You are here

Backpacker On Two-Night Trip Through Great Smoky Mountains National Park Found Dead

Share

A 26-year-old Michigan man was found dead in a lean-to along the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to park officials.

Authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy performed on Ross Sabin Enderle, of Pontiac, Michigan, to determine the cause of death. They do not suspect foul play, the park said.

Mr. Enderle was on a two-night backpacking trip in the park with two friends and his brother, Ryan, a park release said. The hikers had stayed the second night of their itinerary at the Icewater Spring shelter on Friday. Besides their group of four, there were two other backpackers staying in the shelter and two others nearby, the park release said.

When they awoke on Saturday morning and tried to arouse Mr. Enderle, he was unresponsive.

One of the hikers staying at the shelter contacted 911 by a cell phone and Great Smoky Mountains National Park was notified around 7:45 a.m. Rangers reached the shelter shortly after 9 a.m. Mr. Enderle exhibited no signs of life upon an examination by a park EMT. Rangers then placed the body on a litter and carried the victim 3 miles from Icewater Spring to Newfound Gap via the Appalachian Trail.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.