70-year-old hiker found dead near popular Blue Ridge Parkway trail in NC, officials say
A hiker was found dead off a popular trail near the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, according to a news release.
Officials received a report of a lost hiker at 5:35 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at Price Lake Trail near milepost 296, the National Park Service said in a Nov. 25 news release shared with McClatchy News.
Parkway Law Enforcement Rangers and the Blowing Rock Fire Department met the hiker’s companion at the scene, who told them he left Freddie Morgan, Jr., 70, on the trail to get help, according to the release.
Morgan’s hiking companion told officials he was concerned for his welfare.
Responders found Morgan dead off trail around 6 p.m., the release said. He died due to a medical emergency, officials said.
No additional details are available, the release said.
This is the 13th fatality on the parkway this year, a NPS spokesperson told McClatchy News. In 2023, there were six deaths on the parkway.
The most common cause of fatalities is motor vehicle or motorcycle incidents, a NPS spokesperson said.
This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 5:18 PM with the headline "70-year-old hiker found dead near popular Blue Ridge Parkway trail in NC, officials say."
