Wednesday, February 19,2020
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Catch more fish, find
more hikes, enjoy North
Georgia: Get to the 2020
Outdoor Expo in March
Jessica Taylor Dawson County News
Authorities are searching near the Approach Trail in Amicalola Falls State
Park for Eddie Noonkester, a hiker who went missing on Feb. 16.
FROM 1A
Hiker
some signs or symptoms of early onset
[dementia] however please understand
that has not been diagnosed.”
Following the interview with
Noonkester, authorities mobilized a
search, but were unable to find any
sign of the hiker until approximately 1
p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, when staff
of the Len Foote Hike Inn located
some of Noonkester’s personal
belongings near the Hike Inn trail.
The items have since been verified
by Noonkester’s family members,
Thompson said.
Efforts to find Noonkester continued
into Monday night with six K9 teams
searching a large grid area around the
Approach Trail in Amicalola Falls
State Park, and on through Tuesday
morning until the weather deteriorated.
On Tuesday, Thompson said
Dawson County Emergency Services
called in the Georgia Emergency
Management Agency to assist in the
search.
“Today, we have called in the assis
tance of GEMA, numerous law
enforcement agencies, DNR, Dawson
County Sheriff’s department, park
staff here, numerous fire depart
ments... Gilmer County, Union
County, Fannin County are represent
ed today,” Thompson said.
At least 50 people from multiple
state and local agencies are currently
active in the search.
“Right now our focus is a grid area
of what’s called the Approach Trail
down High Shoals Road which is a
service road that leads over to the Len
Foote Hike Inn and then the Len Foote
Hike Inn trail back down towards the
visitor’s center and Cochran Falls,”
Thompson said. “The search area
where we’re looking for Mr.
Noonkester is a very, very treacherous
area. Terrain is very, very difficult and
couple that with the heavy downpours
that we’ve had throughout the day and
will continue to have over the next 72
hours, we’re going to continue to push
for this search of Eddie and hope for a
positive outcome.”
Thompson said that those wishing to
volunteer in the search efforts may do
so by contacting the official search and
rescue volunteer email, DCSAR@
dawsoncounty.org.
“What we’re asking the volunteers,
when you email into that address, leave
your name, contact telephone number,
your availability and your experience
level of hiking,” Thompson said.
Noonkester is an approximately 60
year old white male, standing at
5’10” and weighing approximately
200 pounds with gray hair and gray
goatee.
Authorities ask that if you see some
one matching Noonkester’s description
to call the Dawson County Sheriff’s
Office’s nonemergency number, (706)
344-3636.
“Our priority is to try to find him in
these next 48 hours,” Thompson said.
“We have a high focus of trying to
locate him as quickly as we can.”
From staff reports
The forests, streams and summits of
North Georgia are calling.
The whizz of the line racing down the
fishing rod after a cast, the thwack of a
bowstring being released, the slap of a
paddle on Lake Lanier — as the region
shakes off the worst of winter, remind
yourself of your favorite bits of the out
doors at the second-annual Outdoor
Expo.
Set for March 14 at the Gainesville
Civic Center, the expo will include a
slew of demonstrations, booths and ven
dors. Attendees to the free event can
catch up on the latest in bass fishing
tech, kayaking, wilderness survival and
even wildlife photography.
Local anglers will have practiced
hands leading seminars on SONAR and
electronic charts. Fishing writer and
local guide Ken Sturdivant is set to give
a demonstration on stripers and
SONAR, while John McCalpin will talk
about how to get the most out of your
modern fish finder and other mapping
technology.
“These devices tend to not be cheap,
and unfortunately most people who buy
them never get the maximum value out
of them,” McCalpin said on Wednesday,
Feb. 12.
Following his advice, McCalpin said
anglers can save a third of their current
fuel burn simply by knowing how to use
the fish finders and other tech they like
ly already own.
“For me, it’s been huge. I didn’t really
start fishing until about 10 years ago,”
he said. “One thing I found out really
quickly is the guys who have been out
there 30 or 40 years ago just seemed to
know where they’re going.”
To compete with the veterans, he dug
into his charts and now spends less time
trying to guess where fish might be at
any given time of year and more time
catching them.
“The end result for me is I probably
spend less than half the amount of time
going from place to place than I used
to,” he said.
The inaugural expo was held in
Outdoor Expo
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
March 14
Where: Gainesville Civic Center,
830 Green St. NE, Gainesville
More info: lnelson@
gainesvilletimes.com
How much: Free
Cumming near Forsyth County News, a
sister paper of The Times and Dawson
County News.
“The interest in this event last year
was incredible,” Editor in Chief
Shannon Casas said. “Our region has
so many opportunities for enjoying the
outdoors, whether you like fishing on
Lake Lanier, camping in the mountains
or just going on an occasional hike or
paddle. We hope to provide a lot of
expertise on those topics all in one
place.”
This year’s event will feature speak
ers on topics including fishing, kayak
ing and wilderness survival. The
Outdoor Expo is set for 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. at the Gainesville Civic Center,
830 Green St. NE, Gainesville.
Here's the schedule:
Room A
11 a.m.: Bass fishing lures with pro
angler and Lake Lanier guide Phil
Johnson
Noon: SONAR with Lowrance Pro
Staff Ken Sturdivant and Capt. John
McCalpin
2PM: Kayaks with Vibe Kayaks pro
Erica DeLana
3PM: Stripers with Lowrance Pro
Staff Ken Sturdivant
Room B
11:30 a.m.: Survival tips of the trail
with Mark Warren
1 p.m.: Crappie fishing with Capt.
John McCalpin
3:30 p.m.: The secret art of stalking
for photographers, wildlife observers
and hunters with Mark Warren
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Dawsonville Independent Branch
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