ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 9, 1996 TAG: 9601110052
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HARRISONBURG
SOURCE: Associated Press
The winter storm has stranded several hikers, a Shenandoah National Park spokeswoman said Monday.
Three snowbound hikers have holed up in a tiny ranger office at the Lewis Mountain campground and six other campers are stranded in a camp along the Rapidan River just outside the park, spokeswoman Lyn Rothgeb said.
Park officials also have received word that five hikers may be stranded somewhere along the Appalachian Trail in the park, she said.
If weather permits, a Virginia National Guard helicopter will fly over the park today and try to locate any stranded hikers and campers, Rothgeb said.
The three hikers who reached Lewis Mountain campground Sunday used a pay phone to call park officials and ask permission to break into a building for shelter.
The trio - a father and two grown sons - have heat but are running low on food, said Ranger Rusty Jensen, who has talked with them by telephone. Snowplow drivers hope to get to the mountain sometime today, he said.
The six campers - three adults and three children - trapped just outside the park are reportedly well but are running low on food, Rothgeb said.
The reports of the five Appalachian Trail hikers came from friends and relatives, Rothgeb said. Park officials have been given locations of where the hikers expected to be, but Rothgeb said no one is certain where they are or even if they have been trapped by the snowstorm.
A ranger located two other hikers and helped them out of the park before the worst of the storm struck Sunday, Rothgeb said.
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