Two separate hikers were rescued off the Appalachian Trail in Virginia last weekend after braving the ice conditions the recent winter storm left behind. 

On February 20 at 11:04 am, the Virginia Division 3 Technical Rescue Team made a post on their Facebook page: “C shift personnel currently en route to Bedford County for hiker in distress. Will update as more information is available.” 

The hiker had fallen 250 feet down a snow-and-ice-covered portion of the mountainside near Big Island and the James River Foot Bridge in Bedford County, according to the rescue team. A Virginia State Police helicopter was dispatched to assist in removing the hiker from the embankment. 

It took nearly nine hours to rescue the injured hiker and send them off to medical services. The hiker was suffering from hypothermia and had injuries to the legs and face and was in stable condition.

The next day