Public Safety · Avery County
Hikers Rescued During Hurricane Isaias Flooding in Western NC
Multiple hikers required rescue on Saturday during flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Isaias, which brought nearly 10 inches of rain to parts of North Carolina. In Avery County, the Linville-Central Rescue Squad in Newland responded to three 911 calls, including a hiker clinging to a tree on Profile Trail and two hikers with a dog stranded by 18-inch-deep water in the Harper's Creek wilderness area. In Burke County, people were found clinging to a dock along the Freedom Trail Greenway amid floodwaters. Officials warned that overnight exposure could have led to hypothermia for those lost on trails.