Rescuers Find Blind Hiker Who Vanished From Appalachian Trail in Good Condition (he lit brush fire)

Fox News / AP ^ | May 3, 2009

[Stoat]

(edit)

Knight, a production editor for Backpacking Light magazine, set a brush fire to attract the attention of firefighters, said Ryan Jordan, the magazine's chief executive officer who had helped in the search.

(edit)

Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone and would meet up with friends at scheduled stops to camp.

The National Park Service's small search for Knight expanded greatly on Friday to include more than 100 people combing a 385-square-mile area throughout the night.

That area was whittled down to 20 square miles that were the focus of Saturday's search by about 130 emergency workers, hikers, trackers, canine and horseback units, and air patrol, said Mark Eggeman, state search and rescue coordinator.

(edit)

While not the most challenging portion of the trek, the area where Knight disappeared is a difficult hike that parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway and includes 2,000-foot climbs.

"It is a horrendous area," Eggeman said. "It is extremely steep and rugged."

Eggeman said Knight's visual impairment likely played a role in his disappearance.

[Stoat]

OF COURSE we're all delighted that he's safe, but a few parts of this story caught my eye, perhaps they will for you as well  :-)

 

[Stoat]

Eggeman said Knight's visual impairment likely played a role in his disappearance.

Awaiting the inevitable "Captain Obvious" and "No S*** , Sherlock!" photos......

[Tax-chick]

Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone ...

HUH?

I'm glad he's alive. Now charge him and the magazines for the cost of the rescue. This is absolutely absurd.

[martin_fierro]

[ETL]

"Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone and would meet up with friends at scheduled stops to camp."

Because of his visual impairment, Knight is lucky he never walked off a friggin cliff! His "friends" probably let him hike alone because he was slowing them down. What great 'friends'. I'd bet they're liberals.

[AnAmericanMother]

Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone and would meet up with friends at scheduled stops to camp.

I'm sorry, he's an idiot. I used to be legally blind myself (pre-Lasik surgery, for which I would no longer be a candidate today as my myopia was too severe) . . . I mean 13 diopters of myopia blind.

I would NOT go hiking alone. I'd have a friend who didn't mind going slow as well as a good dog.

Even the Tarot Fool had a dog -- but didn't listen to him!

[Stoat]

This is absolutely absurd.
 

There are blind pilots, too.  

Blind man in pilot’s seat for charity flight (From Daily Echo)

These sorts of things leave me scratching my head, at the very least.

[Tax-chick]

There was a blind man who sailed across the Atlantic (I think) by himself, too. It’s an ideological statement. There’s no reason they couldn’t have taken someone else along. From the article, I get the impression this hiker was simply bullheaded, and felt he was proving something by going alone.

Well, one hesitates to say, “Let him die alone, then,” but it’s a strong temptation.

[Hot Tabasco]

Eggeman said Knight's visual impairment likely played a role in his disappearance

Obviously Eggeman stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....

[Hot Tabasco]

His "friends" probably let him hike alone because he was slowing them down.

They also move the furniture around in his house......

[az_gila]

Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone ...

HUH?
I'm glad he's alive. Now charge him and the magazines for the cost of the rescue. This is absolutely absurd.

---

In his case, it seems like $275 for this (or a similar model) would really be money well spent.

[Stoat]

Because of his visual impairment, Knight often hiked alone ...

From the article:

Jordan said Knight could read print two to three inches away from his face and can "vaguely" see things 10 to 15 feet away. He described Knight as a "fiercely independent"* man

And everyone around him is terrified of being labeled "insensitive", "blind-phobic', or "hateful to the vision-impaired" and so nobody dares suggest to him that just maybe he should always go hiking with a fully-sighted friend.

As a result of this, he lit a brush fire which could have easily gotten out of control, created a panic among his family and friends and pulled 130 volunteers including horse and canine teams as well as flight crews away from other tasks or jobs.

* Read: "Breathtakingly arrogant"....AP article- fixing services by stoat.

[Stoat]

Perfect pic in record time, as usual. Thank you :-)

[Tax-chick]

Excellent summary, Stoat. Exactly what I would have said.

[Stoat]

Because of his visual impairment, Knight is lucky he never walked off a friggin cliff! His "friends" probably let him hike alone because he was slowing them down. What great 'friends'. I'd bet they're liberals.

Agreed on all counts.  The article describes him as being "fiercely independent" which can easily translate into "insufferable" "obtuse" and "bull-headed".

[Tax-chick]

I'd bet they're liberals.

He's from Ann Arbor, Mich. OF COURSE they're liberals!

[ETL]

And everyone around him is terrified of being labeled "insensitive", "blind-phobic', or "hateful to the vision-impaired" and so nobody dares suggest to him that just maybe he should always go hiking with a fully-sighted friend.

Kind of like the folks who allow their 'friends' to drive under the influence because he/she tells them "leave me alone, I know what I'm doing". The two situations are similiar only in that each involves an impairment. Obviously, being physically impaired is different than being drunk.

[Stoat]

Obviously, being physically impaired is different than being drunk.
 

But the potentially lethal and / or catastrophic outcomes in both cases are similar.

One essential difference, however, is that there is a massive political leviathan that exists ostensibly to 'empower' people with disabilities, and nowadays anyone who dares suggest that any person with any disability "maybe shouldn't" do something....anything at all....risks severe blowback, much like anyone who is even ACCUSED of racism.

The entire concept of common sense is thusly rendered a non-starter and this individual who caused so much panic, monumental expense and hazard (rescue workers and firefighters get injured or killed on occasion, you know) now feels nothing but smugness in that he 'increased public awareness' of Blind Hiking and "demonstrated the need for clearer wilderness path markers" throughout the underbrush of the world.

Sorry if I seem a little irritated over all this......

[Stoat]

I'd bet they're liberals.

He's from Ann Arbor, Mich. OF COURSE they're liberals!
 

"Making a note to self to spend Stoat Vacation Dollars in places other than Ann Arbor"

I'd bet they're liberals.

He's from Ann Arbor, Mich. OF COURSE they're liberals!
 

"Making a note to self to spend Stoat Vacation Dollars in places other than Ann Arbor"

[NewJerseyJoe]

I'm all for people meeting and crashing through any limitations presented by their disabilities. But a blind person hiking the AT? That's just wrong.

Parts of the AT run just a few miles from my house -- and sighted people have difficulty with these rocky (often steep; sometimes muddy) sections.

Oh, and it also helps to be able to keep an eye out for bears -- this area is Bear Central in New Jersey....