After three days of searching along the Appalachian Trail in Dawson County, the body of a missing hiker has been found not far from where the trail begins at Amicalola Falls State Park.

Eddie Noonkester, 60, began his hike Friday but called a friend Sunday around 11 a.m. saying he was having medical issues. He then called 911 himself 30 minutes later saying he was disoriented.

Search teams found some of his belongings Monday afternoon after pinging his cell phone.

Dawson County Fire Chief Danny Thompson says his body was located Wednesday afternoon about a mile southwest of the hike-in trail. It was in an area with steep terrain that had not been previously searched.

“The team that actually found him… [it] was a team from Gilmer, Dawson… and Forsyth County,” he says.

Thompson would not release a possible cause of death but says Noonkester’s body has been taken to the state crime lab for an autopsy.

His brother, Wesley Noonkester, thanked emergency workers for their efforts. He actually came to the aid of another distressed hiker during his own search for his brother.

“It was not the outcome that I had hoped for. But at the end of the day our goal was to bring Eddie home, and we were able to do that,” he says.

Thompson says they have come the rescue of hikers along the trail before who suffered minor injuries or were lost, but never had such an extensive operation combining the efforts of multiple jurisdictions and more than 100 searchers.

He says the conditions have been treacherous the entire time.

“From heavy rain to lightening and now we’re looking at frozen precipitation up in this area and the rescuers and searchers have had to endure this,” says Thompson.

Wesley Noonkester says he will sleep well now knowing his brother is in a better place.