A hiker and his dog are safe after the two became lost while exploring Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia.
The 27-year-old hiker and his dog Angel were near the Loudoun Heights Trail, just above the Shenandoah River, when they could not return to the trail. Rescue crews from West Virginia responded and decided to call in a Maryland State Police helicopter to assist with the rescue mission.
“He was stuck out in the middle of nowhere basically,” said Lance Shank, a trooper with Maryland State Police.
Shank said these kinds of missions are rare, but his team was ready.
They lowered one of their crew members with a basket for the hiker and his pup. “She helped him get in the basket, loaded them in, and the dog was happy to be in the aircraft,” Shank said.
Shank said the hiker told him he had been trying to take a shortcut but ended up stranded for nearly two hours. The two explorers weren’t hurt during the ordeal.
Shank recommends hikers always be aware of the weather, their location and pack the right equipment. He also said the app What Three Words is a crucial resource for anyone spending time out in nature.
“If you get lost, it randomly assigns three words to your location,” Shank said. It will then share those words with anyone trying to find you. “We use it as much as we possibly can. It puts us in the right spot. It’s terrific.”
