Update: Wardens narrow search area

[UPDATE: 1:18 p.m.] – The Maine Warden Service has narrowed the search area for missing hiker Geraldine Largay this afternoon to a 14-mile section of the Appalachian Trail, running from Lone Mountain in Mt. Abram Township, north to the Route 27 trail crossing in Wyman Township.

Wardens believe the area of highest probability is even smaller, consisting of a 9-mile section of the trail, running from Lone Mountain north to the Caribou Valley Road trail crossing.

CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Now into the second week since a missing Appalachian Trail hiker was last heard from, the Maine Warden Service is continuing its search today. So far, searchers on the ground, including those with dogs, on horseback and from the air have logged in a total of 721 miles of terrain.

Geraldine “Gerry” Largay, 66, of Brentwood, Tenn., began hiking the Appalachian Trail in April at Harpers Ferry, W.V, intending her final destination to be Maine’s Baxter State Park. Her husband, George Largay, had been tracking her progress and making a series of pre-arranged meetings in order to resupply her.

On Sunday, July 21, Gerry Largay departed the Appalachian Trail’s Route 4 crossing in Sandy River Plantation, near Rangeley. Later that day, she text-messaged her husband and told him she was on top of Saddleback Mountain, and that she intended to spend the night at the Poplar Ridge lean-to in Redington Township.

Her last text-message to him came in the morning hours of Monday, July 22, indicating she was heading north on the trail. Her next stop would have been the Spaulding Mountain lean-to.

Gerry Largay, an experienced hiker, was prepared with supplies and had no previous incidents up to this point in her hike, her husband said. She is described as being 5-foot, 5-inches tall, weighing 115 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She was last seen wearing a black pullover shirt, tan pants, a blue hat, and a black and green backpack.

Wardens, a helicopter and dozens of searchers – as many as 130 people looking for her on Saturday – have completed several search assignments contained within two points on the AT, said Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesman for the Warden Service on Monday.

“Several more assignments will be given today as well. The high probability search area is approximately eight miles on the AT and begins about one-half mile south of the Caribou Valley Road and extends south to Route 27, near Rangeley. The search area encompasses roughly 81 square miles. Weather conditions are cloudy this morning with a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. It is unlikely aircraft will be utilized today,” MacDonald said in a release.

The Largay search log to date: canine teams, 56.2 miles; hasty/grid teams (ground searchers) , 300.2 miles; horse teams, 26.9 and aircraft/helicopter, 338 miles.

Approximately 30 searchers will be out on Monday, July 29 including Maine game wardens, Mahoosuc SAR, US Border Patrol, and the Maine Forest Service. Those with any information should call the Maine State Police Communications Center in Augusta at (207) 624-7076 or 1-800-452-4664 (Maine only).