park. This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile. Bears can be found throughout the park, but are easiest to spot in open areas such as Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley.