*Information is obtained from the Where are they? Podcast and other online sources as cited**
On October 8, 1976, Mr. Wayne Dunlap was excited to take his students on a field trip. This was going to be a trip to the Clingman Dome area of the Great Smoky Mountains. The class was going to hike and see the sights at the Dome, spend the day exploring, and head back to their school, Beardman High School, that afternoon.
Mr. Dunlap didn’t tell his students where they were going. He wanted to surprise them. In 1976, permission slips weren’t as commonplace as they are today.
The 38 students arrived by bus mid-morning and split off into two groups. 16-year-old Trenny Gibson went with one group, which included her friend Robert Simpson, whom she also sat with on the bus ride.
They were specifically taking the hike to Andrews Bald, a moderately difficult hike, about 1.8 miles long.
When they started to head back, Robert said he wanted to look for bears. Trenny ran up and joined another group of students.
Just about ½ mile from the parking lot, Trenny noticed something in the woods and crouched down to look. Her friend group decided to stop for a rest. Trenny was looking at something off to the right of the trail.
