Lost hikers found at Beaver Creek
ST. CLAIR TWP. — Three hikers who became lost in the Gretchen’s Lock area of Beaver Creek State Park were found unharmed about 8:15 p.m. Saturday.
One of the hikers used their cellphone to call the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office at 7 p.m. to report they were lost. Sunset last evening was at 6:32 p.m. and the temperature was in the mid 40s.
Cellphone contact was lost at some point, but authorities were able to use the coordinates from the 911 call to determine the missing hikers were about one mile west of Gretchen’s Lock, likely on the Vondergreen Trail, which connects with the main part of the park about three miles away. Intermittent heavy rains the previous three days had turned the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek into a roiling river and left portions of the trail under water.
Calcutta and Glenmoor firefighters arrived shortly after being notified at 7:15 p.m.. The hikers were found an hour later about a mile up the trail, and it took another 60 minutes to lead them out the woods.
No further details were available as press time.