Keeping Hope Alive
Everyone was trying to be positive and not think the worst of Austin. He had outdoor expertise and was familiar with the routes of the Smoky Mountains, so perhaps he had found a means to live. The Chief Park Ranger was also upbeat.

Keeping Hope Alive
Gone Too Long
Now that he knew nothing untoward had occurred in the woods, he claimed that Austin’s age and the fact that freshwater could be obtained throughout the national park were on his side. Nonetheless, the fact that he had been gone for so long was cause for alarm.

Gone Too Long