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Injured Appalachian Trail hiker rescued thanks to coordinated, 12-hour effort

All in all, the rescue took nearly 12 hours and a coordinated effort from game wardens and around 35 first responders and volunteers

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Maine — An injured hiker on Spaulding Mountain in Mount Abram Township was rescued Wednesday night thanks to a coordinated effort by game wardens and around 35 first responders and volunteers.

Richard Sullivan, 65, of Archdale, N.C., and his son Daniel Sullivan, 36, had just recently begun their journey to hike on the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia when Richard got injured. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a release Thursday the pair were at the top of Spaulding Mountain when Richard slipped and fell, hurting his ankle and leaving him unable to walk. They called 911 for help around 1 p.m.

MDIFW spokesman Mark Latti said they train regularly with search and rescue volunteer groups, who train on their own as well. Latti said when there’s a rescue like this, MDIFW puts a call out to contact the local rescue organizations and fire departments, and “those who are available show up to help.”

The MDIFW said the spot where the Sullivans were on the trail was difficult to access, and conditions were wet, rocky, and steep. Rescuers drove through a maintenance road on Sugarloaf Mountain and then hiked about three and a half miles down the backside of the mountain to the Sullivans on Spaulding Mountain, where rescuers reached them around 5 p.m.

Credit: Courtesy Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

A special rescue litter equipped with a biking wheel was used to help Richard down the trail and up Sugarloaf to a vehicle. Rescuers and the Sullivans reached the top of Sugarloaf by 10:40 p.m. Richard was then taken down the mountain, to the Carrabassett Valley Fire Department, and then to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. All in all, the rescue effort took nearly 12 hours.

Game Warden Sergeant Scott Thrasher said the rescue would have taken much longer if it wasn’t for assistance from first responders and volunteers.

“It was a great coordinated effort by all involved to get rescuers to the top of Sugarloaf and carrying Mr. Sullivan off the mountain,” Thrasher said. “We have a great group of people in Franklin County to make rescue operations like this one run smooth.”

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