NC Man Missing in Rumney, NH; Found walking 240 miles from home

UPDATE: Aug 11, 2012
MARION, N.C. - A man who went missing in July near Stinson Lake in Rumney has been found by authorities in his home state of North Carolina.

Hugh Armstrong, 72, was located at about 1 a.m. walking along the road in Marion, North Carolina, about 240 miles west of his hometown in Clayton, N.C. Armstrong was confused and wasn’t sure where he was going, but overall, he was in good physical health, said police.

Armstrong’s son-in-law, Craig Black, says a deputy found information on Armstrong in a missing person database and identified him. Black said he was shocked when he got the news. It appear Armstrong made his way to North Carolina by walking and hitchhiking, said authorities. Armstrong’s family has been contacted, and they’re making arrangements to bring him home.

 Happy Ending!


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UPDATE: 7/30/2012

RUMNEY — The largest search effort in the state this year for a missing person has concluded after five days with no sign of a North Carolina man. Hugh Armstrong, 72, visiting with 11 members of his family for a week's vacation near Stinson Lake, went out for an early morning walk Wednesday and has not been seen since.

Armstrong, who grew up on a farm and spent a career in business, is not known to have any physical or mental health problems and is considered a strong walker. But he is not familiar with the locale or its rugged terrain.

He was wearing sneakers, eyeglasses, a white baseball hat, shorts and a T-shirt when he left the family's rental unit at Hawthorne Village. He had no cell phone, food or water with him. Family members said he went out with a plan to walk the 5.2 miles around the mountain lake and return home by 9 a.m.

Hugh Armstrong

By 12:30 p.m. that day, after driving the dirt roads surrounding the lake and not locating him, searchers were called. By Saturday, more than 90 volunteers responded to the call and joined line search teams, said Fish and Game Lt. Jim Kneeland, who is in charge of the search. Others brought food to a American Red Cross relief station set up at the White Mountain Ranch on the northern shore of the lake, while others who lived in the area took to the woods behind their homes to search for some sign of the man.

Kneeland said the volunteer efforts were complemented by the largest professional effort by far this year, more than 20 conservation officers, the State Police Special Emergency Response Team with dogs and a helicopter, the Army National Guard helicopters and organized volunteers, including New England K-9 Search and Rescue, Pemi Valley Search and Rescue and local fire departments.

Bill Taffe, who heads up Emergency Medical Services for the town of Rumney, was manning the ambulance after several days of line searching. He said he has never seen such a large and lengthy search for a missing person in the town. “It's anybody's guess” where Armstrong is, he said. “There's lots and lots of theories.” But Kneeland said by now, he would have expected Armstrong to “pop out” of the woods somewhere if he was able, though he conceded “these are big woods.” The effort began with hasty teams and bloodhounds then proceeded to grid searches near the Hawthorne Village and spread out along the edge of the road down toward the lake and up above the lake. 

As each day went on, the teams went further afield with teams focusing on river drainage above and below the lake, surrounded by steep hills. On Sunday the focus was Mead Pond, above Stinson Lake, with five line search teams out in the woods. Saturday the focus was in the area of Stinson Mountain, a two-mile hike from the trailhead, while others searched toward Ellsworth on and off a number of roads. “This is our last big day,” said Kneeland Sunday, noting there would be no requests for volunteers on Monday. He said he would give helicopter crews, who have been hampered by low cloud cover, a few places to look in the next few days. The weather has been primarily in the 70s and 60s, with some heavy rain showers. 

Asked if he thinks Armstrong is out there, Kneeland looked up above the lake and said, “I think I do.” He said that the family has been briefed daily of what is going on and what the plan for the coming day is. They were informed Saturday night that the search was concluding Sunday.

“They took it well. They really do appreciate the locals that have jumped in to line search and helped in any way they could,” Kneeland said. He said when there is spare time, conservation officers will continue to search the area for Armstrong. He still remained hopeful. “It might be what it takes is a good samaritan out in the woods” to find Armstrong. Those who believe they may have seen Armstrong are asked to call 846-3333.

CONCORD, N.H. – N.H. Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement staff are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a lost person, Hugh Armstrong, age 72, of Clayton, North Carolina. Armstrong was last seen leaving for a walk from Hawthorne Village in Rumney, N.H., at about 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2012, and was supposed to have returned by 9:00 a.m. Armstrong was reportedly planning to walk around Stinson Lake via Cross Road and Doe Town Road. It is unknown how long he has been in Rumney, or whether he is familiar with the area. Armstrong is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. He has brown-gray hair, gray eyes, and wears glasses. He is thought to be wearing a white Red Sox hat, a red or blue t-shirt, and shorts. Anyone who has seen Armstrong is asked to call State Police Troop F at (603) 846-3333.

UPDATE:
Fish and Game Conservation Officers, New Hampshire State Police, Rumney Fire Dept., and other search and rescue organizations are participating in the search for Armstrong.

State Police Lt. Todd Landry said Hugh Armstrong of Clayton, N.C., is here with his family visiting Stinson Lake on vacation and went out for "a short walk," abut 6:30 a.m. Landry said Armstrong had no health issues and was planning to walk from Hawthorne Village along the edge of the lake.

Twelve hours later, Landry said the search for Armstrong continues and includes the New England K-9 Search and Rescue on the ground, the NH State Police helicopter in the air, state Fish and Game officials, and local fire and police.

He said that at night helicopters in the air would be able to use infrared radar - which picks up the heat of a person's body - but only once it became dark.

Update 7/27/2012:About 60 searchers are looking for Armstrong, including New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers, state police, local fire department personnel and two canine search teams. The American Red Cross is on hand providing food and comfort to the searchers.

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Yellowstone National Park needs your help!

Click Here to Send Your Comments!(This link will take you to the National Park Service's Planning, Environment & Public Comment website.)  Dear Reader, Once again, Yellowstone National Park needs your help. Do you have a couple of minutes to speak up for a quiet and clean Yellowstone in winter?(Please see the instructions below for submitting your comments.) The National Park Service drafted a new winter use management plan after learning earlier this year that snowmobiles made for the park are becoming noisier and dirtier. Yet the plan would allow up to 480 snowmobiles a day, more than twice the average number experienced the past few years! This would take Yellowstone back to snowmobile levels not seen for a decade. Learn more here. The plan also proposes to continue using high explosives in critical wolverine and lynx habitat to maintain winter access over avalanche-prone Sylvan Pass. The park’s avalanche control program costs $125,000, and last winter it benefited only 60 visitors entering the park’s east entrance. While some aspects of the new plan are admirable – notably strong new Best Available Technology standards for both snowcoaches and snowmobiles – the National Park Service is seriously off-course in its latest plan. Take Action: Tell Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk that you would like the Park Service to emphasize snowcoach access, not expand snowmobile use, and uphold its duty to facilitate enjoyment that minimizes degradation of Yellowstone. Here's how you do it... Step 1: Go to http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=48306. The Park Service is only accepting online comments at this website. In order for your comment to count, you must carefully follow the Park Service's form. Step 2: Please personalize your comments by copying and pasting the talking points below into the Park Service web form, taking the opportunity to add any personal observations or stories. Step 3: Once you have completed all of the required/necessary fields on the form, make sure you click "Submit" at the bottom of the form. Talking Points/Sample Message Dear Superintendent Wenk: I am writing to comment on your proposed winter use management plan for Yellowstone National Park. I support a plan that provides the best protection for Yellowstone’s resources while accommodating enjoyment of the park’s unparalleled winter environment. * The Draft SEIS shows conclusively that a transition to a snowcoach-only winter transportation system maximizes protection of air quality, soundscapes, and wildlife while providing the most reliable and accessible visitor experience. * The proposed best available technology vehicle standards are an important improvement, and should be required as soon as possible, not delayed for another five years. * The proposal to allow up to 480 snowmobiles many days during the winter is a significant regression back to an era of disturbances to wildlife and substantial problems with noise and air pollution. * The requirement for professionally guided snowmobile tours has been crucial to reducing harassment of wildlife and violations of park rules and should not be abandoned when snowmobile use is allowed. * The use of artillery shelling for avalanche control on Sylvan Pass is inappropriate. Worker safety, impacts on wildlife, and the cost of hundreds or even thousands of dollars per visitor is unconscionable when many critical needs in Yellowstone are going unmet. * Your proposal to reduce the park’s top speed limit in winter to 35 miles an hour and in the most sensitive wildlife corridors to 25 miles an hour is a good idea. Thank you for doing this. *Additional, personal comments. We are grateful to you for taking a moment to add your voice in support of making Yellowstone National Park’s winters as clean and quiet as possible. Thank you. Sincerely, Patricia Dowd Yellowstone Program Manager

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Sunday River invests $1M in snow-making guns

NEWRY — Adding to one of the largest snow-making systems in New England, Sunday River announced Monday it would invest another $1 million in new snow guns this year.

Touting its commitment to snow-making, a press kit the resort issued this week included a pair of "Snowball's" — rubberized dog toys that look like snowballs and are made by the Portland-based Planet Dog.

"Last winter happened," read a card accompanying the snowballs. Despite a dismal year for natural snow the resort said it had its "second best financial year ever," in 2011-2012.

"We've built an unmatched snow-making arsenal that we're not afraid to use to its fullest potential," the release stated.

Since 2007, Sunday River's parent company, Boyne Resorts, which also operates Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, has invested more than $40 million at its two Maine resorts, mainly in new ski lifts and snow-making.

At Sunday River the commitment to not only have an immense snow-making system but a willingness to use it has paid off, said Dana Bullen, the resort's president and general manager.

“Snow-making is certainly the difference between a bad season and a good season, which is exactly what we saw last winter,” Bullen said. “Anyone can make snow. Last year’s success came down to us choosing to make snow when other resorts couldn’t or wouldn’t.”

Average natural snowfall was off by 65 inches — from 165 to just over 100 inches — Bullen said.

"Snow-making is an essential part of our DNA," Darcy Morse, the resort's director of communication, said Tuesday.

Maine's three largest ski areas — Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Saddleback — all made late-spring snow-making pushes firing up their systems to make snow in late March.

But Sunday River was able to pick up extra business from resorts in Vermont that were unable to stay open after heavy rains from a hurricane struck that state. The resort also served as a substitute training and competition resort for a large number of high school, college and other alpine racers.

Adding 300 new, highly-efficient snow guns, to the resorts most popular trails will also save energy allowing the resort to make more snow with less compressed air, which means lower electricity costs. Investments in more efficient snow-making also allowed both Sunday River and Sugarloaf to qualify for Efficiency Maine grants of $300,000 each, according to Morse.

Sunday River, like all ski resorts in Maine, is hoping for a better natural snow year in 2012-13, Morse said, but if that doesn't happen they will be even better prepared to combat that.

For the last five years, Sunday River has opened for Halloween, the earliest of any resort in New England and is looking to do that again this year, Morse said.

"We're always optimistic, " Morse said. " Our reputation for making snow and having a dependable product precedes us. Last year was a definite and clear illustration that we can do it and we will do it again and of course, we hope Mother Nature visits us more often this year as well."