Dead Katahdin hiker was still alive when 1st 911 call went out

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff

A hiker on Katahdin was still alive when the first 911 call came in, Baxter State Park’s director told the Bangor Daily News.

Another hiker encountered Bert Peter Goris, 64, of Colton, California, around 1:15 p.m. on Sept. 14 on Hunt Trail near York Valley, Director Kevin Adam said Monday. Goris had a leg injury and difficulty talking and could not move well.

The Maine Army National Guard deployed a helicopter to rescue Goris. Baxter State Park rangers hiked up to Goris and helped him to the helicopter that landed on Katahdin’s Tablelands around 4:40 p.m.

Goris was confirmed deceased at Millinocket Airport where ambulance staff met the helicopter, Adam said.

Last week’s death is the latest on Katahdin and the first this year. It comes just more than a year after a father and daughter died near The Tablelands after going missing on the mountain during severe weather. More than 60 people have died on Katahdin.

Goris’ identification is tentative and an official identification and cause of death are pending with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. 

Goris was registered as an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, Adam said. He stayed at The Birches campground on Sept. 13 and signed into the Hunt Trail register around 7:40 a.m. on Sept. 14 as a solo hiker.

Witnesses said Goris had reached the summit on Sept. 14 and was descending, Adam said. 

Goris stopped on Hunt Trail during his descent and asked a hiker for directions to Abol Trail. Goris was wearing wet shorts and a long-sleeved shirt at the time, and the hiker told Goris to put on more clothing, Adam said.

That hiker had to leave because of weather conditions, Adam said. The first emergency calls came in shortly after that interaction.

Wind gusts reached more than 35 mph that day, with a wind chill around 20 degrees, Adam said. There was also periodic rain. 

The hiker who first called 911 then found Goris near York Valley, below the intersection of Hunt and Abol trails. That hiker wrapped Goris in a sleeping bag, emergency blanket, tarp and tent, Adam said. The hiker had to descend around 2 p.m. because of hypothermia risks.

Another hiker came across Goris around 2:35 p.m. and wrapped him in an additional sleeping bag. That hiker also had to descend because of hypothermia risks.

The death was first reported by the BDN on Friday. It took a week for the park to release any information about Goris’ death. 

Adam did not respond to a question about what caused the delay in sharing information about the death.