Hiker separated from his group is missing on 80-mile trail, SC officials say
Officials are searching for a 27-year-old man who went missing on a hike in South Carolina, according to emergency services.
Richard Gonzalez was hiking the Foothills Trail at Oconee State Park when he became separated from his group, Oconee County Emergency Services said in a Facebook post Wednesday.
He was last seen on the trail between Nicholson Ford and Burell’s Ford, according to officials.
“At that time he was wearing a black shirt and black shorts with a green backpack,” the post states.
Gonzalez is roughly 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds, officials said. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 864-638-4222.
The Foothills Trail is an 80-mile trail one-way that runs along the North Carolina-South Carolina border and the South Carolina-Georgia border, according to South Carolina Trails.
Amy Nitzel, who is Gonzalez’s sister, told The Greenville News he lives in Dallas and is in South Carolina on a vacation with friends.
She said he is “not an experienced hiker” and is “unfamiliar” with the trail, the newspaper reported.
Gonzalez likely doesn’t have a map, according to Fox Carolina. He was reportedly last seen around noon on Monday.
But a friend told WFAA that Gonzalez does have a tent, a blanket, clothes, a pocket knife and a flashlight with him.
“His friends and his family — we’re all pretty upset, we’re all worried about him,” said his friend David Weaver, according to the TV station. “At the same time we have to take some peace in knowing he has the essentials, he has what he needs. At this point it’s really just a matter of finding him.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Hiker separated from his group is missing on 80-mile trail, SC officials say."
