Your outdoor news bulletin for June 10, the day Benjamin Franklin’s kite was struck by lightning:
Teen Attempts A.T. Record
Like many others, Neva Warren of Florida has a 35-pound pack, a trail name (Chipmunk), and is attempting to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail from South to North. Unlike other thru-hikers tackling the trail this summer, Warren is only 14-years old, and if she completes her journey she will become the youngest solo thru-hiker in the history of the trail. WDBJ7 caught up with the youngster on her way through Craig County, Virginia, roughly a third of the way through the 2,100 mile trek. Inspired by a family trip to Shenandoah National Park, Warren says she trained mainly on flat ground, but has been steadily racking up more and more miles as the hike has progressed. Her family has been meeting her at trailheads although she has spent a few extended stretches in the backcountry. Favorite part of the trail: the wild ponies of the Grayson Highlands of course.
You can read more about Chipmunk’s quest on her blog.
Man Airlifted Off Trail in Pa.
Speaking of the Appalachian Trail, a man was rescued off the trail outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, after falling nearly 100 feet down an embankment. A man described to be in his early 20s was airlifted to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries following a coordinated rescue effort from multiple agencies in the area. The trail is apparently heavily traveled and injuries are not uncommon according to officials. The man had been hiking with friends when he fell around 9 p.m. Be careful out there, especially when hiking near 100 foot banks at night.
Climate Record Broken
And speaking of breaking records, the global carbon dioxide emissions from energy rose to a record high in 2012. A report from the International Energy Alliance says the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions ros 1.4 percent in 2012, to a record high of 31.6 billion tons. Perennial Pollution Powerhouse China saw the biggest jump from 2011 to 2012, although the acceleration of emissions has slowed. The United States and Europe both posted falling carbon emissions from 2011 to 2012, so kudos to us. This is still bad news for the country and world though as IEA found the world to be on track for a 6-10 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature, higher than the maximum 3.6 degree rise deemed sustainable.
