DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. – A family of hikers from New Jersey who became lost on Appalachian Trail between Hershey and Harrisburg were located safe and sound early Friday morning.
At about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Pennsylvania State Police – Lykens received a frantic call from Joseph Macintosh of New Jersey. He told police that his 7 year old granddaughter, Elizabeth Macintosh and three adults, Eric Silverman, 39, Danielle Silverman, 37, and Cathleen Macintosh, 24 were lost somewhere on the trail. He gave police the family’s cell phone number and said that before losing contact they had mentioned fire tower. Police traced bings from cell phone to an area east of Rausch Gap.
A search team comprised of members of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the U.S. National Park Service, State Police from Harrisburg, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission assisted by a State Police helicopter began looking for the group.
State police found signs of recent activity at the fire tower area of State Game Lands #211 but could not locate the hikers. A skilled Pennsylvania Game Commission tracker located the hikers vehicle at the Appalachian Trail parking area along Route 325. From their the searchers look along possible trail corridors in the vicinity. The tracker finally located the four hikers at about 1 a.m. and found them in good spirits. They were one mile southeast of the fire tower area. The group was escorted back to their vehicle.
