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SANDY RIVER PLANTATION A Topsham woman was injured Wednesday afternoon while descending from Piazza Rock on the Appalachian Trail.
Cynthia Ackerman, 53, tripped on a root, injured her ankle and couldn’t walk, Maine Warden Kyle Hladik said Thursday.
Hladik, Rangeley Fire Rescue and NorthStar EMS ambulance personnel hiked up the trail to her and carried her in a litter basket about four-tenths of a mile to Beech Hill Road. Ackerman was taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Hladik said.
Ackerman and three other hikers had been on a day hike, he said.
The incident was reported about 12:55 p.m.
Published April 27, 2021 at 7:00 AM EDT
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During the pandemic, more people are heading outdoors to explore and enjoy Covid-safe activities. However, this means more novices are trying new skills or going into the wilderness unprepared. Already this month, the Maine Warden Service rescued six people in two different incidents - in both cases, those rescued were unprepared for conditions. We talk with wilderness experts to learn how people can reduce risks while enjoying Maine’s abundant outdoor resources and what to do if someone does get hurt.
Panelists:
Capt. John A. Rogers, instructor; Master Maine Guide, Maine’s Outdoor Learning Center
Our View: Enjoy the Maine woods – but respect it too
This summer will be another busy year on the trails and in the mountains. A little planning can make it a safe one, too.
By The Editorial Board
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On the first weekend in April, Maine game wardens responded to two distress calls, one from a hiker who had fallen into the water along the Appalachian Trail in Franklin County, and another from a family who had gotten lost on Tumbledown Mountain in Weld.
Neither party was prepared for their adventures-turned-bad, and in that way they act as a warning to everyone, from our state and elsewhere, who’ll visit the Maine woods this summer: There’s nothing inherently dangerous about the vast majority of Maine trails. But if you plan to use them, make sure you actually plan.