Teen gets stuck on icy mountain ahead of snow storm, North Carolina rescuers say
A stranded 17-year-old was rescued from an icy summit at Crowders Mountain State Park, just hours before a dangerous snow storm reached the Charlotte area.
The Gastonia Fire Department located the Bessemer City teen late Friday, Jan. 30, in a spot that was challenging, even for the well-trained rescuers, according to Fire Chief Phil Welch.
“He got off the trail and got on some rocks, and he was afraid he couldn’t go down or couldn’t go up without falling. He wasn’t injured. He just couldn’t remove himself from the ice-covered rocks,” Welch told The Charlotte Observer in a phone interview.
“The rescuers used ropes and extrication equipment to get down to him, and couldn’t get back to the normal trail. They got to the backside trail and two rescuers hiked down with him to get to an ATV.”
Drones were used to help locate the teen, who had been hiking with a companion, officials said. The companion left the park while the teen was stranded, but may have been the one who called 911 for help around 6:30 p.m., officials said.
A dozen Gastonia firefighters were involved in the operation, which lasted around 3 hours, Gastonia Station 1 reported in a Facebook post. The rescuers included staff from Engine 8, Battalion 1, Rescue 1 and Gaston County Emergency Management.
No injuries were reported, despite the ice on trails and temperatures in the 20s at the 5,200-acre park.
Ice has lingered on the mountain since a winter storm crossed North Carolina on Jan. 18. Another storm moved into the region around 3 a.m. Saturday, and it is forecast to produce up to 9 inches of snow in the area. The snow will be accompanied by extreme cold, including wind chills below zero, the National Weather Service says.
Crowders Mountain State Park is near Kings Mountains, about a 30-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.
This story was originally published January 31, 2026 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Teen gets stuck on icy mountain ahead of snow storm, North Carolina rescuers say."