News Release

Park Searching for Missing Hiker Near Clingmans Dome

Date: September 27, 2018

Great Smoky Mountains National park rangers are searching for a 53-year-old woman from Cleves, Ohio who was last seen in the Clingmans Dome area of the park on Tuesday, September 25. Mitzie Sue “Susan” Clements was hiking with her daughter on the Forney Ridge Trail, near Andrews Bald when the two separated. She was last seen around 5:00 pm approximately ¼ mile from Andrews Bald.

Park officials were alerted that Clements was missing on Tuesday evening and began to search the immediate area with no success. On Wednesday, officials expanded the search area, and additional personnel were called in to search. Last night experienced searchers spent the night on the Appalachian Trail, attempting to locate Clements and to interview any hikers in the area. The search continues this morning with approximately 40 trained members of the park’s Search and Rescue Team.

Susan Clements is a white female with light brown hair and blue eyes. She is 5’6” tall and weighs 125 pounds. She is wearing a green zip-up sweater, black workout pants over black leggings, a clear rain poncho, and white tennis shoes.
 

Anyone who saw Clements on Tuesday afternoon or since then is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch through one of the following methods: call or 1-888-653-0009, www.nps.gov/isband click “submit a tip,” email e-mail us, or via a message on Facebook at “InvestigativeServicesNPS”, or Twitter @SpecialAgentNPS.