NH Fish and Game looking for 72 year old man, stinson lake area

[bcborder]

I hiked the Three Ponds trail south from NH 118 Saturday. I met two members of NH Fish and Game who were searching for a 72 year old man missing since Wednesday who apparently went out walking near Stinson Lake and didn't come back. What looked like a F&G helicopter was flying low and in search mode near the Three Ponds area.

This was a red lining trip. Originally I was going to do a loop: Three Ponds, Mt. Kineo, and Hubbard Brook trails. The Three Ponds trail from NH 118 is very grown in. I got to the Donkey Hill Cutoff trail more slowly than expected. Instead of finishing the loop I backtracked the Three Ponds trail and tried to hike Hubbard Brook from NH 118. I'm glad I did because I wasn't able to follow the trail past the first beaver pond. In fact I totally lost the trail following a old tape line and I had to bushwhack back to NH 118. Next time I'll got with GPS and some way points set.

 

[Fitz]

Good News

Apparently, he tried to walk home!

http://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-08-11/missing-man-found/56985000/1

 

[Kevin Rooney]

He's a remarkable individual.

 

[sardog1]

I've been involved in a few of these situations, but never one involving such a distance without the subject doing the driving himself or herself. When one of these has keys and a car, the result can be sometimes astonishing and sometimes tragic. Sometimes the vehicle will be far, far off any traveled roads.

I've seen an Alzheimer's case that was on foot and located on a beeline for Florida from NH. (I checked it with a compass.) How he determined the direction is something for the neuroscientists. It sure wasn't because he was familiar with the area where he started.

 

[Jasper]

Amazing story

An amazing story. Who says humans don't have a homing instinct!

 

[dug]

Great story indeed.

I assume, however, in light of the position that the F&G has taken, this would be a chargeable "attempted rescue"?

 

[mtnpa]

Here & There

NC nerws:
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/11418532/


NH news:
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120811/NEWS07/708129993

 

[Maddy]

You have to wonder in the poor chap isn't suffering some some kind of dementia.

My father used to dress up and take off and so did my elderly aunt who lived next door. The police brought them home.

I found an elderly woman in town last summer. She had no clue. Lots of other folks saw her and did nothing. We covered quite a lot of ground before the cruiser showed up. It was amazing how she would wander right into various businesses, ramble on, shuffle around, and no one was interested in lending a hand.

The brain is a funny thing. When it works it works, but if it screws up.....watch out. You might be going for a very long hike.
Happy he is home safe.